Repairing a scuffed wheel.

[ram_man]

My wheel was somehow scuffed I've never hit anything with it and the wife said she didn't either. It was at the dealer couple weeks ago but I didn't notice it till today. I have no idea how it happened and won't dwell on how as much as how to fix it.
All advice is appreciated it's not very bad or very rough. Whatever it was it wasn't hit very hard.


http://tinypic.com/r/2ufazhg/9

 

[SatinSilver]

Did the dealer do anything to the wheels like a rotation, alignment etc.? Probably needs to be refinished. They have mobile guys that will do a nice job or just live with it.

 

[ram_man]

Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Did the dealer do anything to the wheels like a rotation, alignment etc.? Probably needs to be refinished. They have mobile guys that will do a nice job or just live with it.


No they didn't I was having a previous piece of damage they caused fixed ..... So not sure what happened. Would the best thing to do be sand it lightly to smooth it out and then repaint the spots?

 

[dishdude]

Someone brushed a curb with that wheel.

 

[SatinSilver]

Looks like you might need some sort of filler for the gouges. Here's a recent thread on some aluminum wheel repair. I like what Trav says about the repair process.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4039517/Re:_Painting_aluminum_rims#Post4039517

 

[CKN]

You can lightly brush a curb and not know it. However, that wheel looks like it was scuffed pretty hard by a curb.

 

[Mr Nice]

Dang.

Are there any people in the auto industry that doesn't damage a customer's vehicle ???

 

[Charlie1935]

No signs of scuffing on the tire?

 

[ram_man]

Originally Posted By: Charlie1935
No signs of scuffing on the tire?


None at all. The damage isn't as bad as the picture makes it out to be . Like the gouge toward the center isn't deep at all it's just a surface scuff basically.

 

[69GTX]

Someone, somewhere, at some time came in contact with a curb or barrier of some sort. That's more than just a scuff. Can't imagine a balance or alignment machine doing that. The wheel would have to be thrown to the cement.

 

[Rand]

that isnt the type of damage they do at the dealer..

That's the wife hitting a curb at speed. not a tap parallel parking.

Wife tends to know that hitting new car on curb irritates husband so therefore.. "nope I didn't hit anything."

 

[ram_man]

I realize it's not a balance or allignment machine damage. I thought it could be rack arm that hit the wheel . I've seen that happen. The wife says she didn't do it ..... I would hope she would be honest. The scratches aren't very deep at all it certainly wasn't done at speed if it was a curb it would have been very slow.

 

[CT8]

it seems foolish to worry about a wheel scuff as the wheel will get scuffed again. That is what happens

 

[69GTX]

I've scuffed up my wheels like that and had no idea I did it...until the next time I inspected them. If you park on tight, 2 lane roads with curbs, it's going to happen eventually. These days I just avoid curbs like the plague. Would rather walk an extra 1/4 mile from a parking lot if I have to.

 

[ram_man]

Originally Posted By: 69GTX
I've scuffed up my wheels like that and had no idea I did it...until the next time I inspected them. If you park on tight, 2 lane roads with curbs, it's going to happen eventually. These days I just avoid curbs like the plague. Would rather walk an extra 1/4 mile from a parking lot if I have to.


I live rural Missouri. I never park next to a curb ever I don't think I've ever parked the dart against one. I don't know how it happened . Im wondering if I can sand it down and repaint it.

 

[Lyman]

I'm not sure about where you are but here in San Diego there are guys that do only wheel finishing. I have a co-worker with a newer Camaro that just had all his black chrome wheels done and they look like new again. He paid a few hundred to have them done but IMHO it was well worth it. They can repair scuffs and dings like you have very easily.

 

[Nick1994]

I don't think you'll be able to repair it well yourself as far as painting. It might look better scratched rather than painted over.

I would just wash it real good and get some rubbing compound and see what you can do with it.

 

[ram_man]

If I repair it I'll sand it then use epoxy primer wet sand then paint. It would probably turn out ok...

 

[Wheel]

Could be from a deep pothole, not a curb.

You could paint it yourself and fix the scuff with epoxy, but would probably get better results from a pro for less than the cost of a new wheel.

 

[Rand]

After finding you can zoom in and looking at the pic again..

It could be some kind of odd dealer damage.

Seems to be an odd pattern for a curb in the spoke of the wheel.
The edge rash is fairly common with curb or other damage
example: when mounting a tire.

I'd probably have it professionally refinished if it bothered me since the car is so new.