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Need to remove chrome & nickel plating from Eagle alloy wheels

April 22, 2010

I have a set of eagle alloys wheels that I will be powder coating. I run a powder coating business and these are my personal wheels. The wheels are flaking pretty badly. I had my industrial blasting shop try blasting the chrome/nickel off it took far too long to get through the layers. I need an effective way to remove the plating from the wheels. I have contacted the local plating shop here but they said they would have to ship the wheels out to be stripped down. Is there a proper way that I can do this myself? I have lots of experience and the proper PPE for handling chemicals. So if anyone can tell me where I can get the stuff to strip these down I would be very appreciative. The reason I need them stripped to bare metal is because of the pitting in the aluminum, I need to correct this in order to powder coat them. If there is any more information that I need to provide please ask I will gladly answer anything I can. The wheels are aluminum, when blasting it was determined that there is chrome/nickel/copper on them. I was able to watch the layers expose themselves when blasting.

Thanks,
John H. Forman

John Forman
Shop owner - Floyds Knobs, Indiana

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May 16, 2010

If the wheels are aluminum you should be able to strip the chromium in a caustic solution and then strip the nickel off in 50% nitric acid.

George Shahin
Atotech - Rock Hill, South Carolina

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May 17, 2010

If chemically stripped, both metals (chrome and nickel) will produce toxic regulated waste. Blasting may not depending on local regulations.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico