As cars get older, one thing that becomes inevitable is getting slight dents and bends on the metal. Whether someone opened their door a little too hard or you bumped into the car with a shopping cart, these blemishes are unpleasant but not the end of the world. However, this is a very different scenario if the dents and or bends are on the wheels.
That’s because the wheels are critical to the safety and functionality of a car. If they aren’t safe to drive on, you won’t be going anywhere. These issues will only cause more problems if left untreated.
While most people know they have to do something about dents and bends in their wheels, many are left to wonder if they’re safe to drive on. If this has been a burning question for you, you’re in luck. Read on to learn more.
This may be a simple question, but it doesn’t have a simple answer. In most cases, slight dents along the rim are okay to drive on temporarily, but aggressive bends are not. The more extreme the damage is, the more likely the rim will ruin a tire. This could lead to more extensive damage or even an accident.
That’s why many people say that if you’re ever in doubt, it’s best to avoid driving on a damaged rim. If you decide to drive on a rim that’s slightly dented, make sure you don’t do it for long; that small dent can quickly turn into a large bend with severe consequences.
Ideally, you should only drive on a slight bend if it’s so you can make it back home or to the nearest repair shop. When doing so, drive slowly and avoid aggressive acceleration.
If the rim is fully bent, stop driving immediately. Traveling on a bent rim will only make it worse and increase the risk of an accident. In these cases, it’s better to remove the wheel and have someone else drive you to your local repair shop.
Since some dents are still drivable for short periods of time and larger bends aren’t, it’s important to be able to tell the difference between them. In most cases, dents are just slight bends along the exterior of the wheel. Some will run along the edge of the wheel, but if they don’t deform the rim too badly, they should be okay for now. Just keep a close eye on it.
Bends tend to change the shape of the wheel. Since wheels need to be round to function properly, any kind of bend will compromise their shape and operation. If there are any noticeable dips in the roundness of the wheel, stop driving immediately and get your rim to the nearest repair shop.
Even though dents and bends can be obvious, not all of them are easy to spot. Plus, if you’re someone who doesn’t check their wheels each time you drive, you could have a dent or bend and not even realize it.
Fortunately, there are other ways to tell if your wheels have either issue. While all of these could indicate that your rims are dented or bent, they could also be the cause of a variety of other problems. So, if you experience any of the following issues but don’t see any damage, you should still have your vehicle checked by a professional.
Most cars experience some level of noise and vibration moving at high speeds. However, if you notice more than usual or still experience vibrations while traveling slowly, it could be a sign that your vehicle has bent rims.
Smooth handling is crucial for driving safely. Unfortunately, a bent or dented rim can compromise your control. If you feel the car pulling to the side or swerving when it shouldn’t, you’ll want to check the rims for damage.
If you walk past your car one day and notice that the tread on a tire is uneven, you might want to check out the wheel’s condition. Bent or dented rims can cause your wheel to become uneven, leading to irregular wear.
Perhaps the tire pressure light turns on unexpectedly. This could occur due to low tire pressure or a faulty sensor. Nevertheless, it’s always a good idea to examine each tire carefully for dents or bends. Large bends start to put pressure on the tire’s inner tube, which could force air out of it quicker than usual. If this is the case, the bend should be easy to spot. Stop driving right away if you see anything wrong.
Now that you know if it’s safe to drive on a dented or bent wheel, it’s time to learn what you can do about this issue. It’s not advisable to tackle this issue on your own. That’s because the repair involves removing the wheel from the vehicle and the tire from the rim before you can even start trying to fix it. These are things that can lead to further car damage if you don’t know what you’re doing. That’s why it’s best to leave it to the professionals.
Car repair specialists will have the tools and knowledge necessary to handle a job like this. For them, most dents and bends will only take five to ten minutes to fix up. However, if the bends are a bit more extreme, it’ll take more time.
In some cases, the damage might be too much to do anything about. This is usually when cracks have formed in the wheel, or the structural integrity of the rim has become fully compromised. When this happens, your only option will be to replace the rim with an OE replacement, remanufactured, or new reproduction wheel.
In the unfortunate situation that you need to buy a new rim, you’ve found the right place. WheelerShip has a wide variety of OEM wheels to choose from. All you have to do is find the one that matches your current set and confirm its compatibility using our compatibility checker. Then, we’ll send the order to you right away. Our products usually ship on the same day! Take the time to browse all of our car wheels and accessories to make sure you get exactly what you need to make your car drivable again.
Get notified when the product will be available.
REVISED SEPTEMBER 2, 2026
This privacy policy has been compiled to better serve those who are concerned with how their 'Personally identifiable information' (PII) is being used online. PII, as used in US privacy law and information security, is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context. Please read our privacy policy carefully to get a clear understanding of how we collect, use, protect or otherwise handle your PII when you use our website.
When ordering or registering on our site, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, credit card information or other details to help you with your experience.
We collect information from you when you register on our site, place an order, sign up for our newsletter, respond to a survey or marketing communication, surf the website, or use certain site features. We also collect your mobile phone number when you text us or ask a representative to contact you by text message.
Our website is scanned on a regular basis for potential security risks and vulnerabilities in order to make your visit to our site as safe as possible. To maintain the safety of your personal information, we implement a variety of security measures when a user places an order, or enters, submits, or accesses their information.
Your personal information is contained behind secured networks and is only accessible by a limited number of persons who have special access rights to such systems, and are required to keep the information confidential. In addition, all sensitive/credit card information you supply is encrypted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology.
All financial transactions are processed through a gateway provider and no payment information is stored on our servers.
Yes. Cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computer's hard drive through your Web browser (if you allow). This enables the site's or service provider's systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information. For instance, we use cookies to help us remember and process the items in your shopping cart. They are also used to help us understand your preferences based on previous or current site activity, which enables us to provide you with improved services. We also use cookies to help us compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future.
You can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to turn off all cookies. You do this through the settings on your browser (like Internet Explorer). Each browser is a little different, so look at your browser's Help menu to learn the correct way to modify your cookies.
If you disable cookies, some features may be disabled. It may affect theuser’s experience and some of our services will not function properly. However, you can still place orders.
We never sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information. We have implemented Google Analytics, which uses first-party cookies to compile data regarding user interactions with ad impressions, and other ad service functions as they relate to our website. We use a telecommunications provider to deliver text messages on our behalf; it processes your mobile number solely to send and receive those messages and may not use it for any other purpose.
According to CalOPPA we agree to the following:
Users will be notified of any privacy policy changes:
*On our Privacy Policy Page
Users are able to change their personal information:
*By logging in to their account
We honor do-not-track signals and do not track, plant cookies, or use advertising when a Do Not Track (DNT) browser mechanism is in place.
When it comes to the collection of personal information from children under 13, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) puts parents in control. The Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, enforces the COPPA Rule, which spells out what operators of websites and online services must do to protect children's privacy and safety online. We do not specifically market to children under 13.
The Fair Information Practices Principles form the backbone of privacy law in the United States and the concepts they include have played a significant role in the development of data protection laws around the globe. Understanding the Fair Information Practice Principles and how they should be implemented is critical to comply with the various privacy laws that protect personal information. In order to be in line with Fair Information Practices we will take the following responsive action, should a data breach occur:
We will notify the users via email
We also agree to the individual redress principle, which requires that individuals have a right to pursue legally enforceable rights against data collectors and processors who fail to adhere to the law. This principle requires not only that individuals have enforceable rights against data users, but also that individuals have recourse to courts or a government agency to investigate and/or prosecute non-compliance by data processors.
The CAN-SPAM Act is a law that sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have emails stopped from being sent to them, and spells out tough penalties for violations.
We collect your email address in order to:
If at any time you would like to unsubscribe from receiving future emails, you can click the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email communication or you email us at [email protected] and we will promptly remove you.
We offer two-way text messaging so our customer service team can help you with order status, product availability, shipping and tracking, pickup or appointment times, and callbacks when you were unable to reach us by phone.
How you opt in. You consent to receive text messages from us when you (a) send a text to our business number, (877) 788-8283, or (b) give your mobile number to one of our representatives by phone or in person and ask to be contacted by text. We do not purchase mobile numbers or obtain them from third parties.
What to expect. Messages are conversational and sent by our customer service team in response to your request; message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Consent to receive text messages is not a condition of any purchase.
How to opt out or get help. Reply STOP at any time to stop receiving text messages; you will receive one final message confirming you have been unsubscribed. Reply HELP for assistance, call us at (201) 226-0577 (Monday–Friday, 8 am–6 pm Eastern), or email [email protected] . You may opt back in at any time by replying START .
Your mobile information. No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Information sharing to subcontractors in support services, such as customer service, is permitted. All other use-case categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.
If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy you may contact us using the information below.
The WheelerShip LLC PO Box 1634 Smithtown, NY 11787