Trouble with chrome wheels

**Firebird98** · 04-10-2009, 08:02 AM

I've got some 17" chome ZR1 Corvette wheels on my Firebird and the chrome on the inside of the wheel is starting to peel off therefore causing my tire to leak air. Does anyone have a solution to this problem? Or do I just have to get new wheels?

**V8MUSCLE** · 04-10-2009, 08:06 AM

i had a similar problem, all i did was on the inside of the rim i put one of those tire patches on it. i doubt it will hold forever but its working for now.

**RonBurgandy** · 04-10-2009, 08:45 AM

Mine did the same except dont leak air. I just got tired of hearin it scrape the caliper. just keep pealin it of in my case.

**RedSmokey** · 04-10-2009, 08:48 AM

Tire shop i used to work at all these old ladies would bring in there caddy's doin the same thing. I just would throw a $hit ton of bead sealer on there... OBVIOUSLY not a permanent fix but would last a damn long time. just my .02

**Firebird98** · 04-10-2009, 01:13 PM

Alright I guess I'll just try and see what I can do by trying to patch the leak, the wheel is going to keep leaking so I guess I'll be on the lookout for some new rims. I really liked mine though... Maybe I'll get some ones off of another Corvette to give me the same look, but should I go with chrome again? Or should I get some alluminum or black rims to prevent the problem in the future? The chrome ones looked really good on my color car, it's such a hard decision

**Blackbandit** · 04-10-2009, 01:18 PM

I'd stick with chrome...looks the best...and do you know for sure if the leak is coming from the peeled off chrome...I don't think the tire would leak because of that.. that is just a chrome plating over the steel rim.. could all peel off and not have a leaky tire.

**Firebird98** · 04-10-2009, 01:22 PM

No, it's def coming from the inside rim cause when I wash my car you can see bubbles coming from the rim, but peeling all the chrome off of the inside of the wheels is not such a bad idea, that might work

**Firebird98** · 04-10-2009, 01:23 PM

Maybe I can find some chrome wheels that are only chrome plated on the outside and not the inside of the rim

**Blackbandit** · 04-10-2009, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by Firebird98

Maybe I can find some chrome wheels that are only chrome plated on the outside and not the inside of the rim

Yes by, I might have to start looking too for some rims...Mine are peeled off on the inside too but no leaks....Didn't think it could leak from there...I guess over time and so much corrosion.

**Firebird98** · 04-10-2009, 01:41 PM

Yeah, cause I think my rims are 10 years old, so I guess they've done a pretty good job for how old they are

**chuckie669** · 04-10-2009, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by Firebird98

I've got some 17" chome ZR1 Corvette wheels on my Firebird and the chrome on the inside of the wheel is starting to peel off therefore causing my tire to leak air. Does anyone have a solution to this problem? Or do I just have to get new wheels?

Hmm... Never heard of this. I've heard of people with ZR1's polishing them so they are just polished aluminum. Aren't these wheels aluminum and not steel as someone else posted.

Guess I'm just not understanding where they could be leaking from.

**calgator73** · 04-11-2009, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by chuckie669

Hmm... Never heard of this. I've heard of people with ZR1's polishing them so they are just polished aluminum. Aren't these wheels aluminum and not steel as someone else posted.

Guess I'm just not understanding where they could be leaking from.

I took my '02 T/A with the factory 16" rims to two different shops before the source was identified. I had one leak around the valve stem from the chrome plating bubbling (fixed with a wire battery terminal cleaner and a little bead sealer). After that was repaired there were some issues getting the bead to seat...chrome peeling on the inside of the rim...liberal use of bead sealer fixed that one.

**RedSmokey** · 04-14-2009, 05:09 AM

I think the leak he is saying is where the bead of the tire touches the rim, the chrome will flake and bubble, causing the seal on the bead of the tire and wheel to leak. I would just do like somone else said, peel what you can off of it and then goup up a bunch of bead sealer in there, it works...

**Lucky 13** · 04-15-2009, 07:44 PM

take it to a tire shop and have them use a wire wheel on an air dremel and buff all the chrome off the inside lip and it will seal up just fine, we did it all the time at the shop i worked at

**Firebird98** · 04-15-2009, 08:07 PM

Yeah, I guess that's what I'll do then, I'll let yall know how it turns out

**Qwk Vet** · 05-11-2009, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by Lucky 13

take it to a tire shop and have them use a wire wheel on an air dremel and buff all the chrome off the inside lip and it will seal up just fine, we did it all the time at the shop i worked at

I would use a scotch bright like they put on a die grinder and buff inside the lip on ur wheel and should fix it.

**peterlawl84** · 05-12-2009, 08:55 PM

Mine started peeling and I was worried about the same problem...they can leak due to the chrome peeling on the inside, if it starts corroding the metal underneath as well (this usually takes sometime). As far as wheels without chrome on the inside...the only ones I could find are 3-piece wheels, but they tend to be alot more expensive (cheapest ones I found were 750/wheel). The guys at the shop say they see it happen alot if you drive during the winter, due to the salt. But if you dont drive it in bad weather, then your new rims should not have the same problems.