Happy February everyone! For this week’s blog, we’re not going to be going too in-depth on winter OEM wheels or snow tires; we already touched on that a while ago. Now that we’re heading into February, you probably already have your set of winter rims. Now all we have to do is make sure we take care of them!
Icy roads and snowy streets may not be much of an issue if you live in a warm climate. Such harsh weather can be dangerous, prompting the need for salt and other chemicals on the roads to help make them less slippery. These elements, unfortunately, can wreak havoc on your beautiful factory rims if you’re not careful. Thankfully, not all hope is lost and there ARE a few precautions you can take.
- Invest in a good, reliable set of winter OEM rims. This will also save you from mounting fees, as well as the wear and tear that can come from re-mounting tires. Ours are pretty fairly priced; many of our steel wheels start at $75 plus the shipping. And, some of our cheaper alloy wheels start at just $180 each (plus shipping), if you’d rather have alloys. Having a set of wheels that you designate solely for the winter makes it so your regular rims don’t even have to touch the snow at all! So, ideally, this is the BEST option. If you have chrome rims, then this is definitely the route you would want to take. Chrome is susceptible to corrosion and peeling from the snow and the road elements such as salt. Chrome wheels aren’t cheap either, sadly. We would hate for you to get some great 2013 Ford Edge chrome rims only to have them ruined by the weather. Save those bad boys for the summer.
- If you do happen to have regular alloy stock wheels (non chrome), you can clean them to take care of them. The same can be said for steel wheels, but aluminum (alloy) wheels are made of more delicate materials, so making sure they are regularly cleaned helps their longevity. We have a video on how to wash/clean your alloy rims if you’re interested! The main idea for cleaning them is that you’re going to want to wash, clean, and polish them to protect the finish.
- Take care of any existing damage like peeling or corrosion, as the bad weather will only make the damage worse. As long as the wheel isn’t cracked or really warped, we’re usually able to fix the damage, so consider coming to us to repair your wheels!
This might go without saying, but also make sure you take care of your wheels (and car) by getting yourself a good set of winter tires to put on your winter rims. And, of course make sure you practice safe driving habits while you’re on the slippery streets. We’re sure you do this regardless of the weather, but make sure you take extra care out there on the road during this time of year. Try not to accelerate quickly or make sudden stops, and make sure you’re paying full attention to the road.
No matter where you live or what the weather is like, proper wheel care is essential to helping them last longer and adding to the appeal of your car. During the harsh winter season, however, the elements can be tougher on your stock rims. As long as you put in the effort to clean and maintain them, then you shouldn’t have too much to worry about!
Thanks for reading!
– Kathy
OriginalWheels.com