What we do
Buckled alloy wheel repair
Wheels pulled back to true on the machine, checked, and refinished, so the vibration goes and the tyre seals again.
Our own workshop
The lathe, the booth and the oven are all in one unit in Larkhall. Nothing is sent out to anyone else.
Collected and returned
We come to you across central Scotland and bring the wheels back balanced and ready to fit.
Guaranteed, or redone
If you are not happy with the finish, we redo it. One workshop did the work, so there is nobody else to blame.
Checkable reviews
Real named reviews on our Google profile, which you are welcome to go and read in full.
The problem
What a buckle actually feels like
A steering wheel that shakes at motorway speed and settles again when you slow down. A rumble through the floor that was not there last week. A tyre that will not hold pressure no matter how many times it is reseated.
Those are all the same fault. The rim is no longer running true, so the tyre cannot seal evenly against it and the wheel is out of balance every single revolution.
Scottish roads do most of this. A pothole hidden under standing water takes the impact straight through the tyre into the rim, and low profile tyres on larger wheels give almost nothing away before the alloy takes the hit.
On the machine
How we straighten a wheel
Straightening is measured work, not brute force. The wheel tells you how far it has moved and how far it will safely come back.
- 01
Measure the run out
Tyre off and the wheel mounted and turned against a gauge, so we can see exactly where and how far it is out rather than guessing from how the car felt.
- 02
Heat and pressure
The buckled section is worked back with controlled heat and hydraulic pressure, a little at a time. Forcing it in one go is how a buckle becomes a crack.
- 03
Check and recheck
Back on the gauge between passes until it runs true. If it will not come back within tolerance we stop and tell you, rather than handing back something that still shakes.
- 04
Refinish and balance
Any damage to the finish is put right, the tyre is refitted and the wheel balanced before it goes back on the car.
Worth knowing
A buckle you can feel
is costing you tyres.
A wheel running out of true wears the tyre unevenly across the tread and puts a constant imbalance through the hub, the bearing and the suspension. The longer it runs, the more it takes with it.
It also rarely comes alone. A hit hard enough to buckle a rim is often hard enough to crack it, so every wheel that comes in for straightening gets checked for cracks at the same time.
Drivers who came to us
Took my Mini here for my alloys to be refurbished and changed from silver to black. The results were amazing. So pleased and it was done in a matter of days. Very professional service and I would highly recommend.
Common questions
- Can a buckled alloy be straightened, or does it need replacing?
- Most buckles straighten. The wheel is measured on a gauge first so we know how far out it is, and we work it back gradually. Where it will not come back within tolerance we say so rather than return something that still vibrates.
- Will the vibration definitely go?
- If the vibration is coming from the buckle, yes. If it is coming from a bent hub, a worn bearing or a tyre that has already been damaged by running out of true, straightening the rim alone will not fix it. We will tell you what we find.
- Is it safe to drive on a buckled wheel?
- For a short distance at low speed, usually. Continuing to drive on it is not sensible, because it wears the tyre unevenly and loads the bearing and suspension every revolution. If the wheel is also losing pressure, treat it as urgent.
- Can you straighten and refinish at the same time?
- Yes, and it makes sense to. The tyre is off and the wheel is stripped for the straightening anyway, so refinishing then is far cheaper than booking it in twice.
Related work
Alloy wheel repair
Every kind of alloy wheel damage handled in one workshop, from a single kerbed rim to a set that has corroded through the lacquer.
Read moreCracked alloys
Cracks welded properly and the wheel refinished after, or turned away honestly when welding it would not be safe.
Read moreRim repair
The rim edge meets the kerb before anything else does, and it is the only part of the wheel that has to hold air.
Read more
Where we collect
We collect for this work across Glasgow, Lanarkshire and central Scotland, and return the wheels balanced and ready to fit.
Tell us what the wheels need.
Leave your number and what the wheels need, or message us on WhatsApp. You can also call 01698 640 171. Either way we come back with what the work involves and how long it takes.