Alloy Wheel Rim Protectors (Gators) may not be the best idea
Are Wheel Protectors the answer to great looking alloy or diamond cut wheels?
In order to protect against low speed impact, the speed would need to be in the region of 2mph, AND, you would need to react to the impact within the first second or two so you can stop your vehicle before damage occurs.
They can be the cause to some damage to wheels themselves.
Over the years, we have found that they very often don’t protect as the material they are made from is also damaged during the impact with the kerb thus damaging your wheel in the process.
There is also evidence that they never protect against pothole damage as the speed and impact of driving into a pothole is usually high and the damage would be too great and too severe.
What can I do if I see my wheels are scratched or flaking from rim protectors?
We at AutoKorrect get a lot of customers calling for wheel refurbishing who have wheel protectors AKA Gators fitted to their wheels but damage has still occurred.
In our experience over the years, we have found that protectors actually never work.
Over a prolonged period, they also corrode the wheels as they are stuck onto the wheel rim which then cannot breath or dissipate the standing water between the Gators and the wheel surface.
Essentially rim protectors seal the water between the two areas, meaning it stays wet and eventually corrodes the face of the wheel.
All is not lost!
AutoKorrect can refurbish an alloy wheel face damaged by long-term water damage.
