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Letter 34016
Attaining a durable, shiny finish on
aluminum wheels
+++++
I would like to anodize or nickel plate the ALCOA aluminum rims on
my truck. I'm tired of buffing them out with aluminum polish, as they
only retain the shiny appearance for a short while. The vehicle is
parked outside all of the time, and I'm approx. 3-4 miles from the
ocean. What would be the best way to finish the wheels to attain a
permanent shine, that would clean up with soap and water,ie: brake
dust, road grime etc? I guess, what I'm after is low maintenance. Any
suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Tim Williams
homeowner - Palos Verdes Ests., CA, U.S.A
+++++
Get them chrome plated, it's just what you are asking for, shiny,
durable, and easy to clean.
Good luck
Marc Banks
- Elizabeth City, North Carolina
+++++
I am searching for the same thing. I have Aluminum Centerlines
that were chromed...and badly at that. With these and other wheels, i
have found that it is hard to get a good chrome plate job. I had a
set of wheels polished and powder coated clear. That held up very
well for at least 6 years. Easy wash-off of brake dust. The only down
side (maybe) is that the wheels had more of a satin finish than the
super-bright polished/chrome finish...but that may have been the
polisher. AFTER I had those wheels polished and PC'd, I was told that
you can do this same process over chrome. The guy i went to did this
a lot on chromed Porsche wheels. Also helps to keep any nickel-blush
from turning yellow.
I have been thinking about "triple chrome plate" as it is supposed
to be more durable and thicker than standard Chrome. But, again,
chrome isn't the best finish for brake dust...I still had/have to
polish the wheels to get the dust off completely. Good luck, I'd be
interested to know what you choose.
Don Chiapparine
- Huntington Beach, CA, USA
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