Is My Wheel Damaged? What To Do About Damaged Rims

If tires are the first point of contact between you and the road, wheels are the second, and your vehicle’s performance and safety rely on your wheels operating correctly. Damage to even just one wheel can reduce your vehicle’s performance, damage your tires, and even be a safety hazard. 

Although you don’t have to replace your car’s wheels as often as tires, that doesn’t mean that your rims are immune to damage. In fact, the only time you may actually need to replace your rims is if they become damaged. 

Let’s go through the most common types of wheel damage, how it usually happens, and what you can do about it. We’ll also help you spot some of the most common rim damages you’ll find when inspecting your wheels. 

SHOP WHEELS

Types of Wheel Damage 

Chipped rims

A chipped rim is when a small, or large, portion of your tire has been damaged and separated from the larger part of the wheel. You can recognize a chipped rim by inspecting the tire and looking for any missing pieces in the wheel’s construction. You’ll most commonly see tires chip around the rim of the wheel near the bead of the tire, or where the tire and the wheel touch. 

In the image of the chipped rim and tire blow-out, it’s unclear which came first: the damaged rim or the tire damage. If you identify a chip in your wheels, get it checked as soon as possible.   

How do wheels get chipped?

The most common way rim chips happen is when you hit a curb, especially from the side. A specific portion of your wheel impacts the curb and breaks off, resulting in a chip. 

Should I have my wheel replaced if it’s chipped?

Yes, because it’s not easy to repair a chipped wheel. Even a small chip to the wheel can be a serious problem, especially if it’s along the rim of the wheel. 

This is because damage to the outer rim of your wheel compromises your wheel’s ability to hold a tire safely in place. The air pressure of the tire can’t be maintained if there’s a chip in your wheel where the air can leak out. Best case, this leads to losing tire pressure over time. Worst case, you experience a blowout on the road. 

Bent wheels

A bent wheel is when it becomes distorted from its original shape, resulting in a wheel that may be obviously, or subtly, bent. This most commonly happens around the rim of your wheel. You can spot bent wheels by inspecting your wheels from multiple angles and checking for any misshaped rims or other irregularities. You may also notice a bent wheel while driving if your car is vibrating, shaking, making strange noises, or not steering straight. 

How do wheels get bent?

Most commonly, wheels get bent when hitting a particularly bad pothole or large road hazard at the wrong angle or when going too fast. But if anything, including a curb, rock, or another car, impacts your wheel really hard from the wrong angle, it can bend your wheel. 

How to tell if a rim is bent?

Bent rim symptoms include a vibration while driving, uneven tire wear, steering issues like the vehicle pulls to one side, or loss of air pressure. Of course, these symptoms could indicate several issues, including a bad tire, vehicle misalignment or other structural issues. Get your vehicle checked if you notice any of those signs.

Should I have my wheel replaced if it’s bent?

If the bend is bad enough, yes. Sometimes, mechanics can repair minor bends and form the wheel back into its original shape. You’ll need to take your vehicle to a mechanic who specializes in this to have this assessed, but we recommend addressing it immediately. 

Bent wheels can make your tires wear down unevenly and make your vehicle less safe to drive, which can increase your chance of getting into an accident. 

Cracked rims

Cracks in rims are subtle but can be seriously dangerous, as it compromises your wheels’ ability to drive safely. Cracks can happen anywhere in your rims, but you should especially look for them around the rim and spokes of your wheel. 

Even a small crack can be very dangerous, as it may grow over time as weight is put on it, resulting in your wheel potentially falling apart while driving. A wheel crack can also be a point of failure for your rim to start corroding!

How do wheels get cracked?

Potholes once again are the most common source of wheel cracks, as a sudden impact can put a lot of stress on a wheel, causing it to crack under the strain. Any sudden, sharp impact will risk your wheels cracking, so if you take your vehicle off-road, inspect your wheels for cracks often. 

Should I have my wheel replaced if it’s cracked?

Sometimes. Small cracks can be repaired by a wheel repair expert or professional welder. Larger cracks, multiple cracks, or a crack that’s getting bigger over time means the wheel needs to be replaced altogether. 

Cracks are dangerous around the rim of the wheel because it won’t be able to hold air inside your tire. Other cracks on your wheel can result in your wheel suddenly snapping while on the road, which can cause a car accident. Have your wheel inspected, repaired, or replaced immediately if you spot even a small crack. 

Wheel corrosion

Wheel corrosion looks like patches of discoloration on your wheel that can’t be cleaned or rubbed off. The paint of your wheel may bubble out and the metal of your wheel underneath is visible. The discoloration may be black, orange, or white depending on your wheel’s construction.

Wheel corrosion happens when the outer coating of a wheel deteriorates and the steel, aluminum, or metal alloy that makes up the construction of your vehicle is exposed. The metal of your wheel corrodes and can spread from a single point of failure. The danger comes from when the corrosion spreads to the rim of your wheel, which can cause air leaks. 

How do wheels corrode?

While sudden damage or scratches to the outer coating of your wheel can create a weakness that causes your wheel to start corroding, your wheel may corrode over time as a result of a few different things. 

• Harsh cleaning products
• Exposure to salt water and/or salted roads in winter
• Brake dust from your brake pads

Should I have my wheel replaced if it’s corroding?

If you’re noticing corrosion on your wheels early on, a wheel professional may be able to remove the damage and refurbish your wheel. A little bit of corrosion can be repaired. A lot might mean your whole wheel needs to be replaced. 

How Do Wheels Get Damaged?

The most common causes for wheels getting damaged are: 

• Potholes
• Road debris
• Hitting the curb
• Fender benders and car accidents
• Brake dust
• Off-roading damage
• Using the wrong cleaning product
• Exposure to salt from the road

You won’t always immediately notice damage to your wheels, so inspect them often for some of the types of wheel damage we’ve listed to make sure you won’t experience a blowout while on the road. 

Is it better to have wheels repaired or replaced?

This depends mostly on the type and severity of the damage. Some minor damage, especially if caught early on, can be temporarily repaired. You may find that the wheel, once repaired, will fail again in the same spot. This can turn a quick repair into an ongoing maintenance cost, so sometimes you’re better off replacing your wheel altogether. 

If you’re struggling to find the right wheels for your vehicle, or want to explore all options on the market, Tire Agent may be able to help. We don’t sell just tires! Our vehicle matching tool will help you find a new set of wheels that fit your vehicle perfectly. The best part is Tire Agent’s fast and free shipping anywhere in the U.S.

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Car crash bent tire ID 19429655 | Bent Car | Cafebeanz Company | Dreamstime

Chipped rim ID 192910699 | Wheel | Keechuan | Dreamstime.com

Bent damaged rim ID 112880224 | Car Rim | Zts | Dreamstime.com 

Wheel corrosion ID 67656633 | Wheel | Watcharapol Amprasert | Dreamstime.com