Ever had a car with a bent wheel? This is an issue that most people have to deal with at some point in their life. It’s not just annoying, but it can also be dangerous. Luckily, there are companies like Wheel Fixers who specialize in fixing your vehicle tire and wheel problems.
They offer professional repairs and even sell tires for all types of cars, trucks and motorcycles!
In this article I will show you how to fix a bent wheel. After that, you’ll know exactly what to do next time your car suffers from a bad bend.
Caution: This should only be done if you are confident in doing the bending yourself. Special tools are required to make the bends and you want it done right! Always use a machine press or a hydraulic press when putting a new bend on a steel wheel. If there is any doubt, take it to your local shop for repair.
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Tips On How To Avoid A Bent Rim
With the circular, rotating pieces of metal that you use to get where you need to go, it’s not very often that they stay in perfect condition. It only takes one time ramming your car into a speed bump at just the wrong angle for your gorgeous wheels to be looking like anything but.
The damage is usually only surface-deep, and easy enough to fix with just a little patience and elbow grease. Just as long as you can get out to where your car is, of course.
What Causes A Bent Wheel Rim?
Rim damage happens for lots of different reasons: sometimes it’s as simple as hitting a speed bump or pothole the wrong way; other times it’s caused by some other accident like a run-in with another car or some jagged piece of metal on the road.
Can You Fix A Bent Rim?
A bent wheel rim is no joke, it can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Whether it’s just a minor bend or the tire has completely come off the rim, it needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Luckily fixing a bent wheel rim for your truck is an easy task!
To fix your bent wheel rim all you need to do is remove the mounting bolts and take off the tire.
Next, take out any dents in the metal (or buy new rims if there are too many). Finally re-install everything back on and you’re good to go! It’s that simple – stop stressing about how fast you need to act.
How Do I Fix A Bent Wheel Rim?
Fixing your bent rims is easier than you think, and don’t worry; it won’t cost you an arm and a leg either. It does require a little bit of elbow grease, but it’s nothing you can’t handle.
Tools Needed To Fix A Bent Wheel Rim:
You might not have everything on this list laying around your house or garage already, so be sure to scout for any tools you may need.
1) Gloves
2) Hammer
3) File
4) Flaring tool
5) Primer
6) Paint
7) Clear coat
8) Sandpaper (optional, but recommended if you want to get everything looking nice and smooth.)
Diy Steps To Fixing Your Own Wheel Rims At Home
Glove Up
safety first! You don’t want any of your precious skin getting caught inside the rim and getting shredded up.
Remove the tire from your car and take the wheel apart – With everything safely unmounted, use a hammer to knock off any lug nuts that are stuck in between the rim and metal frame beneath it. Undo the screws holding your rims together using a screwdriver or wrench if necessary, and take out your wheel.
Put The Wheel On A Flat Surface
Your wheel will be bent in some way, so you need to make sure it’s even and steady before you start working on it. If your car is still jacked up from where you’re changing your tire, put a jack underneath each of the four corners of the car while leaving the wheels on the ground, then lower each corner to give yourself enough space.
File Down The Bent Edge
You want to start working on your rims right away because you’ve only got a small window of time before you have to move onto the next step. Use your hammer and files to work down any sharp spots, rounding off the edge until the rim is even.
Get Rid Of Any Scratches
If you have any deep gouges or scrapes in your wheel, use a flaring tool to smooth them out and prime the metal for paint.
Paint Your Rims
Give it a couple coats, making sure not to miss any spots, and let it dry after each one. When you’re finished, you might want to do some sanding on the painted areas if there are any scratches or uneven spots. If everything looks nice and smooth after that, you can go ahead with your clear coat to protect your paint job.
Reassemble The Wheel
Once everything is all dry and together again, go ahead and put your tire back on, tightening up the lug nuts to keep it in place.
Check For Mistakes
Put everything back together and make sure you didn’t miss anything. Make sure your tire is still balanced correctly after all that hammering. All of the bolts should be nice and tight too – You’ll probably want to do a full test drive after all this, make sure everything is still running smoothly.
This is the method that’s used by many wheel repair shops as well as individuals who fix their own bent rims. It might take a little bit longer than if you took it to get repaired at one of those places (for example, some rims can get fully fixed in about 30 minutes), but it’s definitely a good way to save yourself some money.
But What If I Don’t Have Any Of These Materials?
It’ll still work, though there might be some slight differences. If you don’t have a flaring tool or primer, for example, you’ll probably want to skip that step. It should still work out pretty well if you’re doing it without them, but it may not look as nice in the end.
If you don’t want to bother with sanding your rims down after they’re painted, there’s no harm in trying to get the job done without it. However, you might not get the same smooth finish you would with sanding, so it’s recommended that you still do it.
As long as you keep in mind any steps that require special tools or items to accomplish, you should be able to find a workaround for them if it means saving money. After all, nobody wants to spend hundreds of dollars on something when they only need to spend a couple bucks.
If you’re fine with the idea of doing it yourself, then this isn’t too hard of a process, and it’s definitely cheaper than taking your vehicle in for repairs. Just be careful when you’re filing down the rim if there are any metal bits sticking up that can cut into your skin!
There are plenty of other methods for fixing bent rims, but this is the one that’s typically taught to people who work with wheels on a regular basis.
Main Takeaways – Fixing A Bent Rim
So to wrap things up, if you want to fix your bent wheel rim for less than the cost of a new one or are just curious about how this process works, here’s what you should do. First off, make sure that there is no air in the tire by removing it from the vehicle and letting all pressure out. Next, place an old towel beneath both sides of the wheel before using any tools on them so they don’t get scratched.
Finally, use either a heavy rubber mallet or hammer depending on which type of tool kit you have available at home (or garage) to hit against each side evenly until they move back into their original position. If done correctly – with patience and care – then most likely your car or truck will drive perfectly fine afterward.
If it’s minor bends that are affecting the performance of your car then you can fix it yourself with a little elbow grease- if there aren’t too many damages. If you’re looking for more serious damage, check out car repair manuals to learn how to make any necessary adjustments or repairs.
Yes, fixing bent wheel rims is not the most difficult task in the world and you don’t need to take it to a shop. The idea is that if your truck has major damage then it’s best to leave it up to the professionals. However, if your bent rim isn’t too serious but still needs fixed- follow these steps and you can say goodbye to your annoying dents.
Wondering how to fix a bent wheel rim on a car? It’s a simple task, but it may take you more than an hour of work depending on how bad the damage is.