That’s why drivers are looking for ways to shield their alloys. Many are turning to alloy wheel rim protectors, which guard the edges of your alloys, to prevent damage. But, what are they, and do they work? We’ve got all the information you need to know. What are alloy wheel rim protectors?

IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO REPLACE A CURRENT SET OF RIMSAVERS, THE NEW RIMBLADES LIGHT IS NOW THE SAME PROFILE AND INCLUDES THE SAME JOINT COVERS AND IS A SUITABLE REPLACEMENT. CONSTRUCTION Our test looked at how easy each was to fit, then we rated the protection the products offered by driving very slowly along the same stretch of kerb, noting any scuff marks to each protector or alloy wheel. Cost was the final factor. If fitting in colder conditions, use a hairdryer to warm the wheel surface to ensure it is free of moisture. Removing Rimblades® Products

The rim blades also weren’t attractive as lots of people say they fling off and weren’t strong enough to take the hit. The new Rimblades® Original are made from Santoprene by Exxon Mobil (appearance of hard rubber) with a micro fine wire core to prevent expansion or contraction due to extreme temperatures. Rimblades® Original have a genuine 3M GTE6208 Automotive grade VHB tape factory applied to the rear side. They are available in 9 colours. RIMSAVERS RIM PROTECTORS BY RIMBLADES® ARE DESIGNED TO ADD A PROTECTIVE TRIM RING TO THE OUTER EDGE OF ALLOY WHEELS TO ACT AS A BUFFER WHEN THAT INEVITABLE KERB DAMAGE DOES OCCUR AND OFFER OUR HIGHEST LEVEL OF PROTECTION ON FLAT WHEELS.

We use dry steam to totally clean and decontaminate the rim surface prior to fitting and heat to accelerate bonding time. We have a comfortable waiting area or alternatively have Costa, Subway, McDonalds and a Marston’s pub within a 1 minute walk to occupy your time while we fit your Rimblades®. The analysis, design, and manufacture of the bladed rotor presented unique challenges and provided some interesting and unexpected gains. The rim structure gives support to the blade tips which alleviates the bending, torsional and centrifugal stresses that normally concentrate at the root end and hub region of a fan. The dispersion of these stresses, in the bladed rotor, meant that the blade roots could be structurally and aerodynamically optimised and the adverse effects of operational blade deflections avoided. The blade roots were thinned down and there was no need for complicated dovetailing to the hub structure. Earlier attempts at dovetailing both ends of individual blades into the hub and rim structure had been abandoned on the grounds of unnecessary complication. Instead a homogenous bladed-rotor “blotor!” design was created. Our DIY bonded products use a high quality double sided tape called a VHB (very high bond). This tape bonds to the wheel surface using viscous flow. This means the maximum bond is not instant, but takes around 72 hours to fully cure, although useable bond strength is reached within 24 hours. (Rimfinity are pro install only and do not require adhesives).A more recent account of electrical RDF technology, conducted at WGU in 2016 involved the manufacture and concept demonstration of a low-cost, plastic, 3D printed, electrical RDF intended for small UAV applications. The study successfully tested a 115mm diameter brushless DC RDF at various speeds but the fan blades and electromagnetic circuit were not optimal, and the input power and thrust values obtained from the test were considered un-representative of the true potential. Even so, the underpinning concept was considered viable and the seed was sewn for the FAST-Fan project. FAST-Fan principles The next bit is very important. Since the tapes are pressure activated, you need to go around the circumference pushing the product on with a firm pressure. A damp (not wet) cloth can assist in getting good pressure into the tape all the way round the wheel. Finish off with the joint cover cap if selected. We use a specialist 406 rubber joint bonding adhesive, so be careful not to bond your fingers together. The use of latex gloves is suggested when using the adhesive. The joint covers need to be held in place for about 1 minute until initial bond is achieved. Although the onboard generation and storage of electrical energy is considered the primary obstacle to aircraft electrical propulsion, the distribution of electrical power and its conversion to propulsive thrust still present significant challenges. One of which is how to efficiently achieve propulsion for high-speed flight. How to fit the rim protector will depend on the type you have. If they slot between the wheel and the tyre, like Alloygators, they will need professional fitting. This is because it is a complicated process, and the tyre needs deflating for the fitting to take place.

It is not recommended that you use rim protectors on alloys that are diamond cut or have a lacquer/paint finish. If you’re not sure what kind of alloys you have, ask a local garage or fitting specialist for advice. Fitting alloy wheel rim protectors In the Faculty of Art, Science and Technology (FAST) at in Wrexham Glyndwr University (WGU), engineering students and staff are concentrating their efforts on delivering Net Zero Wales. If you’ve damaged your wheels, alloy wheel repair is simple and may not be as expensive as you think. Here at ChipsAway, we use a SMART repair method, where only the damaged area is repaired, instead of the whole wheel. This allows you to save on times and cost. Protect your alloy wheel rims from kerb damage and cover up existing marks using our easy to fit, self-adhesive alloy wheel protectors. Once you are happy the surface is contaminant free, use the supplied Rimblades® IPA (alcohol) cleaning wipes included in the kit to fully clean the surface where the rim protector will fit. Once this is dry (which takes less than a minute), use the provided Rimblades® adhesion promoters provided around the full circumference of the wheel where the product will fit. Try not to get this anywhere else. If you do, it can be cleaned off with the IPA wipes. The adhesion promoter is fully ready within 5 minutes, up to a maximum time of 20 minutes.

Which rim protectors should I get?

Alloygators; made of tough nylon and slot between the alloy and the tyre. They are more expensive to buy, and need professional fitting. This adds more to the cost. But, they are more durable than other types and don’t depend on the adhesive to stay put.

Looking at wider applications, it became evident that there was a compelling case for the adoption of rim-driven technology for larger aircraft. The results of a comparative study between the theoretical dual-stage RDF and an existing modern small fan-jet engine indicated that, as a thruster device, the RDF offers a compact and lightweight alternative to small fan-jet engines. It will operate at much lower core temperatures than a jet engine and is likely to be lighter in weight, more efficient, easier to monitor and control, quieter and offer much greater values of specific thrust. The next steps involve the design and modelling of an efficient high-thrust (≈10kN) high-speed (up to sonic airspeed), zero-emission rim-driven propulsion device for regional passenger, distributed thrust BWB business aircraft and even high-speed hovercraft applications. First, clean the alloy wheel using a magic eraser pad and soapy water. Any residue or contaminants will affect the glue. Fit alloy wheel rim protector in warm conditions. If the weather is not warm, heat the wheel with a hairdryer first, to warm it up. Start by pulling gently from the join. During removal, the core of the foam tape should split and half will be left on the rim surface.Use alcohol cleaning wipes to wipe any remaining residue from the edge of the wheels. Leave to dry for one minute.