Opinions needed, insides of wheels looks like crap

**RAWPWR3** · 04-28-2009, 08:56 AM

When i recently installed my new suspension, i cleaned the insides of my wheels while they were off only to find that the chrome plating was flaking off. I eventually want to have my wheels re-chromed, but for the time being should i paint the insides. Heres a pic so you can see what im talking about.

**GULLETT17** · 04-28-2009, 09:33 AM

i dont think you will be happy with a standard gloss or flat paint. when chrome starts cracking and flaking, its hard to get it smooth enough to paint over. my suggestion is maybe paint them with some of that rubberized underbody coating. . . it will be thick enough to hide the edges of the flaking chrome. Try to get as much of the raised chrome off before you apply.
How old are the wheels?

**RAWPWR3** · 04-28-2009, 11:23 AM

Thats a good idea. The only thing that worries me is unbalancing the rim/wheel if that stuff is too thick. The wheels are only two years old and probably have a little over 10k miles on them in those two years. I bought them new, i probably didnt take as good a care of them as i could have. But theyre just replicas so the plating probably wasnt the best quality either.

**GULLETT17** · 04-28-2009, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by RAWPWR3

Thats a good idea. The only thing that worries me is unbalancing the rim/wheel if that stuff is too thick. The wheels are only two years old and probably have a little over 10k miles on them in those two years. I bought them new, i probably didnt take as good a care of them as i could have. But theyre just replicas so the plating probably wasnt the best quality either.

wow that is fast . . . damn chrome. . thats why ive always stuck to aluminum. . it can get pretty nasty and still be polished back to a mirror shine with enough elbow grease. Really good chrome can last a while if taken care of properly, but like you said they prob werent the best quality.

as for the coating throwin off the balance. . thats a possiblity. . but most shops would rebalance for around 20-30 bucks.

**Mean Green Z28** · 04-28-2009, 11:59 AM

yeah, mine are the same,sucks!

**Wesman** · 04-28-2009, 12:50 PM

Where did you guys get these rims from that are flaking chrome so quickly?? eBay??

**jambofla** · 04-28-2009, 12:53 PM

My original GM set looks the same after 7 years

**bigrondownhiller** · 04-28-2009, 01:55 PM

You could sand down the chrome and then polish them. It won't match exactly to the outside but it will shine.

**RAWPWR3** · 04-28-2009, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by GULLETT17

wow that is fast . . . damn chrome. . thats why ive always stuck to aluminum. . it can get pretty nasty and still be polished back to a mirror shine with enough elbow grease. Really good chrome can last a while if taken care of properly, but like you said they prob werent the best quality.

as for the coating throwin off the balance. . thats a possiblity. . but most shops would rebalance for around 20-30 bucks.

Haha, yeah i sometimes wondered if i should have gotten them in allum., but ive been thinking of gettin these black chromed so i guess its for the better. By the way do you know where i can get that undercoating?

Originally Posted by Wesman

Where did you guys get these rims from that are flaking chrome so quickly?? eBay??

I got mine at a local rim place here in miami as a package deal with the summi's mounted and balanced already. The face of the rim is still perfect, (no flaking) but it still bothers me that the inside looks like sh!t.

**GULLETT17** · 04-28-2009, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by RAWPWR3

Haha, yeah i sometimes wondered if i should have gotten them in allum., but ive been thinking of gettin these black chromed so i guess its for the better. By the way do you know where i can get that undercoating?

just go to your local auto parts store. . they should have it.

**RAWPWR3** · 04-28-2009, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by GULLETT17

just go to your local auto parts store. . they should have it.

Thanks man.

Originally Posted by bigrondownhiller

You could sand down the chrome and then polish them. It won't match exactly to the outside but it will shine.

Thats another option...

**RAWPWR3** · 04-30-2009, 02:05 PM

I guess nobody likes my poll...im just gonna paint these f@#k's flat black.

**Triple H Coating** · 04-30-2009, 02:19 PM

Tape off the fronts with a blast resistant tape, blast all the backs, powdercoat High Gloss Black then clearcoat powder the whole wheel. That should keep your chrome in line for a much longer time.

Just my .02

**RAWPWR3** · 04-30-2009, 02:23 PM

Yet another option, thank you.

**jambofla** · 04-30-2009, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by Triple H Coating

Tape off the fronts with a blast resistant tape, blast all the backs, powdercoat High Gloss Black then clearcoat powder the whole wheel. That should keep your chrome in line for a much longer time.

Just my .02

How much to do 4 wheels that look about the same as his?

**RyanJM** · 04-30-2009, 02:35 PM

I had that problem with my factory chrome. Just got some american racing and they,ve been good. I was going to get polished but way too much work for me. Those wheels don't have a warantee, I got some GIO 22's for my trailblazer 2.5 yrsand 25k miles ago and they loon like new.

**Triple H Coating** · 04-30-2009, 03:54 PM

Without looking at them, ABOUT $110 a wheel. $70 for the masking, blasting re-masking after blasting and first coat and 50% over that for the clear over the entire wheel.

This doesnt include and fixing of road rash or anything like that. We cant FIX chrome. Im sure you know that, but some folks dont and want us to fix chrome and clear over it. No such thing as fixing chrome.

If its got rash, it will have to be fixed and rechromed, or fixed and coated one way or another.

Thats if you want it done as I described above. If you want the entire wheel done, its a different price.

**peterlawl84** · 05-03-2009, 09:29 PM

I had the same problem with my last set of wheels (after 6 years they started peeling on the inside)...I ended up just buying a new set because the price of re-chroming them would of been about the same...Always fun to change things up after awhile. Plus I heard they can start leaking or cracking after awhile.

**99 Formula** · 05-04-2009, 08:38 AM

TRIPLE H ....is this a service you offer? how much for a set of speedlines to clean/ streip / buff/ coat? do you ship?

**JaycenK** · 05-04-2009, 02:14 PM

You could just use a good cleaner, prepwipe them and then clear the piss out of them and see if the clear will keep the crome on for a while untill you have them redone