I have scratched my wheels. Can I have my wheels repainted?
Why kerb damage to alloy wheels is so common today, what the FKT statement says about the repair of light-alloy wheels and why light scratches can be worked on without concern.
“Work that has an influence on the material structure of light-alloy wheels is not advisable. That includes, for example, welding on cracked wheels or cold re-forming, but not the treatment of light scratches.”
Dipl.-Kfm. Thomas Beez, wheel expert and managing director of Mainhattan-Wheels GmbH
“I caught my new wheels in the multi-storey car park. Can I have my wheels repainted?” is often the question new vehicle owners ask when they call us, more or less in despair, to discuss the options for a repair. Frequently the culprits are tight multi-storey car parks, built in the 1970s or 1980s, at a time when the dimensions of cars were still well below those of current vehicles, which now demand manoeuvring to the millimetre. The parking situation in cities also means again and again that drivers looking for a space have to squeeze into small gaps and touch the kerbstones in the process.
Why alloy wheels are more vulnerable
The trend among manufacturers to fit vehicles with ever larger alloy wheels has been gaining ground for decades. The switch from the steel wheel as standard to the alloy wheel as standard brings additional customer needs with it. Alloy wheels are more vulnerable than steel wheels, not only because of the softer material but because low-profile tyres are predominantly fitted these days, which offer less protection for the wheel due to their flat design.
What the Federal Ministry of Transport says
There are no guidelines for wheel repair, but there is a position of the Federal Ministry of Transport on returning repaired wheels to public road traffic. The special committee “Wheels and Tyres” of the Motor Vehicle Technology Committee (FKT) states in an opinion “… that a repair of damaged light-alloy wheels is fundamentally to be rejected. Repair means any intervention in the material structure, heat treatment and re-forming. Repairs of multi-part wheels by exchanging parts provided for this purpose by the wheel manufacturers cannot be objected to, provided the wheel manufacturers’ assembly conditions are observed.”
What that means for your scratched wheel
This advises against work that has an influence on the material structure. That includes, for example, welding on cracked wheels or cold re-forming, but not the treatment of light scratches after a visit to the multi-storey car park or after contact with a kerb. You can have such damage repaired without concern: depending on the surface by powder coating or painting, or with diamond-cut wheels by CNC diamond cutting. Send us pictures of the damage via the request form and you will receive an assessment with a fixed price.