Wheel rims are an important part of every vehicle, but not crucial for turning on your car when in a pinch, don’t you think? And they come in all shapes and sizes, as they say, right? If that is true, then why do people invest so much time and energy into replacing the original wheel rims on their cars with customs made just their own taste? Take a look at this infographic and see for yourself!
How to change the rims on a car
Changing your rims can help you express your personal and unique style, can make changes between your summer and winter tires easier, and can improve your acceleration time. If you have basic mechanical know-how, you might be able to change your rims with just a few tools and a bit of effort. If not, a rim or tire shop will be more than willing to help you with the installation. If you do want to change your rims by yourself, here are a few steps on how to change the rims on your car:
- Make sure you have the correct rim size: Typical car rims come in sizes 15, 16, 17, 18, and 20. To find out which size will be compatible with your tires, you need to look for the number series on your tire’s sidewall. Look for the first two-digit number visible on the sidewall – this will reflect your tire’s rim size.
- Similarly to the process of a car wheel change, you need to lift the car in order to change the rims. Once you have everything you need, you can lift the wheel off the ground by placing a jack under your car, near the tire you are working on (like you would if you were to change a car wheel). You can then use the jack to lift your tire off the ground. If you have access to an auto garage, it may be easier to use a lift to raise the whole car off the ground instead.
- The next step is to use your lug wrench to remove the lug nuts from the rim and pull the tire and rim off of the hub.
- You can now deflate your tire by pushing the pressure needle down into the valve stem (the protruding piece of the tire that you connect an air hose to in order to inflate your tire). Take off the stem cap and push the small metal stem down. You should be able to hear the air from the tire being released.
- To break the seal between the tire and rim, wedge a flat-head screwdriver between them in different spots.
- Pull the old rim and separate it from the tire rubber.
- Grab your new rim and place the deflated tire around it.
- Fill the tire with enough air to secure the rim within the tire. Make sure there are no gaps between the rim and the inner tire. Make sure to re-secure all the lug nuts you removed.
- You can now repeat the process with the other three tires on your car (and the spare if you choose).
The process for changing the rims on your car is relatively simple and can be done at home, but if you lead a busy life, getting help can be a huge time saver (plus, it reduces the chances of costly or potentially dangerous mistakes). Changing your rims will only take a professional an hour’s labour if you’re not sure you’re up to the task.
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