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Chrome Clad Wheels...should I be worried?

flyboyron

By flyboyron
in Tires, Wheels & TPMS

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flyboyron Enthusiast

flyboyron

Posted
Posted

Well, I had someone at a body shop wash my truck.

 

When I got it back, the young guy was bragging how nice the truck looked clean and how nice a truck it was.

 

He said, "I even steel wooled the chrome wheels to make them real shinny."

 

I almost had a heart attack! I have the 20" Chrome Clad wheels and know those are only plastic.

 

I checked the wheels out and I could not tell any scratches in them.

 

Should I be worried?

'01LS1 Senior Enthusiast

'01LS1

Posted
Posted

I used a cleaning wax on mine after bringing it home new. Not sure if that will do anything, but would want a coat of something on after what the detail guy did to yours.

marksoldtowne Enthusiast

marksoldtowne

Posted
Posted

Hi,flyboyron

Yes,you should be worried about chrome clad wheel which are made from plastic.Chrome clad wheel is are electrically plated (or "clad") with a thin layer of chromium, which gives them their bright shine. Beneath the chromium there is always another material, since pure chrome is too soft for constructing wheels. Chrome has long been a popular material for car detailing, due to its bright shine and its resistance to heat. Chrome wheels, however, quickly lose their shine as road dirt builds up on them. Rust is also always a worry with chrome surfaces.To protect the wheel from damage main instructions are as:-

1.Wash the wheels with soapy water. Basic dish soap mixed into a bucket of warm water will remove light dirt from chrome wheels. Just dip a clean, soft rag into the water and wipe the wheels with circular strokes. Be sure to rinse the wheels with soap-free water when you're finished, then dry them promptly to prevent spotting.

2.Remove tarnish from chrome with vinegar. Just pour some vinegar into a bucket, then dip a soft rag into it and scrub the wheel until clean.Adding some baking soda to the vinegar will make it more powerful. Always wash the wheel with water and dry thoroughly immediately after cleaning with vinegar.

3.Remove rust from chrome using aluminum foil.Crumple a piece of aluminum foil, shiny side outwards, and use the ball of aluminum to scrub away rust from the chrome.
4.Apply commercial chrome cleaning products. Any car-parts store will have several types of chrome polish available.You can also apply wax after cleaning and polishing; this will protect the chrome.Apply wax to the wheel in the same way as polish: on a rag, then buffed with a second rag.

5.Use a toothbrush to clean less accessible areas of your wheels.
6.Mix six cups of any universal automobile cleaner and four cups of warm water in the bucket.put on rubber gloves and stir the mixture with your hands. Saturate a clean, dry sponge in the mixture.
7.Wash any loose debris off of the wheels using the wet sponge and the solution.

8.Scrub the wheel after washing it using a soft-bristled toothbrush.
9.Dry the chrome thoroughly using one lint-free cleaning cloth.
10.Do not use anything more abrasive than a soft-bristled toothbrush as it will scratch the surface of the chrome.

music Senior Enthusiast

music

Posted
Posted

If it's shiny and not scratched, then what's to worry about? He probably used a 00 or lighter wool, which shouldn't "scratch" chrome.

  • 3 months later...
oemwheelguy New Member

oemwheelguy

Posted
Posted

I was doing some market research on what kind of wheels people like and stumbled across these comments. I figured since I used to work for one of the companies that made chrome-clad wheels I’d offer some facts that may be helpful. You stated that the wheels are plastic but they are the same high quality chrome used in grilles with a full layer of copper, nickel and chrome (Cu-Ni-Cr). There is no such thing as plastic chrome
although there are some companies that make chrome thinner than others.

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