Doing a mag wheel repair Sydney whenever you have a cracked rim is very important. When you notice a crack in your rim, you might wonder whether it is safe to drive a cracked rim or not. Read on as we clear your doubts about this matter.
It is important to keep in mind that the crack can weaken your wheel and make it likely to disintegrate whilst you are driving. This can lead to a catastrophic failure and lead to serious injuries, accidents or even death. A cracked rim can also lead to a tire separation or tire blowout.
The difference between the rim and wheel
Before we explain further, it is important to know the difference between a wheel and a rim. The wheel is a circular structure and it includes the rim. On the other hand, the rim is the part of a wheel that is located on the outer edge. When a rim cracks, it can cause serious damage to the adjoining tire and lead to a dangerous situation whilst driving. While some people refer to the outer plastic part of the wheel as the rim, that is incorrect. The plastic part is known as the hubcap and it is just a protective covering for your metal rim. Here are some reasons why it is not safe to drive on a cracked rim.
Wheel disintegration
It is unsafe to drive on a cracked rim because the crack can weaken the structure of the wheel. This can make the wheel to disintegrate whilst you are driving and this could cause an accident. It is therefore important to do a mag wheel repair when your wheel is cracked.
Since the crack will widen with the vibration from driving, driving your vehicle on a cracked rim can worsen the problem. This is very true if you have a Y-shaped crack on the bottom of your rim because the crack could cause the whole piece of your wheel to get off whilst you are driving.
Tire blowout
Driving a cracked rim is very dangerous. A cracked rim can lead to a tire blowout mid-drive. This is very true if the crack is near the sidewall of the tire. The high pressure from driving can cause a leak or an explosive blow out which could become disastrous for you and even other drivers on the road. It is dangerous because a cracked rim could increase vibrations whilst you are driving. The vibrations can cause your vehicle to become hard to control.
Breaking issues and tire separation
When your rim is cracked, it can cause tire separation and that is why you are advised to do a mag wheel repair Sydney as soon as you notice a crack in your rim. If the crack is near the bead seat of the wheel, it could affect the ability of the tire to stay sealed with your wheel. This can lead to increased pressure on one side of the tire and cause it to separate from the wheel whilst you are driving.
