Your vehicle’s appearance is greatly affected by the wheels of your choice. So why not choose the best option available in the market? Today’s automotive wheel technology promotes style and luxury. Yes, you can now customize your vehicle by simply installing steel wheels, chrome steel wheels, chrome steel wheels, alloy wheels or even those powder-coated wheels. Basically, investing in custom wheels costs around $1500 to &1600. And since spending such amount is no joke, proper maintenance should become a significant responsibility.

With proper care and handling, your wheels maintain their perfect shape. Handling here relates to wheel cleaning techniques. Ideally, wheels must be clean on a regular basis to prevent heavy accumulation of dust and dirt. Remember, brake pads attract dust to your wheels. Other parts close to the wheels collect dirt, tar, oil and roadway gunk. Hence, you need to clean the wheels at least once a week. This way, not only will your wheels sparkle up your vehicle’s appearance; it will prevent premature wheel damage, too.

Cleaning the wheels is not a tough job. However, it is smart that you read first the manufacturer’s guidelines. Note that chrome wheels need more cleaning than the steel ones. They however need the best cleaning detergent and cleaning tools. You also need plenty of water to prevent any trace of oxidation. And when the cleaning is over, use a protective polish that matches the metal in your custom wheels.

And don’t forget; make sure the wheels have cooled down before the cleaning. It is also recommended that you do it in the shades since exposure to hot sunlight cause cleaners to induce adverse effect on your vehicle.

On my recent post, I talked about alloy wheels – their unique qualities that make racers love them and how they improve your car’s aesthetic appeal. In fact, I believe I was able to identify a number of considerable advantages of using alloy as alternative to aluminum wheels.

This time, let’s talk about some problems you have to deal with your alloy wheels. Yes, alloy wheels, though tougher than other wheel types, are also expected to deteriorate. I came up with this post with the thought in mind that this will be useful especially for the first-time-alloy-wheel users.

So what are the common problems with alloy wheels? Good question! Well basically, they are prone to radial run out, cracks, erosion, and lateral run out. Besides making your wheels ugly, these forms of damage also impact on your car’s performance. The radial run out for example affects the balance of the tire, resulting to the up and down movement of the tire with respect to the central axis. Also learn that the lateral run out affects the balance of the tires across its width. When ignored, it causes more serious damage that is mostly irreparable.

In a recent study, it is revealed that many vehicles have suffered from curb or pothole damage to alloy wheels. Although cracks on the alloy wheels can be repaired, replacement still remains the best solution. Replacement alloy wheels abound in many automotive online stores where shopping is always fun, easy, and convenient.