Anyone who’s really into cars wants to customize their ride, but sometimes the parts you need or want for customization can be rather expensive. Custom rims and tires can cost you thousands of dollars, depending on the quality you’re looking for – but they go a long way towards making your car unique. Custom paint jobs can be even more, although with a little artistic ability, you can customize your ride for much less and nobody will know the difference.
But before you go out looking for rims, there are a few things you should consider. First, what kind of car will you be putting rims on? Is it a classic automobile or is it something more modern? Newer cars will look good with 20-inch rims, but for a classic car or older car, you’ll probably want to choose a more classic style. For best results, your rims should match the period of your car. Modern rims on a classic car will look fairly odd. You also need to consider the bolt pattern. Grab a tape measure and measure the bolt pattern on your existing rims.
Once you have this information, you can begin searching the Internet for affordable rims. One of the advantages of shopping for rims over the Internet is that you aren’t limited to one geographic area – you can compare a variety of vendors without having to drive from store to store. Start with general web searches to get an idea of what rims usually sell for, what styles are out there, and what rim sizes are available for your car. Don’t forget to consider used rims – they’re usually every bit as nice as new ones. Even a little rust can be scrubbed off and those used wheels can be polished to a mirror finish that will have onlookers doing a double take.
Once you receive your rims, you’ll need to install them. To start, you’ll need to boost your car with a hydraulic lift or a wheel jack to do them one at a time. Release all the air in the tire so that you have space to work the old rim off the tire. Loosen the bolts holding the rim to the car wheel and remember to set the bolts aside where you can keep track of them. Pry the old rim from the wheel using a crowbar or a tire lever. You’ll want to be careful here so that you don’t accidentally damage the edge of the rim.
Next, install the new rim using a socket wrench, either connecting the original bolts or the new bolts that came with your rims. Re-inflate your tire until it meets factory-approved standards and repeat these steps with each tire until all of your rims have been replaced.
Finally, you’ll want to drive the car around slowly for about an hour in a safe area to test your work. After your ride, check the rims to make sure they’re firmly attached and aren’t showing any problems. Then, congratulate yourself because you’ve just customized your car on your own – and saved a lot of money doing it!
