Maintaining Your Custom Rims

The terms custom rims or custom wheels are common buzz words among car enthusiasts to describe the modification of a cars original or stock wheels. Custom rims are one of the most popular ways in customizing their vehicle to match their taste and lifestyle. Car owners modify their wheels with custom rims to achieve better performance and beautify the appearance of their vehicles.
Both SUV and regular vehicles can use custom rims to dress up their wheels. It will just vary in sizes and designs.
There are different types of rims available in the market today which includes chrome rims, spinning rims, truck rims and the famous American racing rims. These rims differ in weight, size, mounting and design. They also come in different numbers of spokes. Lighter rims are favored by many car enthusiasts because of better road performance.
Rims are made with different materials which include alloy, metal, aluminum and carbon fiber. Carbon fibers are the best rims because it is the toughest compared to other make. They are usually used for racing.
The early types of rims are usually made up of steel commonly used as stock rims for new cars. Steel rims are the cheapest kinds. These are heavy which only adds weight to the car and inevitably reduces a cars performance. With the development of modern technology, modern rims are designed according to aerodynamic technology with sleeker designs.
Custom rims also include additional accessories like the spinners. Spinners can create the illusion as if the wheels are still spinning even when the car is parked or not in motion. Such rims are mainly for visual attraction only.
No matter what type of rims you choose, make sure that the rims are safe and the right unit for your type of vehicle.
Any type of rim will look dull and can fade the shiny look due to dirt accumulated during driving. Custom rims need extra care in order to maintain its beauty and protect it from any damage so it will last for many years.
In order to maintain the shiny look of your custom rims, you should clean it at least on a weekly basis or soon as it accumulates too much dirt. You can use soap with water for your regular cleaning.
In cleaning your car, it is very important to start it with the rims and tires. This will prevent the body of your car being contaminated with the cleaner or the dirt from the water.
But when your tires and rims get too much dirt, it is ideal to use cleaning solutions recommended for the type of rims you have, to ensure that the solution will not damage the finish of your rims.
Avoid using steel brushes in cleaning because it can damage the smooth finish of the rims and can also destroy the tires. You can use nylon or plastic bristled brush for cleaning.
After you have thoroughly cleaned your car and its rims, you can now apply polishing solution to make it shiny. Purchase only those polishers recommended by the manufacturer of your rims.
When applying polishers, use a soft cotton cloth and apply the solution in a circular manner. Allow the solution to dry for a few minutes. Afterwards, use a clean cloth and wipe the rims thoroughly and you will see the glimmer in your rims. Apply some tire wax so your tires will complement the shining look of your rims.
Since your custom rims are one of the factors which make your car look unique and trendy, it is important to always keep it clean and protected.

SUV Rollover Accidents

Rollover accidents are one of most deadly motor vehicle accidents there are. In a rollover accident involving a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), the vehicle often turns over on its side or roof. This usually happens when the vehicle is turning too sharply while moving at excessive speeds. Although any vehicle can rollover, SUVs and pickup trucks, which have a high center of gravity, are the most likely to rollover.
SUVs Most Likely to Roll Over
Rollovers entered the public eye about a decade ago when the Ford Motor Company recalled many Ford Explorers equipped with Bridgestone/Firestone tires. In a number of high-profile cases, these tires failed at high rates of speed and resulted in SUV rollover accidents.
For years, engineers and safety experts have agreed that the most effective way to make SUVs less prone to rolling over is to lower their center of gravity and widen their track width (distance between wheels). Yet, these design changes are expensive and SUV manufacturers have been slow to incorporate these modifications.
Today, pressure from the marketplace has caused this safety concern to sink in. Large, truck-style SUVs are not selling like the used to, especially with today's rising fuel prices. This has left manufacturers looking for new marketing tactics, which has encouraged a safer and more fuel efficient "crossover" vehicle to develop. These smaller, slimmer SUVs have a lower center of gravity and will hopefully be involved in fewer rollover accidents.
SUV Models with Poor Rollover Accident History
Certain models of SUVs have been shown to rollover more often than others. Research reveals that the Ford Explorer has the highest risk of rollover accidents. Other models with a significant rollover accident history include the:
* Jeep CJ * Jeep Wrangler * Jeep Cherokee * Mercury Mountaineer * GMC Yukon * Chevy Tahoe
Single Vehicle Rollovers
Rollover crashes are usually single-vehicle automobile accidents, accounting for 75 percent of all rollover crashes.
A single-vehicle rollover often happens when a driver has lost traction and begins to slide sideways, especially in snowy, wet or icy conditions. While it is sliding, the SUV may "trip" and begin a rollover. Common factors that cause a vehicle to trip include:
* Soft-road shoulders * Uneven ground * Roadside objects like a curb or guardrail * Objects or debris in the road * Hazards like oil spills or weather that makes the road slick
Safety precautions
Many SUVs are made with safety mechanisms, which are designed to decrease your risk of injury should your vehicle rollover. Some of these include:
* Electronic Stability Control: This feature uses automatic computer-controlled braking of each wheel separately, to help drivers retain control if you begin to slip or skid.
* Seat Belts: Studies show that wearing your seat belt can reduce your risk of death in a rollover accident by 75 percent.
* Rollover Air Bags: Besides protecting drivers and passengers in a side-impact crash, some vehicles have installed side-impact head airbags called "curtains," that aim to protect riders from severe injury and ejection during a rollover crash.
Common injuries
If you are involved in an SUV rollover accident, the outcome can be grim. Common injuries that result from rollovers include:
* Spinal cord injuries * Paralysis, paraplegia and quadriplegia * Loss of limbs * Fractures * Disfigurement * Internal organ damage * Traumatic brain injuries
The injuries caused by rollover accidents can also have a devastating financial outcome. The losses for which you may be compensated for include:
* Loss of past and future wages * Medical and hospital bills * Expenses related to the rollover accident (property damage, car repair, etc.) * Current and future pain * Disfigurement * Disability * Diminished enjoyment of life * Decreased life expectancy