Wheel Repair Kits – Which One Is Best?
A scratched up wheel can put a damper on a car’s appearance. If you’re in this situation, you may be looking for a wheel repair kit. We rounded up 4 of the highest reviewed wheel repair kits on Amazon. Let’s talk about each wheel repair kit and what it offers.
The 4 Wheel Repair Kits Worth Checking Out
Here’s a list of the 4 wheel repair kits worth checking out. Which one suits your needs the most? Let’s find out!
1. Visbella DIY Alloy Wheel Repair Kit
Price: about $16 on Amazon
The Visbella DIY Alloy Wheel Repair Kit is a complete kit with everything you need. It even includes paint that matches the paint on most OEM alloy wheels. One Visbella kit is enough to repair minor damages, such as:
- Scratches
- Curb rash
This kit’s biggest selling point is that it makes the wheel repair process quick and easy. The filler adhesive cures in only 5 minutes, and the paint dries in an hour.
Positive Reviews
- “Not an exact match, but it covers up scratches well and not noticeable unless you are looking for it.”
- “I bought this product to fix my wheels. I found them easy to use and works okay.”
Negative Reviews
- “The adhesive globs on even after trying to spread it very thin. It dries very fast so you can’t do thin layers on top of each other. The paint matches very close to the rim. I tried to use 600 wet / dry sandpaper to smooth it out & it started to just take everything off so I stopped. It is better than looking at the deep gouges & scrapes though.”
- “When I applied the wheel epoxy to smooth out the wheel, the material says to work quickly with it, because it dries in 5 minutes. Well after a day, it still wasn’t dry and I had already thrown out the box.”
2. Permatex 09142 Wheel Restoration Kit
Price: about $26 + shipping on Amazon
This wheel repair kit contains the manufacturer’s own fast-curing epoxy filling. It also contains a silver wheel paint and other tools and materials needed to get the job done. The manufacturer advertises this kit as a professional solution.
Positive Reviews
- “The paint blended well with a 3G Acura TL. About half way through, I felt way in over my head but patiently kept sanding until smooth. This is a perfect kit if you are looking to get rid of unsightly curb damage on your daily driver. If your car has a bit of a knick on the factory wheels, this kit is a sure thing.”
- “I’ve used this kit to repair a deep scratch and some small areas of wheel rash on 3 wheels from a VW Golf and a Mini. The color match is excellent and the repairs are virtually undetectable. Technique is important. If you prep the area and sand carefully, you should be very pleased with the results. I did have to sand and respray an area on one wheel because I had a paint drip, but it came out fine. I’m not sure how well other wheel colors match up, but it’s perfect for VW and Mini. Note that I only did spot refinishing, not the whole wheel, a little polishing after the paint is fully dry makes the blended area undetectable.”
Negative Reviews
- “The instructional videos on the website make this look easy. The filler they give you WILL NOT STICK! After trying to scuff a bit more heavily to facilitate adhesion, I found that the product still would not stick. The silver paint that they give you is made as a “match all” to most colors and will probably not get the ideal results you want.”
- “Worked as they said. I followed directions, and it came out pretty good, I’d say. However, I did it about 3 months ago. Now I can see where the paint has faded and needs to be redone.”
3. ATG ALU-FIX Alloy Wheel Repair Kit
Price: about $12 on Amazon
This kit comes with filler, a paint pen, and other tools needed for easy application. It’s designed for steel and alloy wheels on all makes and models. This kit provides for a permanent solution that can:
- Withstand temperatures up to 266 degrees Fahrenheit
- Resist vibrations
- Resist heavy moisture (even in car washes)
Positive Reviews
- “A surprisingly close color match to my Mercedes rim. Better than I expected. I had no problems with any part of the kit or process. For $19 and a couple hours work, I’m very pleased with the results.”
- “It works very well. The paint color matched almost 100%, at least to my car.”
Negative Reviews
- “The filler never really dried and stayed gummy. I only used a little because the damage was so small. I had to scrape it off after several hours. I did put a little paint over because the filler and subsequent filing made it look worse, despite me following the directions exactly.”
- “The dark compound came dried out near the tip and I needed to cut more than necessary. The cap did not fit as a result, and the kit squeezed out both compounds unevenly. The brush it came with does not paint smoothly so I’d recommend a better one.”
4. Eastup 80005 Alloy Repair Kit
Price: unknown
There are two versions of the Eastup 80005 Alloy repair kit:
- A kit with silver paint
- A kit with chrome paint
The filler included in this kit bonds to aluminum and alloy. The manufacturer advertises it as an easy-to-use product. Yet, you still need wheel polishing and painting experience to create ideal results. The density of the filler material matches that of the wheel material. That means dynamic balance is not necessary after repair.
Positive Reviews
- “Very satisfied with this product. It took about an hour to complete the process, and I didn’t need my husband to do this. I did it myself! Very pleased with my repaired rims!”
- “Easy to apply, but requires good sanding preparation. I used a detail sander starting with 120 paper up to 600. After that, hand sanding with 1000, 1500 and 2000. It produced a near perfect, factory-like finish on a badly flaking and scratched wheel. This solution is much cheaper than sending it to a wheel restoration shop. Be sure to use a clear coat after you apply the color. Wear a good filter mask and have adequate ventilation.”
Negative Reviews
- “This product has way too many steps when it claims on the package that it’s ‘easy’ to use. This definitely was not the case. The color did not match my rims at all. The product left my rims worse than they were before with lumps, bumps, and unevenness.”
- “This may have worked for others, but it didn’t work for me. The 2-part epoxy never got hard even overnight. It just became like hard rubber. Maybe it’s a problem with quality control.”
What Each Kit Includes
Visbella
- Repair adhesive
- Alloy silver paint
- Gloves
- Wheel cleaner
- Alcohol towelettes
- Sanding file
- Spatulas
- Cotton swabs
- Brushes
- Instruction manual
Permatex
- Permatex wheel repair filler
- Sandpaper sheet (2 grades)
- Dupli-Color silver wheel paint
- Alcohol towelettes
- Gloves
- Instruction manual
- Wooden applicator stick
ATG
- Plastic trowels
- Aluminum silver-metallic touch-up stick
- Cleaning cloth
- Alcohol towelettes
- Gloves
- Sandpaper (rough and fine)
- Rim filler
- Instruction manual
Eastup
- 2-part epoxy filler
- spray paint (silver or chrome)
- Sandpaper
- Brush
- Spatula
- Instruction manual
How Many Wheels Each Kit Covers
We wish we could give you a magic number, but there’s not one. Each kit contains a certain amount of filler, paint, and other tools and materials. If the damage on your wheels is severe, then your kit may only have enough materials to repair one or two wheels. If the damage is minor, then you may be able to use the kit on all four wheels.
Most – if not all – of the kits have resealable containers for filler and paint. That means if only one wheel has damage, you can repair it and then save the kit until another wheel gets damaged in the future.
What Kind Of Wheel Does Each Kit Repair?
Visbella
- Alloy
- Steel
Permatex
- Aluminum
- Alloy
- Steel
- Mixed metals
ATG
- Steel
- Alloy
Eastup
- Aluminum
- Alloy
Consider Getting RimSavers Too
Repairing wheel damage can be a difficult job. There’s also no guarantee that your wheels won’t get scratched up again. If you take the time to repair your damaged wheels, it makes sense to apply RimSavers to your wheels.
Even if you don’t repair the curb damage, and if the damage is near the lip of the rim, RimSavers can cover it up.
What are RimSavers, though? RimSavers are flexible strips of durable material. You apply them to the edge of your wheels. They serve as the first line of defense against curbs and other obstacles. RimSavers come in a variety of colors. They bring several benefits:
- Improved appearance
- Protection for the wheels
- Covered up wheel damage
