If you have been reading our articles, then by now you should be aware of the importance of checking your car tyres regularly, both tyre pressure and tyre condition. It is time to talk about your vehicle's wheels and rims. They also need to be checked regularly as they can have a dramatic effect on the driving performance of your car.
There are two types of wheels, the first of which is an alloy wheel, commonly known as an 'alloy' or 'rims'. This is a type of lighter steel wheel originally designed to save weight and increase speed. In more recent years alloy wheels have been more frequently used primarily for style and aesthetics, but they are still considerably lighter than the alternative. Many different types of alloy wheels are now on the market and include special alloy wheels for 4x4s, and even vans. This is a new development as alloy wheels have only been fitted to vans by manufacturers very recently.
The second type of wheel are stronger and heavier, made purely from steel. Steel wheels were not originally designed with any concessions made for style, but in recent times styled steel wheels with wheel trims have come to the market, making these wheels a much more attractive alternative.
At this time of year in particular, damage to your car tyres and rims from pot holes is an unfortunate everyday occurrence on UK roads. If you know you have driven over a pot hole, or bumped into the curb, it is crucial that you check the tyres and the wheels on the car for damage. A knock like that can take chunks out of the tyre, so you should look out for any abrasions on the sidewalls and circumference of the tyres. Even if you can see no visible damage on the outside, a bump can reduce the pressure of your tyres, and if it was a severe bump, there could be internal damage to the tyre which a garage would need to check.
As for your wheels, any knocks to them can affect the balance of the car, or cause vibrations. In severe cases, a shock to the wheel can cause so much stress that the wheel cracks. Repairing or replacing it could be very expensive, but if the wheel failed while you were driving at speed the consequences could be devastating.
It is quite common for people to bump the outer rims of their wheels and hardly worry about it at all. However, they aren't just there to look pretty, they also help keep the car's tyres in place and maintain tyre pressures, so if you knock them against a curb or pothole, make sure you check your tyre pressures quickly, and consider taking the car into a garage to see if the wheel needs repairing.
For those of you with sportier cars, you may want to change to bigger wheels than your car was originally fitted with. Something to keep in mind is that the overall wheel plus tyre circumference must not increase. This can be achieved by having a lower profile tyre and this is why car manufacturers fit low profile tyres & big alloys to their sporty models.
