How to fix curb rash?

I kerbed a black rim on my X6 when parking a couple of months after I got it and thought I’d have to just pay out for a wheel refurb, but I managed to fix it. I taped off the damaged section and used coarse grit sandpaper by hand to get the rough edges down, then used a finer grade to tidy up. I then got one of those generic touch up kits in BMW jet black which contained a high build primer, paint and lacquer; each with a tiny brush applicator. I did a few coats of the primer before sanding, then did the black, extra fine grit wet and dry colour sand and then lacquered and the damage was all but invisible. Cost me a total of around £15. I knew if it didn’t work I could have the wheel refurbished, so it might be worth trying?

 

It could be just my eyes or the angle of the photo, but you should also get that rim assessed to see if it might be bent. The bead of the tire and the perimeter of the rim don't seem to match up equally everywhere.

 

I’m going to cry so much when I inevitably do this to my power spokes.

 

The idea of that beautiful Energetic Yellow stripe around the circumference being transferred to a curb is abhorrent! That's why my Power Spokes haven't been on my SE for a year now while I motor around on pre-owned MINI Loop Spoke rims (I bought 8 of them on ebay to have a set for my winter tires).

My plan was to put the Power Spokes back on just for Drive Electric Week events, but both events have been on rainy days and I don't like changing wheels in the rain. So for those rainy-day events I just brought one of the Power Spoke rims (with tire) to show what they look like. I also bring my MINI Power Spoke balancing accessory to demonstrate how MINI's designers forced the company to create a special device to make balancing this asymmetric wheel possible.

 

That’s commitment! I don’t think I’m quite handy or motivated enough to be swapping wheels of, not to mention missing a place to store them.

I haven’t heard about this! Would love to learn more about the tool and process.

 

This is the Power Spoke balancing accessory--it clips into a hole on the wheel to simulate the weight of the asymmetrical wheel cover.

 

That looks a lot like the yellow band on the Power Spoke rims, which is some sort of rubber/plastic.

 

If there was a loud bang when it happened it might be safest to get the wheel checked out just to make sure it is still true. Hopefully it will be and you can try the repair, but as CuriousGeorge says above, it may just be the photo but it does look like the radius of the rim doesn’t quite match the radius of the tyre in that spot. When I did my wheel i was barely moving, so all I heard was that horrible grinding noise followed by my own sobbing

 

It's like the old motorcyclist saying about dropping the bike on its side: "...those who have, and those who will..."

I like buying my tires 10mm wider than stock, when available, to give my rims a little protection.

 

The main reason my 17" Power-Spoke rims live in my basement is that the taller sidewall of the 195/55R16 tires protects the 16-inch rims better than the 205/45R17 tires on the 17-inch rims. Your 10-mm solution requires the installation of wheel-spacers, right?

 

I doubt it. I usually try to run wider tires as well and I've never used spacers (and they're usually much cheaper than the weird sizes that BMW chooses).

 

For the 16" wheels you can bump up to 205 width without spacer (would be effectively the same clearance as the stock 17s)

For the 17" you would definitely need spacers or more offset wheels for 215 width. There is roughly 5mm clearance between the shock and tire with the stock 17" tires so bumping up by 10mm (5 each direction) would make that zero...

Adding a 5mm spacer would bring you back to the same shock clearance but 4mm-9mm spacers do not have proper hub engagement so you'd need to jump up to a 10mm spacer minimum with an extended hub lip. You'd also need longer lug bolts.

 

No, on the spacers (although I have them installed for aesthetic reasons). Most cars allow wheels/tires that are a full inch wider than stock, without rubbing, IMO.

 

Most cars do but the MINI has stupidly small clearance between the tire and the shock.

Here's a screenshot of the calculations I did when trying to decide on aftermarket wheels and winter tires. The calculated clearance with 215/45R17 with stock wheels and no spacers is -0.08"



Edit: Even some wider 205 tires barely fit with the stock wheels:

https://www.insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?threads/tires-summer-winter-all-season.9496/page-14#post-144669

 

Front passenger side.

 

Ugh. I'm thinking that photo exceeds First-Amendment protection, like falsely yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theater. I'm going down to the basement to pet my Power Spokes and tell them they're safe and sound down there.