TheGreenDragon
Dopamine-seeking Missile
Well I just got back from a tire repair center because I had a slow leak in one of my tires. To my surprise, the repair was free. Unfortunately this free service resulted in damage to my wheel.
I'm going to pass on some valuable knowledge that I hope helps others to avoid a similar situation.
Tire mounting machines have two methods of securing the rim. There is the internal clamping method which is for use with steel rims only, as the surface of the clamps will damage the inside of the barrel of softer aluminum rims and leave gouges in the paint and clear coat.
And there is the external clamping method, which is supposed to be used for aluminum rims, and secures the wheel by gripping the outside of the inner lip.
When you get your tires changed make sure the shop that you are using knows the difference and uses the external clamping method on your aluminum wheels. If a shop tries to tell you that there is no difference between aluminum and steel rims, use a different shop. And make sure you always check the surface of your wheels both inside and out before you pay.
A correctly operated tire mounting machine should never damage the rim. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.
I'm going to pass on some valuable knowledge that I hope helps others to avoid a similar situation.
Tire mounting machines have two methods of securing the rim. There is the internal clamping method which is for use with steel rims only, as the surface of the clamps will damage the inside of the barrel of softer aluminum rims and leave gouges in the paint and clear coat.
And there is the external clamping method, which is supposed to be used for aluminum rims, and secures the wheel by gripping the outside of the inner lip.
When you get your tires changed make sure the shop that you are using knows the difference and uses the external clamping method on your aluminum wheels. If a shop tries to tell you that there is no difference between aluminum and steel rims, use a different shop. And make sure you always check the surface of your wheels both inside and out before you pay.
A correctly operated tire mounting machine should never damage the rim. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.