The April rains have once again brought with them the problem of roads scattered with potholes.<\/p>\n
\u201cApart from the obvious threat to the safety of motorists, hitting a pothole has the potential to damage crucial vehicle components such as tyres, rims, shocks and mags,\u201d said Dewald Ranft, chairman of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), an association of the Retail Motor Industry (RMI).<\/p>
In 80 per cent of the cases when a vehicle hits a pothole it is the rim, one of the most safety critical items on the car, that gets damaged and not the tyre.<\/p>\n
Ranft said rim damage can often lead to other problems like vehicle alignment and suspension problems.<\/p>
\u201cIf the tyre has deflated this is an obvious sign the rim is damaged.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf everything looks fine on the surface there are, however, other tell-tale signs to check.<\/p>\n
\u201cChanges in the balancing and alignment are important to check for.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you feel a vibration in the steering wheel, the chances are one of the front rims are damaged and if you feel the vibration on the seat, then it\u2019s is usually a rear rim,\u201d Ranft said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n Is your home fire proof?<\/a><\/p>\n Four mistakes graduates should avoid when taking out a loan<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n While it\u2019s not always possible to prevent damage, it is advisable to know how best to solve the problem.<\/p>\n \u201cRims can be very expensive and it is not always essential to purchase a completely new rim provided you use a reputable supplier.<\/p>\n \u201cConsult your local manufacturer or fitment centre first to determine the extent of the damage.<\/p>\n \u201cThey should then be able to refer you to a specialist rim repairer,\u201d said Ranft.<\/p>\n Ranft added that it is essential that the repairer is SABS approved and carries an approved ISO 9001 accreditation.<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, not many repairers have x-ray technology and can repair according to a certain standard so one needs to select carefully,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cShould you suspect that you may have sustained damages to your rims but are unsure, feel free to call on an accredited MIWA shop or an accredited RMI fitment centre for an evaluation.<\/p>\n \u201cMost importantly, in the event of damage, remember to consider your repair options first, ahead of buying new rims.\u201d<\/p>\n He also reminded motorists that any vehicle damage from road works and poor road conditions on the \u2018N\u2019 roads can be addressed to the South African National Roads Agency and their insurer directly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za <\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n