Letter 32108

Questions regarding Chrome Plated Wheels  

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Hello,

I was looking for technical information on the common Chrome Plated Wheels. Unfortunately you can't get too much technical information from the manufacturers, they just want to sell them. Questions that I have are. What process are most company's using to plate the wheels?

Is it chrome or nickel-chrome material?

What is the Porosity of the Plating ? will it absorb water ?

Does the Chrome plating process reduce the fatigue stress of the wheel?

Are there other disadvantages to having your wheels Chrome plated?

Lastly, about how much does it cost to plate a set of 4 wheels ?

Thanks for your help!

Patrick S
Civil engineer - Bel Air, MD, USA

It's always nickel plating followed by chrome plating. Chrome plating does not impart reflectivity and shine, the nickel does that.

The nickel plating is not porous and will not allow absorption of water.

Plating, done properly, does not significantly reduce fatigue stress.

Nickel-chrome plating is a barrier-layer type of plating, it does nor protect the substrate where it gets scratched if it gets scratched.

It costs about as much to plate wheels as to buy a new set. That is because the original wheels were plated in large batches involving little labor per wheel. When four or less wheels are done at a time, it takes a great deal of manual labor per wheel as the process involves many many cleaning, polishing, and plating steps and many of these steps have to be carefully tailored to the exact shape of the wheel.

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

 

P.S.: We now have an Introduction to Chrome Plating that you may find interesting.

Thanks for the great reply, As a follow up question, knowing that the chrome-plated wheels are pretty easy to clean, what kind of life expectancy do they have? Can they corrode?

Also, I didn't know it was a two step process Nickel than Chrome, if the Nickel provides the shine, what is the purpose of the Chrome? And if the Nickel is applied first and the Chrome is layered on top, how can the shine of the nickel show through the chrome.

Thanks Again,

Patrick

Patrick S
- Bel Air, MD, USA

Let's go off-track and talk bumpers first: An OEM quality nickel-chrome plated bumper lasts about as long as the painted body parts of the car or truck, sometimes longer, sometimes a little less. So the chrome is a very permanent finish that can last decades. If you had steel 'chrome reverse wheels', that might be the end of the story.

But the majority of fancy wheels today are cast aluminum alloy. This is very difficult to plate, both because it's low quality and because aluminum is inherently difficult to plate reliably for electrochemical reasons. So the odds are good that the bonding of the plating to the casting is poor in at least a spot or two, which will become apparent in use over a few years, revealing itself as peeling. If I were a consumer, I would not buy chrome wheels without a true guarantee, and if I were the seller I would not offer one.

And is it possible to keep from scraping a curb day after day for year after year? The aluminum is soft and will gouge, breaking the plating.

The nickel is applied first; ideally in at least two layers, semi-bright nickel followed by bright nickel. The nickel imparts most of the corrosion resistance and all of the leveling or reflectivity. The difference between a mirror and a white painted surface is not in the amount of light reflected but in whether the reflection is specular or diffuse; the nickel plating imparts specularity. The chrome reduces tarnishing of the nickel and is a bluer color, and is microporous to break up corrosion cells.

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

 

I have a 2004 Jeep grand cherokee, which has chrome plated wheels. Granted I live in snowy environment and my car is driven on salted roads in the winter. However, after less than two years the chrome plated wheels are peeling badly. I wanted to get your recommendation on what I should request they replace my wheels. My understanding is that it is not the chrome plating that is the problem, but the manufacturer? I don't want to have this problem again when I don't have a warranty to cover the new wheels, so I want to get the most durable for this climate this time. I would appreciate a response and recommendation; I have found this to be the most educated site and commentary.

Lauren G
- Boone, North Carolina

There is no accounting for taste, so any suggestion can raise the possibility that you simply will not like it, Lauren. The most durable wheels are probably painted steel wheels (like on Cherokees, not Grand Cherokees). Second is probably chrome plated steel wheels (pretty much out of fashion). Third may be plain aluminum wheels with a clearcoat (common on Grand Cherokees). Most troublesome is chrome plated aluminum.

The problems with chrome plated aluminum wheels are many. Even high quality aluminum is very difficult to electroplate because aluminum is an extremely active metal that instantly forms an oxide skin, and you can't plate oxides. So the first step is always a zincate replacement process, which usually lacks the adhesion of electroplating. You'll frequently see the plating just peel off of aluminum wheels; you very rarely see plating peel off of steel. Although this peeling is a manufacturing defect, the manufacturer will often try to blame it on the customer. The wheels are pressure cast, not machined, and because they are castings they have tramp ingredients in them like silicon, making the plating even more unreliable.

Look at the warranty. Few manufacturers will guarantee them more than a year, and even then they are not guaranteed against road salt. Would you buy a car that had only a 1-year guarantee and an exclusion if you drove in the snow? It's ludicrous. But I doubt you'll find a long term all inclusive guarantee on chrome plated aluminum wheels because it's just too difficult to plate them right.

Finally, corrosion forces are working against you. As noted, aluminum is a very active metal. Put noble metals like nickel and chrome on it and then allow the tiniest perforation in the coating, and you have a powerful corrosion battery where galvanic forces will cause the aluminum to corrode quickly.

Chrome plated aluminum wheels are beautiful, like flowers, and about as delicate.

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

 

Regarding the chrome plating of aluminum wheels, I agree for both aesthetic and durability reasons that such plating might not be the best option given the use model. However, if one was fond of their particular chrome plated aluminum wheels or even a new set, would there be any inherent difficutlies to having the wheels stripped of the plating, sandblasted and perhaps polished, painted or clearcoated? Would chemical stripping be required or simply careful sandblasting with the proper media and pressure as to not damage the substrate? Thank you!

Best Regards,

Thomas W
- Cary, IL

I believe it would be possible to blast the chrome and nickel off of the aluminum wheels without damaging them in theory, but they are often so intricate that the job could be tedious and time consuming. So I believe chemical stripping is more practical. But that's just book knowledge -- I haven't actually done it or been involved in doing it. Sorry.

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

 

I have a 2003 Dodge Caravan that has anniversary chrome aluminum wheels. When one the tires went flat recently, I was told that there was a pinhole in the barrel of the wheel. I took the wheel to a local repair shop that deals exclusively with rims and when they broke the wheel down to prepare it for repair, the corrosion was so bad that repair was impossible. The pinhole was more the size of a pencil hole when the inside surface was cleaned, and there were numerous areas that were terribly pitted and almost corroded through. I knew there could be corrosion in and around the bead, but in the barrel????

Any suggestions on whether I should replace the rim, or have the others inspected? Also, Dodge has already told me too bad on their doing anything for me. Any ideas?

Roger S
- Columbus, OH, USA

I think you should replace all four or all five wheels. This doesn't sound like an aesthetic issue to me; it sounds potentially life-threatening in the event that the corrosion proceeds differently on another wheel, or if you hit road debris at high speed resulting in an instantaneous blowout through the rim.

I would suggest that you write to the corporation and request replacement wheels, and if there is no response then report it it to the NTSB and Consumer Reports [link is to product info at Amazon]. If they feel there is an actual life hazard, they will know what to do, and recalls help make corporations more responsive to consumer complaints about safety issues.

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

 

Getting back to the previous discussion on peeling chrome on Jeep Cherokee wheels, do you have any suggestions to halt the progress of peeling? Or is it simply a lost cause with a new set of wheels in my future once they have become too unsightly? Many thanks for any ideas you may have. At this time the peeling is only on the inside of the wheels. I am considering sanding the affected areas, cleaning thoroughly, and shooting with some clear coat but I don't know if it is worth the effort. Thanks again!

Jim B
- Denver, Colorado, USA

It sounds like a good plan, Jim.

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

 

I also have a problem with the wheels on a 2003 Dodge Caravan anniversiary edition. Slow leaks for two years, always checking tire pressure. Took the weels off to check the brakes and wash the wheels and was suprised by the amount of decay, corrosion on the inside of the wheel. Looks to me like the coating over the aluminun is capturing the salt and water, creating a cosentrated corrosion spot. The coating is also falling off around the rim bead, where the slow leaks are coming from(soap test).I have contacted ntsb, state consumer protection and many other agency I am waiting for forms. Does me no good,now I have to replace the wheels before the tires.I have 59,000 miles on the car. If you here anything on this problem please let me know. Thanks

Tom Ellenbecker
- Madison, WI, USA

Hi, and thanks for the very informative info. My 2002 Acura rims need replacing. All four aluminum wheel rims have been cleaned and resealed over a period of more than a year, and the slow leaks in my tires persist. My car is garage kept and I don't quite understand how even after the resealing the corrosion keeps returning.
What's a fair price for replacing the rims??
thanks for any advice.
Pat

Pat Lynch
- Bayonne NJ

Hi. If the rims are plated on their face and not elsewhere, you have dissimilar metals exposed and wil have an increased corrosion rate for the aluminum.

This is a metal finishing site, Pat. Sorry, but opinions on fair prices for replacement rims need to go to a different site because our little niche could easily be overwhelmed by a few too popular off-topic subjects.

Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

Ber-Nickle or Bur-nickle? Don't know if I am spelling it right but can someone tell me about this process (pros and cons)

I am trying ot buy some chromed CLK500 wheels and the seller is telling me that they use this process.

Thanks

Greg Cannon
hobbist - St Louis, MO, USA

Hi, Greg. Maybe something was lost in abbreviation or translation and they are speaking of bright nickel?

Regards,

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

I have been told by the manufacturer of my chromed aluminum wheels that peeling is a manufacturer's defect and is covered under warranty, but pitting is a maintenance issue that is not covered. I almost agree with that, but statements that you have posted here have me confused. I live in an area that has used sodium chloride to de-ice roads for years. Two years ago they added calcium chloride to the mix. After that first winter with the new de-icing cocktail, my wheels started to pit. The previous 2 winters with just sodium chloride (and sand) they were fine. Nothing else changed regarding my vehicle care habits. This tells me that the pitting problem is being caused by calcium chloride and that the county I live in owes me a new set of wheels. On the other hand, I understand you to say that aluminum's natural tendency to resist the chroming process is the problem. Please help me understand this. Thank you.

Jane Logsdon
- Hagerstown, MD, USA

Hi, Jane. Your dealer sounds more reasonable than some. We have several threads here where a dealer is rejecting the claim that the peeling is a manufacturing defect even though so many chrome platers know that it is.

As for pitting, nothing lasts forever and aluminum is not particularly robust in a salty environment. So the rims are going to pit and corrode at some point and it's a question of whether 3 years is a reasonable life. I doubt that calcium chloride is more corrosive than sodium chloride; good luck in your expectation that the county owes you new wheels.

Regards,

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

I have been shopping for new rims for my 04 Monte Carlo for a couple of years and need some help trying to find the Chrome Reverse look. The only thing anyone around here wants to sell is the oversize 18-22's which require low profile tires in order to maintain the correct diameter. This also re-engineers the ride to an uncomfortable state, effectively removing a large part of the spring rate built into suspensions by shortening the sidewall. All I want is a wider stance with chrome and it seems to be too much to ask. I don't are about riding on something 'out of fasion' because at my age, I'm out of fasion, so who cares? I think if I could find a Chrome Reverse 16" rim for this car it would really be a beautiful retro look. I believe in steel and chrome. Any ideas?

Mike Heinrichs
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hi, Mike. I think that "reverse" wheels simply means putting plain steel wheels on your car "wrong side out". The central hub area of a steel wheel has a dish shape; so if you reverse them, the car will have a greater tread width.

I don't want to talk about safety and insurance regs; but ignoring them, it should be a easy as that, although there could be wheel well clearance issues. I think reverse wheels may have been used on cars that were raised to minimize that clearance issue.

If your steel wheels will fit, or other available steel wheels will, you should be able to find a shop that can chrome plate them.

Regards,

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey