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Tires & Wheels

Rim repair near you

Rim repair for curb rash, scuffs, bends and some cracks in steel and alloy wheels, so the wheel runs true, holds air and looks right again.

Time at the shop
2 h
about
Mobile service
Available
at your address
Shops in Canada
1
doing this work
Your price
You set it
shops bid on it

You set the budget

Shops near you send their bids

1 shop in Canada does this

Tires & Wheels

What rim repair is

The rim is the wheel the tire sits on, and on most modern vehicles it is cast aluminum alloy. A curb or pothole can scrape the outer edge, bend the lip that the tire seals against, or crack the barrel behind it. Scrapes are cosmetic, but a bent rim shakes at speed and leaks air, and a cracked one can fail without warning.

The tire is taken off so the technician can measure how far the wheel runs out of true. A bent lip or barrel is straightened on a press and re-measured, and a crack may be welded, or the wheel is replaced when the crack runs through a spoke or the hub. Scrapes and gouges are then sanded, filled, primed and painted to match. The tire is remounted and balanced, and the wheel is checked for leaks.

  • For cars, EVs, vans and trucks
  • Takes about 2 h
  • Can be done at your address

What does rim repair cost?

It depends on your vehicle and the shop. Post a job with your budget and compare the bids shops near you send.

Get bids

Name your budget. Shops near you bid.

1 shop across Canada does rim repair.

What to expect

Rim repair, step by step

What the job normally covers, what to mention in your request, and the signs that it is time. Every shop says what its bid includes.

The job

What’s included

  • Wheel inspected on and off the vehicle for cracks, bends and corrosion, with the damage marked
  • Tire removed so the bead seat and the inside of the barrel can be checked
  • Wheel run on a gauge to measure how far it wobbles out of true
  • Bent lip or barrel straightened on a press and measured again until it runs true
  • Cracks welded and ground smooth when the technician judges the wheel safe to repair
  • Gouges and scrapes sanded, filled and smoothed
  • Wheel primed, painted to match the factory colour and finished in clear coat
  • Tire remounted, balanced and leak-checked, and the wheel bolted back on at the correct torque

Checklist

Before you post

  1. 01Ask whether the shop repairs structural damage or only cosmetic scuffs; bends and cracks need shop equipment, curb rash often does not
  2. 02Ask how the shop decides a crack is safe to weld, and whether it will tell you when replacement is the better answer
  3. 03Send photos when booking; machined, two-tone and diamond-cut faces take extra work to match
  4. 04Ask whether the repair is done while you wait or the wheels stay overnight so the paint can cure
  5. 05Compare the repair price with a used or new wheel, especially for basic steel wheels that are cheap to replace
  6. 06Say if your wheels carry pressure sensors; they must be handled carefully and the system reset

Signs

When you need it

  • Curb rash, gouges or paint peeling around the outer edge of the rim
  • A tire that loses air slowly and shows no puncture
  • A vibration that balancing did not cure, especially after a pothole strike
  • A visible bend or flat spot in the lip of the rim
  • A crack or dent in the rim after a hard impact

Sound familiar?Tell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.

Get bids

How it works

Get rim repair done in four steps

You set the budget and choose the shop. Posting is free, and you pay the shop you hire once the work is 100% done.

Post a request
  1. 01

    Post your job

    Choose the service, describe the job and your vehicle, and set your budget. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.

  2. 02

    Shops compete

    Nearby shops that do the work see your request and send their best offer: price, when they can start, what is included.

  3. 03

    Accept the best offer

    Compare bids, ratings and distance, then hire one shop. The others are told, politely.

  4. 04

    Talk and get it done

    Your conversation with the shop opens right away to agree on the day. You pay only after the job is complete.

Questions

Questions about rim repair

General answers for drivers in Canada. The shop you hire confirms the details for your vehicle.

Can a bent rim be repaired?

Often, if the bend is in the lip or barrel and the metal has not cracked. The shop presses it back and measures the wheel until it runs true. Bent spokes or a damaged centre section are rarely worth repairing, and straightening the same wheel repeatedly can weaken the aluminum. If a repaired wheel still leaks or vibrates after balancing, replace it.

Is it safe to weld a cracked alloy wheel?

Only in limited cases, and it depends on where the crack is. Some specialists weld cracks in the lip or barrel and then re-check the wheel. Many shops and vehicle makers advise replacing any cracked wheel, and a crack through a spoke or the hub is a clear reason for a new one. A wheel that fails at highway speed is dangerous, so if the shop hesitates, take its advice.

Should I repair or replace a damaged wheel?

Repair usually wins for cosmetic damage and for expensive original alloys, where the dealer’s price for a single wheel is often several hundred dollars. Replacement makes sense for a cracked wheel, badly bent spokes, or a basic steel wheel that costs no more new than a repair. A used matching wheel from an auto recycler is a middle path.

Can curb rash be fixed in my driveway?

Yes. Mobile repairers do cosmetic work on site: sanding, filling, priming, painting and clear coating, usually an hour or two a wheel. Paint and filler cure poorly in cold or damp weather, so in winter expect a heated garage, a shop visit or a wait for spring. Bent and cracked wheels always go to a shop.

Why does my tire lose air after hitting a curb?

A hard hit can bend the lip of the rim or scrape the bead seat where the tire seals, so air escapes even though the tire has no puncture. At the shop the tire comes off, the rim goes on a gauge, and the seat is cleaned or straightened before the tire goes back on. If a bend is the cause, resealing the bead alone will not hold.

Something else to ask? Once you hire a shop, you talk to it directly in your request’s conversation.

Ready when you areTell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.

Get bids

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