How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Bent Rim?
Photo by Bill Abbott — CC BY-SA 2.0
We’ve all done it. You’re taking a turn in a shopping center or on a road where the median is almost non-existent. You can feel your tire rub as you start to round the corner. Or, even worse, you feel the car shudder and bump up over the curb hard. It can happen to the best of us.
In most cases, it’s fine, and you can get by with the jolt itself. However, in other cases, as you start to drive away, you can feel the car shaking, maybe even vibrating. Something is up.
So, you think you might have bent a rim. You may wonder how much it costs to fix a bent rim. Well, you’re in luck. Check out our article below on all you need to know about rim damage and repair.
Wheels Make the World Go Round
The rim is just one of the three main components of your car’s wheels, but it may be the most important. Without the rim, your tire would have nothing to attach to the hub, and you’d be going nowhere.
While you may think that all rims are built alike, it’s essential to understand that your vehicle’s rims can be pretty complicated pieces of metal.
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Rims have a particular build, and they’re all somewhat similar, but their complexity ranges. Generally speaking, rims have some main components that are similar in all options on the market. These options can impact how much it costs to fix a bent rim.
- The Outer Lip - This is the rim portion from the center of the vehicle exterior. Deep dish rims have large outer lips, while stock rims have very little when it comes to an outer lip: the larger the outer lip, the more susceptible to damage.
- Inboard and Outboard Flange - All rims have both components, as they help prevent the tire from slipping off the rim. A crucial piece.
- Bead Rests - Modern tires have what’s known as a bead running in them. A bead is a metal wire or braid in the tire that creates a rigid structure, meant for slipping into the bead rest of the rim and ensuring a proper fit.
- Drop Center - The drop center is, you guessed it, the center of the rim. It’s narrower than the rim itself, allowing the tire to fit around it loosely before having the bead set into the rim.
- The Valve Stem - It’s the rubber stem affixed to the rim, allowing air to pass into the tire for inflation and out of the tire for deflation.
Now that you’ve learned about the rim anatomy, let’s talk about how to tell if your rim is bent!
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What’s the Damage?
There are a few easy ways to tell if your rim is bent, all of which you can do yourself.
Feeling
When something is wrong with your vehicle, you’ll be able to feel it nine times out of ten before you can see it. Bent rims are no different. When driving on a bent rim, you’ll typically be able to feel substantial vibrations or shaking.
It may even feel like your car is handling in an entirely new way to you. These are tell-tale signs that you’ve got a bent rim.
Visible Damage
Sometimes when you’ve bent a rim, the damage is significant enough to be seen. Some rim sections may seem bent out of shape or flat in areas.
Additionally, there could be more significant damage in the form of cracking or dented metal. These all could be attributed to a bent rim.
Constant Flats
If your tire continues to go flat for what seems to be no apparent reason, there’s a good chance that your rim is bent. When bent, the tire bead’s seal with the rim may no longer be tight, allowing for slow leaks over time.
Bent rims usually don’t allow for a good connection between them and the tire, so flats are another good sign that your rim is bent.
Now that you can identify one, you’re probably wondering how much it costs to fix a bent rim.
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The Cost For Rim Repair
Few people think of rim repairs when it comes to repairing their vehicles, but it can be done, depending on the type of rim you have.
Steel rims are easily bent back into place without much thought, as the material can tolerate successive bending. Alloy and aluminum rims are different, but rim experts could tell you if the damage your rim has incurred can be bent back or if replacement is necessary.
The answer may surprise you when you ask yourself how much it costs to fix bent rims. Often, a shop that can repair the bend can cost less than $150 in most cases, according to Rim Blades USA.
According to Repair Pal, rim replacement can cost anywhere from $698 to $710. This is directly related to the cost of a brand-new rim by itself. When comparing that to the wheel replacement cost, it’s pennies on the dollar.
Even the base set of steel rims on economy cars can cost anywhere from $350 to $400 per rim!
How to Prevent a Bent Rim
Like most car problems, the best way to deal with a bent rim is to prevent it from happening altogether. Although the next big pothole lurks around the corner, there are several things you can do to avoid bent rims:
Maintain proper tire pressure
Optimal pressure will enable your tires to bounce over uneven spots on the road, including potholes. On the other hand, under-inflated tires put more pressure on the rims when driving over rough surfaces.
Stay away from low-profile tires
Urban roads are smooth and well-maintained in an ideal world, but we know that’s not always the case. Urban drivers prefer low-profile tires because they’re thinner. However, low-profile tires tend to have lower bounce, pushing the pressure onto the rims.
Avoid potholes
Just because your vehicle can easily drive through potholes doesn’t mean you should. Driving through potholes regularly, without a care, is how you get bent rims. We’re not saying you should avoid all the potholes and uneven surfaces within your route, but try to avoid them when you can, and at the very least, drive carefully when you have to go through them.
The Takeaway
If you believe your rim is bent, pay attention to a few key details. Consider how the vehicle handles, as vibration and handling issues could be signs of a bent rim.
After reviewing our guide to the anatomy of a rim, look and see if you can find any physical damage. Think about if you’ve had frequent flats, as well.
How much does it cost to fix a bent rim? Not much. As long as the damage can be repaired, you probably won’t spend more than $150. Not bad when you need to keep your car rolling!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What causes a bent rim?
A: The most common cause of a bent rim is a heavy impact on the wheel. Whether it’s aluminum alloy, steel, or chrome, they’re all prone to impact damage caused by curbs, potholes, speed bumps, and other road hazards.
Q: What happens if my rims are bent?
A: If not addressed immediately, a bent rim will result in a leaked tire, leading to poor fuel economy and handling. In other cases, bent rims may lead to a flat tire or blowout – both potentially dangerous scenarios, especially when driving at high speeds. A bent rim may also cause your vehicle to wobble at high speeds, significantly impacting its stability on the road.
Q: What are the signs of a bent rim?
A: Some of the most common symptoms of a bent rim are poor handling, excessive seat vibrations, steering wheel vibrations, decreased fuel efficiency, and thumping sounds while driving. When you experience these symptoms, check your tires for bent rims.
Q: What can I do to prevent bent rims?
One of the best things you can do to prevent this is to maintain proper tire pressure. In addition, you’ll want to do away with low-profile tires and avoid potholes and other road hazards if you can.
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