Removing Chrome Plating on 20" Honeycombs?

boettcher40 · February 19, 2020

I recently replaced the stock 20" honeycombs on my 14 SLT. The truck is from MN so salt has destroyed the wheels. Wondering if anyone has ever came across removing the rest of the chrome plating and powder coated them? I know sandblasting will eat into the aluminum, and using a softer media will likely not remove the plating where it's still adhered to the wheels decently. Will reverse electroplating work? How about using chemicals such as muriatic acid? Or if there is another DIY way, I'd be open to that as well. Attached an old picture when I bought the truck.

rbrjr1 · February 19, 2020

media blasting is what you use, then powdercoat.

the places here charge $140ish a wheel..

djw88 · February 19, 2020

i just ditched mine and got a set of AT4s

nate_0022 · February 19, 2020

Interested in this as well. I’m also in Minnesota (northern Minnesota) I’ve called a few local places and most have said if the chrome is flaking off they won’t touch them. I would like to get them refinished if possible.

It's Tim · February 19, 2020

Not worth repairing just replace em.

BIGDOGx · February 19, 2020

41 minutes ago, It's Tim said:

Not worth repairing just replace em.

Some things with gm you should never buy, and that is chrome plated rims or black painted rims. No matter how much you baby them and care for them they will not last. I have the same rims except the machined aluminum and grey painted insert look. Clean them with nothing but car soap and water and at times normally apply some spray wax on them and they look nearly like the day i bought my truck. I agree with others those rims are done, your best and cheapest bet is to find a set of take offs like djw and for gods sake no chrome or black painted ones unless you want to go through this again in a few short years.

rbrjr1 · February 19, 2020

8 minutes ago, BIGDOGx said:

Some things with gm you should never buy, and that is chrome plated rims or black painted rims. No matter how much you baby them and care for them they will not last. I have the same rims except the machined aluminum and grey painted insert look. Clean them with nothing but car soap and water and at times normally apply some spray wax on them and they look nearly like the day i bought my truck. I agree with others those rims are done, your best and cheapest bet is to find a set of take offs like djw and for gods sake no chrome or black painted ones unless you want to go through this again in a few short years.

I've never heard that on the black wheels. (chrome yes, but not on black)

Lsgun1 · February 19, 2020

Yep get a new set don't bother trying to refinish.

CovetedStyle · February 20, 2020

So if you do have some attachment to these wheels and you’re set on keeping them definitely do not media blast them it will score of the base material horribly and then you will have something else that you’ll have to pay for to be corrected. You want to go to any chrome shop and they will just unchrome your wheels it’s a very simple process for them and shouldn’t be too expensive and then you will have a nice substrate for your powder coder to work with. I have parts unchromed from time to time because you can’t paint over chrome, either it doesn’t stick or have any longevity even if you do happen to get it to stick.

BIGDOGx · February 20, 2020

17 hours ago, rbrjr1 said:

I've never heard that on the black wheels. (chrome yes, but not on black)

Go look at those in the t-class trucks section and the TB model black rims that are terribly brittle with several owners complaining about rock chips. I have been buying gm trucks since the early 1990's, chrome plated rims and black ones never last, it's just a thing people should realize that gm is incapable of producing correctly, or at least be made to last more than a handful of years.

TXGREEK · February 20, 2020

I recently replaced the stock 20" honeycombs on my 14 SLT. The truck is from MN so salt has destroyed the wheels. Wondering if anyone has ever came across removing the rest of the chrome plating and powder coated them? I know sandblasting will eat into the aluminum, and using a softer media will likely not remove the plating where it's still adhered to the wheels decently. Will reverse electroplating work? How about using chemicals such as muriatic acid? Or if there is another DIY way, I'd be open to that as well. Attached an old picture when I bought the truck.

Have them re-dipped. They’ll lightly sand blast them then re-dipped. Good luck!

Sent from Above

boettcher40 · February 20, 2020

Thanks for all the replies, I planned on either using them as a winter wheel, or just sell them after refinish. I put some Pro Comp 20x9 wheels on a few months ago and these have been collecting dust. Called around and actually found a place that strips them for $50 total using reverse electroplating.

boettcher40 · February 20, 2020

21 hours ago, nate_0022 said:

Interested in this as well. I’m also in Minnesota (northern Minnesota) I’ve called a few local places and most have said if the chrome is flaking off they won’t touch them. I would like to get them refinished if possible.

I called around this morning and actually found a place in North Branch that does reverse electroplating. He was surprisingly extremely cheap, his website is below. Next time I make it back to the cities I'll have to bring them to him and have them redone. Then planning on either powdercoat or just dip them satin black.

https://deterscustomfinishing.com/