New Wheels - Chrome vs. Polished

[rikhek]

I'm ready to get some wheels for my "new" 99 Silverado.  Would appreciate some input on chrome vs. polished - pros and cons.  Would also appreciate hearing of your personal experiences with each.  I do a fair amount of pretty rough off-road driving but nothing really intense.  Thanks.

 

Rick

[LarryE]

never buy polished unless you want to spend about an hour on each wheel cleaning and polishing them each time you wash your truck.

 

Chrome shines better and is very easy to clean up.

 

price isn't much difference usually a bout 100 or so more for the chrome over the polished.

[badpewterz]

chrome

 

for th little bit more $$ its worth it , more shine , easy maintance , long lasting ,

 

[Tungsten]

never buy polished unless you want to spend about an hour on each wheel cleaning and polishing them each time you wash your truck.

 

Chrome shines better and is very easy to clean up.

 

price isn't much difference usually a bout 100 or so more for the chrome over the polished.

I don't see how you can say that,  Any modern polished rim is clear coated, So its just like washing your truck, But I do agree in that I'd rather have chrome rims, they just look better in my opinion.

[LarryE]

I can say it because the clear coat will wash off polished wheels after the first couple of wash's.

 

that's why you have to keep working on them after you clean them because it has all worn away, especially with the harsh chemicals that ppl use like dawn or at the car wash places.

[Tungsten]

Well I had polished wheels on my 99 Grand am, I had it since 98 and I just sold it, and the wheels looked fine and still had clear coat on them, and thats with Upstate NY winters!  (tons of snow and salt)  Maybe I was just lucky.

[TxDoc]

I've never owned anything that was chromed that, sooner or later, didn't get a nick in it and then get rust underneath and start flaking.  I just don't buy any accessory with it.  I have polished wheels an my ATV and it sees the worst conditons.  They polish up like new.

[CET]

I have had chrome wheels and polished aluminum wheels and the current wheels I have are clearcoated American Racing , these wheels are great they cost more than the plain polished wheels but they are easy to mantain ,just clean them with soap and water my wheels are four years old and still look new the only problem I had was the chrome center caps started rusting around the edges

[bradyb]

The Quest for wheels:

 

The OEM wheels that are aluminum seem to last a long time with the clear coat from the factory.  I had a Saturn with the swirly aluminum wheels and the clear coat lasted for about five years.  I also had the American Racing polished aluminum wheels that were total crap.  They were the wheels that had the split three spoke style.  They were shiny for about two weeks and then it took a good couple hours of polishing to get them to look decent, it was impossible to get them as shiny as they were brand new.  American Racing and American Eagle wheels all seem to look like crap after a while, I guess that's why they are so cheap.  My friend has some chrome plated AE wheels and after this last winter they are starting to pit, pieces of crap too.  

 

Now I have heard that if the wheels are forged, the aluminum holds up a lot better, my grandpa has a couple of PeterBult Dump trucks with Alcoa wheels and they seem to hold up very well with out too much polishing.  For sure don't get polished aluminum wheels that are cast.

 

Don't get chrome-plated steel wheels, you're just asking for rust and pitting.

 

After the AR wheels I decided to spend some more money and get some Momo's from Italy.  They sucked too.  They were chrome-plated aluminum and not long after a week the chrome started to peel off, not at all worth the $2,000.  Every time I cleaned them they cut my hands and it took forever with all of the different angles grooves.

 

I then decided to search for some chrome plated wheels that seemed to be of high quality that were originally chrome rather then just being chrome plated on top of the polished aluminum.  I found the Elite Power Glides.  Very cool wheels that look good on a truck and nobody seems to have them here in Salt Lake. Their simple design is very easy to keep clean and I found them for $250 a piece.  They were hard to track down but they sure are worth it.  Check 'em out:

 

http://www.elitealloys.com/powerglide_details.php

 

I have had Alba's on my 300m for a couple years now and they have held up very well too, they are chrome plated.

 

To sum it up:

 

1.You can get aluminum wheels if they have a good clear coat or if they are forged like Alcoa's or Center Lines.

 

2. Don't buy American Racing/Eagle wheels because they are pieces of crap and everybody has them.

 

3. Buy wheels with a simple design that are easy to keep clean. No sharp angles or corners that can get chipped

 

4. Chrome wheels are good just as long as they have a thick Chrome plating that won't pit or peel, preferably wheels that were originally chromed, (not polished and then chromed.)

 

Here they are on the truck:

 

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery....=488665

[MarkD]

I prefer Chrome.  What ever you have you need to keep it clean (wash at least weekly).  Chrome stands up to the harsh chemicals better.  If someone uses "purple stuff" or "greased lightning" once on clearcoated alum, you will have to polish from then on.

 

That said, I am considering a set of 17" Denali rims.