How To Protect Alloy Wheels: Our Top Tips

When you stop and consider what the average alloy wheel goes through, it’s remarkable that they stand up to the punishment they do.

From baking in the sun to being frozen in winter, then being soaked in water made more reactive by the roads being salted, our alloys go through an awful lot. Then there’s the pressures exerted by carrying the weight of the vehicle, revolving hundreds of times per minute, absorbing shocks and a myriad of complex cross-stresses when turning corners or negotiating rough terrain.

Alloy wheels really are unsung heroes - remarkable feats of engineering that not only make our vehicles look the part, but are crucial to their safety and performance. But despite their incredible strength, they’re not invincible.

In this guide, we’re going to explain why that is. We’ll run through the main factors that contribute to a wheel deteriorating, before explaining how you can protect your alloys so they last for many years to come.

Why protect alloy wheels?

Before we dive into the specifics of alloy wheel protection, let’s first consider why it’s important to protect them in the first place…

Protect your investment: This applies particularly to those who have invested in aftermarket alloys for their car. If you’ve spent your hard-earned cash on a new set of wheels, the last thing you want is for them to look tired and worn out after just a couple of years on the road. Although most modern aftermarket wheels are designed to weather the elements well, they’re not impervious to the effects of brake dust, road salt and stone chips. By taking steps to protect your wheels, you’ll be able to maintain their good looks for years to come, making your investment worthwhile. 

Maintain the value of your car: It’s often said that wheels can make or break a car, and we quite agree. Imagine you’re perusing the classifieds and come across two identical vehicles at the same price. One has freshly refurbished wheels that look as if they’re just off the showroom floor, while the other has tired looking alloys with baked-on brake dust and kerb rash galore. Which car are you going to choose? Maintaining your wheels correctly can help boost your car’s value and make it easier to sell when the time comes.

Save money in the long run: Although quality detailing products can be expensive, it’s much cheaper to protect your wheels proactively than it is to let them deteriorate, forcing you to have to get the wheels refurbished or replaced entirely.

Keep your vehicle safe: A severely corroded or cracked wheel can be detrimental to your vehicle’s safety, causing the tyre to leak air and potentially leading to a blowout or puncture. 

What do you need to protect alloys from?

So, what dangers do your alloys face on a daily basis? The good news is that alloys don’t rust. Aluminium is actually a highly reactive metal, but on exposure to the atmosphere, it instantaneously creates an oxide layer that then protects it from further corrosion.

One of the things aluminium does react to, however, is iron - one of the main components in car brake pads. Under braking, the pad comes into contact with the brake disc, slowing the car down. In doing so, the disk and pad rapidly heat up and the pad, being the softer of the two, gradually wears down. That’s the agreement made in engineering terms, so the owner only needs to replace the cheaper, disposable pads, rather than the more expensive discs every time. 

But as the pad wears down, it throws hot specks off, some of which inevitably land on the wheel rim. This explains the majority of the dark brown or black dust to be found on your front wheels. It’s a concoction of tiny bits of metal, brake disc compound and the resin used to bind it all together - a pretty toxic combination for your alloys.

The reason is that the resin, now reheated to melting point, flies off the pad and then sticks itself to the next thing it comes into contact with. In the case of your wheel, in that first impact, it can burn through the protective coat on your rim and embed itself into the very surface of the metal itself, before re-setting as it cools down. This has the effect of not only puncturing a small hole in your rim’s defences, but also of dragging with it a small quantity of iron - Kryptonite for aluminium. This in turn sets up a chemical reaction between the iron and the aluminium, hence your wheel corroding. 

Anything that removes the wheel’s protection, such as kerbing, UV light breaking down the coating, or the general wear and tear of driving will expose the wheel to ever greater causes of corrosion: air, water, salt and reactive chemicals.

So although alloys don’t rust as such, they will corrode over time if they’re not looked after, and this will impact the rim’s ability to seal with the tyre correctly. 

How to keep your wheels protected 

Choose the right brake pads

Interestingly, it is possible to buy brake pads that don’t contain iron. They may be more expensive and they may not even be made for your make and model, but they will help in reducing the attack from your brakes, even if they don’t prevent the resin from burning through.

Keep them clean

Use soap and water on a cool wheel and spend time getting rid of the dirt and grime, paying particular attention to the hard-to-reach places. Ensuring the wheel is clean will prevent you from sealing in any potential cause of future corrosion. Avoid using cleaners that are overly harsh or abrasive, as these will also impact on the life of your alloys.

You should wash your wheels regularly to prevent a build up of potentially corrosive dust and compounds from eating away at them, and check them regularly for any signs of damage. 

Apply a quality sealant

There are plenty of proprietary wheel protection brands out there, like ProtectaClear for instance. These products can be applied to clean wheels to help guard against damage from brake dust, road salt, dirt and debris.

Once your wheels are clean and dry, apply your chosen sealant and again allow it to dry, then reapply as per the manufacturer’s instructions, applying two or three coats. 

Consider getting them refurbished

If your wheels are already kerbed, chipped or are beginning to corrode, cleaning them and applying protection will only slow down the corrosion, not stop it in its tracks. Once the wheel’s finish has been compromised, the only way to remedy the situation for good is to take it to a refurbishing specialist. 

Refurbishing a wheel involves stripping the current finish entirely, removing any traces of corrosion, before applying a fresh coat of paint and a clear lacquer. Provided the refurbishment is done to a high standard, the wheel should last for years to come - just don’t forget to keep it clean and apply protective sealant.

Explore our range of car care products today

Searching for a quality wheel cleaner and sealant to help keep your alloys in tip-top shape? Our range of car care products has you covered, with a selection of incredible formulations from renowned brands like Stjarnagloss. Explore the complete collection and order online today.