Alloy Wheel Welding
Alloy wheels can sustain damage easier than you might imagine, especially when driven over large potholes or speed bumps.
At Wheel Gods, our experienced alloy wheel refurbishment team offers high quality alloy wheel welding repair to the highest standards.
What is alloy wheel welding?
Wheel welding involves heating the damaged part of the wheel in order to apply the weld and repair it.
Where appropriate, damaged areas may have to be cut and shaped to receive welding.
If you don’t take care of the damage as soon as it arises, it is only a matter of time before you end up with a flat tyre or your wheel structure collapses completely.
Is it safe to weld alloy wheels?
Yes, welding alloy wheels is perfectly safe. Despite the fact many people assume it isn’t safe to do so, it is actually a very effective repair method when done correctly.
It’s important you don’t try and fix the damage yourself as it can only make matters worse, and you may end up with a crack, which is a safety hazard.
The experts at Wheel Gods can help with this process and complete the repair in a safe and efficient manner.
THE ALLOY WHEEL WELDING PROCESS
We will always start with an initial assessment of the wheel to understand and examine the extent of the damage. Sometimes cracks may be accompanied by other damage too, which will typically be fixed first.
Once the extent of the damage has been established, our trained welding experts will further open the area to ensure they make contact with a solid part.
Welding will then begin to refill and repair the damaged area. It’s then filed to be flush before moving onto the painting process.
CRACKED ALLOY WHEEL REPAIR
When the wheel is showing a visible crack, this is a cracked alloy wheel. They are commonly caused by potholes, kerbs and uneven roads and can be detrimental to the structural integrity of the wheel. These hazards can also cause BUCKLED ALLOY WHEELS.
Welding over the crack would not be a safe option. The corrosion or damage that led to the crack will remain, and so it will still be the weakest point of the wheel.
HOW TO FIND OUT IF YOUR ALLOY WHEEL HAS CRACKED
Alloy wheels tend to hide any damage due to the dirt and grime which builds up on them.
You should ideally be cleaning your alloys often so that you can visibly see if there are any cracks.
IS A CRACKED ALLOY AN MOT FAILURE?
Yes, a cracked alloy will result in an MOT failure if the tester determines that the structure has been compromised. It will be noted as a dangerous defect.
IS A WELDED ALLOY WHEEL MOT FAILURE?
A welded alloy wheel itself will not fail a MOT test, unless it is classed as an inadequate repair.
Section 5.2.2 of the revised MOT testing standards for Class 3-7 vehicles states that a fractured wheel rim is a dangerous defect, so it’s best to get it fixed before your MOT to ensure it doesn’t fail.
HOW MUCH DOES ALLOY WHEEL WELDING COST?
Depending on the size of the crack, repairs can cost around £40-£50 with additional charges for other wheels too.
Wheel welding costs much less than buying new wheels, so it’s a good option to keep costs down and ensure safety whilst driving.