20/08/2021
How can I recognize winter rims?
The winter months present a special challenge for your rims. In addition to the adverse weather conditions, gritting material and snow chains also cause problems for your alloy rims. Here, you can find out how to recognize suitable rims for winter and how to care for winter rims properly.
Materials
As with summer rims, there are two main materials that are used in winter:
Even in winter, you don't have to do without the look of your alloy rims. For this we offer you the suitable winter-resistant alloy rims. But be careful: winter rims must be explicitly marked as such. The reason: winter-resistant alloy rims are made of a special alloy and are painted. This prevents oxidation of the top layer of the rim. Aluminum rims for summer are often only polished, which can cause severe damage to the rim in winter. If you prefer steel rims anyway, you are on the safe side. Steel rims always go in the winter. Make sure the sealant is intact with wax. In the store: all marked winter rims or winter complete wheels can also be used from "E to O". If you still have questions, please feel free to contact us. While the use of winter tires in the summer should be strictly avoided, winter rims can be driven in the summer without hesitation. The special processing usually makes them more stable than the summer rims. To find out why switching to winter tires is important, learn more here. However, we advise you to go for winter complete wheels during the cold time of year and complete wheels in summer. With the right rims for each tire, you can optimize the driving experience and safety on the road. Use the tire change to clean your rims. How to properly change, maintain and store summer rims, you will learn in our blog articles. Aluminum rims in particular can suffer damage in winter. Since they are often processed more delicately, mechanical damage by grit and ice may occur. In addition, the visually more appealing aluminum rims offer a lot of surface for oxidation with road salt. The usual road salt consists of 90 percent sodium chloride (common salt). The sodium it contains is capable of oxidizing aluminum rims. This can cause severe damage to aluminum rims in winter. In addition to this chemical effect, severe mechanical stresses also occur in winter. Grit, sand and other factors cause scratches and dents in the paint. This exposes the underlying material, which can lead to undesirable oxidation on aluminum rims.
Snow and ice can have a similar effect: due to high speeds, even small ice crystals can create a grinding effect and damage alloy rims. In general, steel rims are more resistant compared to aluminum rims and are therefore preferred in winter. Snow chains are also a potential source of danger for your alloy rims. When buying snow chains, it is therefore essential to pay attention to the compatibility of the winter-resistant alloy rims with the snow chains. The information can usually be found with the manufacturer.
The alternatives: in the meantime, chains made of high-quality plastic are available, which cannot cause any damage to the alloy rims in winter. Some manufacturers also offer universal rim protection systems to go with the snow chains. Cleaning the alloy rims can also be used to find small damages on the winter rims. Small scratches can be easily repaired by yourself. Especially important in winter: the sealant should be intact so that the underlying material is not exposed to road salt and water. The sealant can also be touched up without a professional. Here you will find the instructions for the correct sealing of rims. Winter rims in summer
Alternative: Complete winter wheels
Dangers in winter
These dangers lurk in winter:
Care of the winter rims
Special cleaning agents
Sealing
Find out more about tires and rims in winter now
To the guide overview