Chrome Wheel Repair...

[Ginja]

With it being winter and all I'm giving the SRT a very good clean and tidy up. The wheels have started the lacquer peel process and are starting to look a little untidy and - personal preference - I'm not a fan of the black look.

I know this is a long and often revisited topic but given times change I wondered if anyone has recently had any joy getting their wheels re-chromed or indeed Chrome Painted - this appears to be a fairly new process and easier to achieve in the UK but I am unsure as to the results?

Any good experiences out there?

[Viper]

are you talking about the factory wheels? as they aren't chromed

[Ginja]

Yeah, the SRT 10 spokes, I'm pretty sure they are not polished as the finish bears no resemblance to the 6 spokes I have which are polished?

[Viper]

I can only imagine it being a different polished finish to the gen2
cant say Ive ever heard of a factory wheel being chrome plated

[vrod]

The prowler wheels were chrome plated from the factory (the same Connor Avenue plant), so I know they had the capability. They are not lacquered, just thick chrome. The back of the prowler wheels always shed their chrome so many were factory re-chromed under warranty. I have read many of the US owners have had them re-plated but I am not aware of anyone in the UK who returned them or took them to an aftermarket shop.

I had a conversation with the owner of a newer American Muscle car - I'm sure it was a Dodge Charger, they had chrome looking wheels and then told me that they were plastic wrapped chrome!

[ViperDave]

The Camaro wheels were factory chrome plated, bubbled and peeled like crazy. The Gen 2 were polished and clear coated and so are my 10 spoke srt wheels, The ACR's are painted black obviously.

Given my experience with the Camaro wheels I wouldn't go down the chrome route again.

[Ginja]

Hmm... Not sure what I have now. But I know what I want so am going to look at the Chrome paint option.

[ViperDave]

if they are chromed and are corroding then you will get sheets of chrome lifting and peeling off where the white alloy corrosion powdery stuff forms underneath the chrome, (well that's what the Camaro did) if its just the white bubbling up then chances are its just under the clear coat.

interested in this chrome paint thought. Hope to see how it turns out later in the year, but IIRC the problem Paul had was he couldn't find anyone who could handle the wheel size/offset to do anything with it let alone a chrome plate.

I've seen rattle cans they proclaim to be chrome finish with s nice shiny cap, always wondered if they really came out that shiny.

[Viper]

Viper said:

I can only imagine it being a different polished finish to the gen2
cant say Ive ever heard of a factory wheel being chrome plated

I meant viper wheels, I'd stick more than a fiver on that no viper factory wheel has ever been chromed, except maybe a show car or a raffle car

I couldnt imagine them even actually chroming prowler wheels at the factory, surely they would be supplied in the box from elsewhere and just bolted on at a Conner Avenue ? it was just a nasty process several years ago US regulations changed making the chroming companies swap the chemicals being used, watering them down in effect and reducing the life of the finish

[Viper]

the charger wheels could be like the older ram wheels, they were actually called 'chrome clad' but are were a steel wheel with a separate plastic shaped chrome effect wheel trim, on top of the steelie

[Dr-Bob]

The 10 spokes are polished then lacquered. .
When Paul curbed one of the rims we looked into this a great depth along with a set Atlantic Sports Cars had ... And I believe Prestine Wheels in woburn sands managed to do the job as well as diamond cutting the lips ..

Hope this helps ..

[Ginja]

Thanks all. I think I have a plan...

[N GTS]

Early gen2 were paint lacquered but gen 3 used a clear powder coat process, it does make a difference when you come to strip the wheel back!

[Viper10]

I've also got the 10 spokes and would be interested to see what sort of result you get. I'd found a company in Lancashire that blast the wheels with a small triangular shaped bead/shot which effectively hammers the surface, I'm guessing it compresses the top layer of aluminium to provide a mirror finish, they can finish the job off with a lacquer coat if you wish. I spoke to them about 12 months ago and the price seemed reasonable at £80 per wheel. They've carried out the process on a Vette with a set of polished 5 spokes and seemed willing enough to pass on the owners details. I thought about contacting the guy to see if he'd be happy for me to pop over and take a look at the finish... never managed to find the time though.

Take a look and see what you think http://www.mirrorpolishedwheels.co.uk/

Best of luck whichever route you choose, post some pix if it goes well.