Alloy wheels Maintenance Tips

ALLOY wheels are one of the best things that can happen to your set of wheels. While conventional wheels are quite competent and up to the job, a smart set of alloys not only increase the visual appeal of your motor but enhance performance slightly by the virtue of having a lesser weight, stiffer resistance to deformation and lower rolling resistance. But like all normal components of a vehicle, even alloy wheels need looking after for good performance and enhancement of aesthetics.

The most important thing to do, of course, is to keep the wheels clean. Dust and grime tend to accumulate on wheels, which in turn spoils the show... one of the main reasons as to why one would like alloy wheels on the car. Clean your alloys with a rag and a mild soap solution. Do not use harsh or acidic cleaners as they could disfigure the finish of the wheels. Tough dirt should be removed using a slightly more abrasive cleaner. The other thing to do is to drive your car carefully. The contradiction here is that alloy wheels are meant to be stronger and lighter than conventional steel wheels, so bad road surfaces should not worry them. But, in reality, most of the fancy alloys available in India are imported from Taiwan, and other such places, and some of these wheels do not meet stringent quality standards. There are indigenously manufactured alloys too, from companies like Synergies Dooray and Hindalco, which may not offer the choice of designs the imported ones do but are a better choice in terms of quality of manufacture and resistance to cracks and deformations.

Like all normal wheels, alloy wheels need to be balanced and aligned. However, conventional weights should not be used for wheel balancing, as specific alloy weights are available. Any good tyre shop should be able to take care of the balancing and wheel alignment but this should not be ignored and should be carried out every 10,000 kilometres or as per the schedule given for your vehicle. If you have just finished a long outstation journey where you drove over particularly rough stretches of road, it could also be a good idea to get your wheels checked for cracks or deformations. Alloy wheels are particularly well suited for the use of tubeless tyres and since tubeless tyres depend on the bonding with the wheel rim for air sealing, any change in the shape could lead to tyre deflation... not a very pleasant thing to happen!