Cracks we weld at our Slough workshop every week

• Inside-rim hairline cracks. the classic pothole strike. Tyre keeps deflating overnight, no visible nail. We find it, weld it, done.
• Spoke-to-barrel cracks. common on large diameter Range Rover, BMW X5 and Audi Q7 wheels after kerb plus pothole combos.
• Flange cracks on the outer face. uglier to repair cosmetically, but structurally the same job. Weld, dress back, refinish.
• Multiple cracks on one wheel. up to three or four. Beyond that we will tell you honestly the wheel is finished.
• Cracks behind welded spokes on split rims. specialist job. We do them, but they take longer.
• Old failed repairs. someone else welded it badly and it cracked again? We grind it all out and start clean.

How the welding job actually runs

Wheel comes off the car, tyre off the wheel, wheel goes in the parts washer to strip every trace of brake dust, road salt and old sealant. The crack is dye-tested so we can see exactly where it starts and ends, including the bits you cannot see with the naked eye. The crack is V-ground out to clean bright aluminium on both sides where access allows. Then the wheel is preheated, TIG welded with the correct grade of filler for the alloy spec, and left to cool slowly so it does not crack again as it contracts.

Once cool, the weld is dressed back flush, the wheel is pressure tested in a water tank to confirm it holds air, then it goes through to refurbishment if you want it cosmetically finished. Most customers in Slough have it back on the car within 48 hours, ready for the M4 commute on Monday morning.

When a cracked alloy is genuinely beyond saving

We are honest about this. A wheel with a crack running through the hub-bore mounting face, or one that has been impacted hard enough to deform the centre, is not a safe repair. Heat treatment from welding plus structural distortion equals a wheel that could fail at speed. Same goes for split rims where the barrel itself has cracked through. In those cases we tell you, refund the inspection fee, and source you a good used or new replacement instead. The team at Onyx Autocentre would rather lose the job than put you back on the road on a wheel that should not be there.

Common cars we crack-weld for Slough drivers

• Range Rover L405 / L460 22 and 23 inch. the most common crack-weld we do. Big wheel, low-profile tyre, Slough potholes. Maths.
• BMW X5 / X6 (G05 / G06) 21 and 22 inch. M Sport wheels are particularly prone to inside-rim cracks.
• Audi RS4, RS6, RSQ8 forged wheels. harder alloy, needs more careful heat management. We have done dozens.
• Tesla Model S / Model X 21 inch arachnid and turbine. Tesla wheel replacement costs are eye-watering. Welding saves you a fortune.
• Mercedes S-Class, GLE, GLS 20 to 22 inch AMG wheels. regulars on our bench.
• Porsche Cayenne, Macan, Panamera 20 to 22 inch. low-profile equals cracked rims. We weld them properly.