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Chrome plating

I have a wheel that I hit a curb with. My question is, if a wheel is already chromed does it need to be stripped? Or am I able to just redo the plating process over the existing chrome. I have already buffed the edges down that needed it.

Chris Vecchio
- Rochester, New York
2003

The chrome must be stripped. In theory you would not need to strip the nickel, just reactivate it. However, most such wheels are aluminum and if hitting the curb exposed aluminum (which I would suspect), getting the necessary chrome back onto it is a complicated multistep process involving zincating, electroless nickel, electrolytic nickel, and chrome.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

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