How to Protect Aluminum Wheels in 5 Different Ways
A car is usually a person’s prized possession. People save up for months on end to get one that matches their taste. But that’s not the end of it. People will also want to customize their cars and make them look good. Cruising through the roads in style is everyone’s dream. That’s where aluminum wheels come in. These alloy wheels are well painted and coated. This makes the wheels look better than other kinds in the market.
But, wait a minute, your perils don’t end here as well. Now, you have to learn how to protect aluminum wheels, because they can wear out pretty fast if not taken care of.
And that is exactly what we’ll show you. Throughout the article, we have put down 5 different ways that you can implement to keep your aluminum in tip-top shape for a long time.
So, without waiting any further, let’s jump right into it, shall we?
Aluminum Wheel: In General
Normally, cars will come shipped with steel wheels, and most people in the world use this kind. Steel wheels are made with an alloy of iron and carbon, which is heavy, but very durable.
On the other hand, we have the alternative, i.e., aluminum wheels. These wheels are made with aluminum alloy that is lightweight, yet strong.
Aluminum Wheels come in wide varieties of finishes and sizes. They are a very balanced choice when it comes to overall performance.
Now that the basics are covered, let’s jump into how you can protect these aluminum wheels if you plan on using them.
How to Protect Aluminum Wheels?
We have put together 5 ways you can protect your aluminum wheels and extract their complete value when it comes to usage. So, here goes:
1. Clean the Wheels
Firstly, you’ll have to focus on cleaning your wheels regularly. This goes for all wheels and not only aluminum ones.
Clean wheels have better friction and don’t wear that easily. On the contrary, the dirt on wheels makes them wear a whole lot faster than they are supposed to.
Moreover, brake dust can collect on wheels if not cleaned properly and they can easily eat away at the clear coat of your wheels.
So, it’s better if you clear the dust on a regular basis. Road salts, and magnesium chloride if you live in the United States, will also tend to corrode your wheels.
Therefore, it’s pretty evident why we tell you to clean your wheels regularly. One more thing to keep in mind is that you need to follow a cleaning routine, especially in winter.
Due to the tire compression and cold roads, your tire might face other implications. So, always remember to keep your aluminum wheels clean to protect them.
2. Waxing Wheels is Always a Good Idea
Waxing has always been beneficial when it came to protection. And it is still the same to this day. Woodwork or metal, you name it and wax will protect it from dirt and grime if applied correctly.
The same goes for aluminum wheels. If you apply wax on them, it will create a nice coat over the whole tire surface, creating a layer of protection over your wheels’ clear coat.
Moreover, always use a dedicated wheel wax rather than a spray-on polish. Those things don’t work well. So, as we said, Waxing is never a bad idea.
3. Set in Some Wheel Protectors
Now, let’s come down to some extra attachments that you can use to keep your wheels safe. At first, let’s see why you need these attachments.
The attachments that we will talk about here are called Rim Protectors. They keep your rims safe from facing any kind of damage.
Now, aluminum wheels cost quite an amount and it would definitely not look good if you scratched the wheels while let’s say parallel parking. So, you need something to keep your wheel safe from these scrapes.
And this is where rim protectors come into play. You can ask for RimBlades and RimSavers in the market. They will take care of your rim protection as you cruise through the free roads.
4. Adopt Good Driving Habits
In order to reduce the risk of your wheels getting damaged, we would also like to encourage you to adopt good driving habits. Because “Prevention is better than a cure.”
Firstly, make sure that when you parallel park, you park a few inches away from the curb. Don’t snug into it. That’ll increase the chances of you damaging your wheels.
Secondly, avoid potholes at all costs. Drive slow through roads, if necessary. These potholes damage your wheels quite a lot.
And thirdly, always take your time while parking in. Because most people will scrape their wheels while making fast parking maneuvers. So, it’s best to be careful.
5. Set Aside Some Temporary Wheels for Winter
The last thing you can do to properly protect your aluminum wheels is set aside your main wheels and use a pair of temporary wheels during winter. This is the foolproof plan as; you cannot damage a tire that’s not on the road.
So, before winter kicks in, replace those aluminum wheels and throw in a pair that is expendable.
Conclusion
And that was all that we had on how to protect aluminum wheels. If you take proper care of those alloy gems, you can increase their longevity to a whole different level.
So, if you make those wheels last an extra year, that’s a win, right? So, we hope that you’ll put all the information that you got here to good use.
Now, here’s a quick tip, always remember to regularly clean your wheels, be it aluminum or not. That improves the longevity and condition of all kinds of wheels.
With all things said and done, we’d like to mention that we would love some proper feedback. So, if you have suggestions, feel free to drop them by.
Until then, drive safe and stay healthy.
This story was originally published on the Reliance Chemicals Website.