After a long summer road trip across WA or down the coast, it’s easy to forget about your wheels once the car’s in park. But Holden wheels, especially on older Commodores, often take the brunt of the drive. Between hot bitumen, uneven highways, and loose gravel, the wear can build up fast without showing up straight away.
Giving your wheels a full look over once you’re home helps catch early damage that could affect safety or performance later on. It doesn’t take long, and knowing what to check now means you’re ready to go next time without drama. We’ve broken down a few clear signs to watch for while the car’s still fresh off the road.
Look for Obvious Signs of Damage
Start with a spin around the car and take your time checking each wheel properly. Some issues pop out straight away, but others need a closer look.
• Check for chips, scratches, or cracks on the rim. These can happen from hitting potholes, gravel shoulders, or unexpected kerbs. Damage like this isn’t just cosmetic, it can affect how well the wheel seals with the tyre.
• Look at your sidewalls. Bulges, cuts, or signs of rubbing might be warning you that the tyre’s taken a hard hit or gotten too hot on long stretches.
• Check where your tyre meets the rim. If there’s gravel, grass, or other debris stuck near the valve or bead, it can lead to slow leaks or pressure loss over time.
A quick visual scan often tells you more than you think. If something looks off, it probably is. Road trips take your car away from regular conditions, so small issues can build quickly while you're pushing it further than usual.
Check Tyre Pressure and Tread Depth
Summer heat plays tricks on tyre pressure. During long highway driving, that pressure can rise fast, then fall again when you stop or overnight. Too much difference across your tyres creates uneven wear or even blowouts.
• Use a simple pressure gauge to check each tyre, including the spare. It’s normal for pressure to shift a bit, but anything too high or too low should be corrected before your next trip.
• Make sure the tread depth still meets the safe limit. A quick way to check is to use a tread gauge or coin. If it’s starting to look flat in places, your grip will drop next time it rains or you hit loose gravel.
Paying attention to pressure and grip levels helps avoid bigger tyre problems later. Holden wheels mounted on ageing tyres can wear out sooner when towing, carrying passengers, or hitting long stretches at high speed.
Look Over Wheel Alignment and Balance
After a few hundred kilometres on mixed roads, small knocks can throw the balance off without you realising. Misalignment doesn’t always show up right away but tends to creep in right after a big trip.
• If the steering feels like it pulls one way or the wheel doesn’t return to centre cleanly, it’s worth checking your alignment.
• Watch for feathered or uneven tread. It can point to balance issues or poor alignment that’s already started causing wear.
• If you notice any shakes at certain speeds, your wheels may be out of balance, which puts strain on your suspension and can lead to earlier tyre wear.
You’ll feel these changes before you see them, so pay close attention to how the car feels the first few drives after you’re back home. The longer it's left unattended, the worse the wear usually gets.
Inspect the Wheel Nuts and Hub Area
Long stretches of highway driving, braking on hot roads, and heavy stops can all mess with how tight your wheel nuts stay. While they’re designed to hold under pressure, heat cycles and vibrations can shake things loose more than you’d expect.
• Give each wheel nut a quick check. Even if they look right, a loose one is better picked up now than on your next drive.
• Look around the hub area. Built-up dust or grime from the road can harden and stick near the edge of the wheel or behind the centre cap.
• Rust on the hub face or behind the rim might be nothing serious at first, but it can mark the start of moisture damage from driving through rain or muddy roads.
You don’t need to take your wheels off to do this check. Just get down low and have a good look around each corner. If you see strange build-up or hear odd creaks when driving, consider getting a closer inspection done.
Keep Your Wheels Road-Ready After a Hard Run
Once you’ve put the car through a solid week or two on the road, it’s easy to assume everything’s fine if nothing went obviously wrong. But checking your Holden wheels properly afterwards keeps your car safer and smoother when you’re back to everyday driving.
Catching damage early means your tyres last longer, your car handles better, and you stay out of trouble when surprise weather or rough roads pop up again. It doesn’t take much time, and it’s one of the simplest ways to look after your Commodore once the trip’s done. The next time you're planning a drive, you'll already know your wheels are in good shape.
Every Holden wheel at Holdcom Auto Parts is selected for correct fit and safe long-distance use, including both factory alloys and quality aftermarket choices for VB to VL Commodores and other popular Holden models. Our team stocks summer-driven replacement and upgrade options and can help you identify suitable fitments for any restoration or year-round use.
Checking over your Commodore after a summer drive and spotting signs of wear or aging is a smart move, as heat, long-distance travel, and uneven roads can all impact how your tyres and rims perform. Even small issues, like loose nuts or warped edges, could slow you down or compromise safety. To see replacement or upgraded Holden wheels made for early-model builds, call Holdcom Auto Parts.
