2009 Silverado Chrome Clad Wheels

VMax2007 · July 23, 2009

Good luck getting them off..they are really bonded to the wheel...wonder what a z-71 wheel would look like on a gmc....are Fords new wheels the same plastic over wheel?

yep, all the mfrs are doing it.

qwk93ta · July 23, 2009

I've got them on my truck and you can see the sloppy work they did on the back of the wheels, there is bonding material all over the back of my wheels.

Stex · July 23, 2009

^ If I had a chevy I would put the Z-71 ( 18") wheels on to replace the chrome...I was thinkg about putting the GMC 07 20 inch Alum on mine but dealer says with the 4wd Z-71 set up it would ride too rough...I also need nore side wall than 20s for the pasture, hunting etc..

jd1973 · May 8, 2011

Has anyone add the opportunity to remove the cheap plastic hubcap on the new "Chrome Clad Wheels"? I would like to know what is under those hubcaps to see if they could look acceptable.

I had the chrome come off while I was washing the truck.

Here are pics of the wheel under the chrome. It definately cannot be used without the chrome cover.

The inside of the wheel is not complete. It has several areas at the edge that are not complete.

jd1973

SouthCo · May 8, 2011

That is some kind of BS. I had no idea. A hubcap 20". I'm beside myself in disbelief. I never liked the way those looked anyway but never new they were hubcapped. I love my solid polished 20"s.

MikeNH · May 8, 2011

That is some kind of BS. I had no idea. A hubcap 20". I'm beside myself in disbelief. I never liked the way those looked anyway but never new they were hubcapped. I love my solid polished 20"s.

It's been going on for years in one form or another. My 03 with the base "chrome" wheels was just a steel wheel with the chrome skin over it. The first one I ever noticed doing this was Dodge with their 20s back around that same time. A true chrome wheel in that size would weigh a ton.

SouthCo · May 8, 2011

I'll take added weight over fake any day.

MikeNH · May 8, 2011

I'll take added weight over fake any day.

GM won't though. Added weight means increased fuel consumption. It sucks but it is what it is. How else did we end up with thinner sheet metal and nearly useless bumpers?

NealC · May 8, 2011

Has anyone add the opportunity to remove the cheap plastic hubcap on the new "Chrome Clad Wheels"? I would like to know what is under those hubcaps to see if they could look acceptable.

I had the chrome come off while I was washing the truck.

Here are pics of the wheel under the chrome. It definately cannot be used without the chrome cover.

The inside of the wheel is not complete. It has several areas at the edge that are not complete.

jd1973

Thanks for posting the pictures. I couldn't believe they would do something like that. My wife is the one who figured out they were plastic. I never thought to look to see if they were plastic because I never believed someone in their right mind would ever do something like this.

Daryl LBZ · May 8, 2011

Yep, just one more reason to never buy a brand new vehicle ever again...

[email protected] · May 10, 2011

The RTV silicone type adhesive they use is usually pretty tough stuff. It not only glued the clad to the wheel but would flex enough to keep it from rattling. There is a 3 to 5 mm design gap between the clad and the aluminum substrate. The wheel without the clad is structurally sound but not usable since the balance weights won't fit proplerly and there is no way to hold a center cap on. I guess you could use it as a spare in a pinch since they are clear coated prior to applying the clad. Those pictures are crazy. I've never seen one come off that clean. Usually they have to be pryed and broken off in pieces to get the clad off. Then you'd still have the RTV pattern left on the wheel. Not much RTV is used. They basically just trace around the outside edges to seal out moisture and a few strips along the tops of the spokes to make it a little more solid. It looks like this one didn't cure properly. When you see a wheel and are not sure if its clad or real chrome just give it a firm tap with your knuckle in the middle of the spoke. The sound will give it away as will the seam around the outboard flange where the balance weight attaches. I think there is a market for clad, just not on a $40000 truck.

condition1kimber · May 10, 2011

I slid into a 10" curb during an ice storm, and busted about 4" of the bead lip off of my 2010 GMC chrome clad 20. Since the wheel was ruined, I used pliers and a chisel to see what was underneath. Needless to say, my hopes were dashed when I saw what that plastic was hiding. Thank god for Ebay. I found another for about $100, which I guess is a plus. Nobody wants the damned things, so they're cheap to replace compared to other OEM 20s.