Rim Protectors. Are they a good idea, or a bad idea.
 

I started this in another thread, but I thought it deserved it's own. :)

Here we go...

I was thinking that there must be a way of protecting rims against scuffing. What would be the issue/s of having a rim protector which is the same diameter as the rim, and held on by the tyre and hooked over the rims edge?? It could be of a composite plastic, and wouldn't weigh much, and needent look too crappy (hell, I think if somebody put some time into it, they could look O.K.). Making these things would be easy too. A small clear plastic pipe cut down the middle, and then applied over the rims edge might even succeed at doing this job??
This might be bad idea?? But it's not immediately obvious to me why?? :confused:

Feel free to put me straight. :p

Many of the new tires have built in rim protectors already. I can tell you from past experience these are a godsend. On my previous car I had the crappy 265 Conti's (Continental Sport Contacts) and I tore up my back rim. It wound up costing me almost $600 to get a new one. When I got new tires I got the 285 Pirelli P Zero Rossos, and it saved my bacon (rim) more than a few times. I would pull up to the curb, and it would grate up against the curb first to let me know I was too close.

yea, rim protectors on a tire are a godsend.

btw - stop trying to vote over here!

Rim protectors built into the tyres are a great idea, but only partially effective (ie: they wont take 'hard' curbing). Aftermarket protectors would be so cheap, and easy to make. I can't understand why anybody hasn't ever pursued this??...

Instead of trying to invent rim protectors (which will never happen since all the rim and tire manufacturers will lose sales), can you guys just learn to park properly? j/k :)

Most good drivers who do a lot of parking, or urban driving put their wheels in dangerous scuff situations occasionaly. :p
A lot of not so good drivers avoid these situations by not parking properly (taking up 2 spaces to park/parking a long way from obstacles/etc..). :) These people annoy me as they are selfish to other road users. I do hope you are not 1 of them. :rolleyes:

No I'm not one of them.

I am proud to say that I have never scratched a rim on any of the cars I've owned (5 cars with countless aftermarket wheels fitted).

I have, however, completely destroyed both passenger side rims on my S14 200SX when I smacked the gutter drifting at about 45kms. :o

Oh, and I also managed to completely damage one of the rear rims on my 8 doing the same thing. :o

I don't believe in just "injuring" them, no, I put them out of their misery and just "kill" them off completely. ;)

Afterall, I think its the little scratches which you accumulate from parking that continue to annoy you, better to just destroy them all together! LOL :) :) :)

rim protectors
 

for them to work as needed, they'd have to be more than plastic. Look at what a curb does to the metal on a rim. That plastic would get chewed through so fast it's not even funny. Some cheap metal ones that were easy to install and looked good might be a good idea. hey, that's starting to sound like hubcaps! :)

a good idea for 3 piece wheels, would be a hardened piece of aluminum maybe nickle plated that formed the lip and face of the rim (the part that gets curbed) a few of the fastening rivets could be "flase" and the protector would attach there.

that way if you curbed or got alot of road gunk on there that doesnt come off, just swap out the protector.

You could get these. If you do, please post pics.

http://www.phatpimpclothing.com/hi/p...rbfeelers.html

Funny. :p :rolleyes: ;) :D

I accept that plastic would be chewed up really easy, but I am sure there are some grades that would withstand a couple of mid-force curbings before being useless. What I envisage is that a piece of plastic slightly smaller than the diameter of the wheel (so that it can be held on by the tyre) hooks over the rims edge to protect it (without detracting from the beauty of the wheel). Then when you curb your wheel, you just replace the plastic protecting bit. :)
If people think this may be a good idea, I might even be tempted to get on some drawing package and knock out some sketches. :rolleyes:

If you find anything good, let me know. I've already taken out little chunks of my rear rims by taking turns too sharply and hitting the curb. Not sure if anyone else has the same problem, but for some reason, I have a hard time judging where the curb is when I turn, and I consider myself a good driver. These performance tires are so unforgiving, too, compared to my old SUV's big-ass tires.

I'll pass on this one. I would hate to see that thing split or come off injure or even perhaps kill someone.

I don't see how they would be any more dangerous than wheel trims. :confused:

I still think it's a good idea. So far nobody has convinced me otherwise...

ehh...the way I conceptulize the idea is you take a complete one piece rim and put a protective secondary piece on the wheel. (Like a disc yet shaper and more arial)

I hit a curb and yes the rim is protected but what can you say for the integrity of this "disc" that protected the rim.. Surely, the strength (ie..how it is mounted) of the protector has been compromised.

Now in terms of injury and/or death. Get a wheel spinning quick enough and pieces will fall off. Case and Point...hubcaps

What I had in mind would fit any wheel of the same diameter (you could make different sizes available for different diameters). It is not part of the wheel (or tyre). It would be approximately the same diameter as the rim size of the wheel it is protecting (but slightly smaller) and 'snap' fit over the rim with the tyre deflated, and be held centrally in place by the tyre when it is re-inflated. I think this would be less dangerous than hubcaps (as it is more secure).
But by using hubcaps as an example of plastic rim protectors I think we can prove that this theory works, it's just a case of whether it will be held in place adequately by the tyre. I think it will...