Wheel experts: Any way to (safely) un-chrome alloy rims?

[speeder]

Let's say that you have a set of fairly valuable factory alloy wheels that were chromed and you want to return them to factory finish. I know that it's possible to dip them in something(?) and remove the chrome and then start over with paint/clear but I've always been under the belief that this compromises the metal(?)...

Obviously I have no experience actually having this done. Most alloy wheels are common and cheap enough to make it a moot point, you simply find a good used set of factory finish wheels and switch them. These rims would be expensive if you could find them. I absolutely hate chrome wheels. TIA.

[krystar]

since nickel chromium is electroplated onto the metal, i think the only "correct" way is to reverse electroplate it.

heard NaOH or Muriatic acid works too...but wouldn't risk it

[look 171]

my Ruf wheels are chrome. I like to un-chrome them

[Rick V]

I went through this a few years with a set of wheels I wanted to de-chrome. Call Al Reed.

[BeyGon]

If you re chrome them they have to be stripped first, it must not be that big a deal, Al Reed did mine.

[speeder]

OK, thanks. The last time I tried to call Al Reed, I got no reply. Anyone talked to him lately? Hope he's fine.

[Zeke]

Posted 10-22-2011, 08:33 AM on the 911 forum:

Originally Posted by blau911

I know this is an old thread, but wanted to give it a bump for a great guy. I have a set of 6x15's with him now waiting to get the royal treatment. Opening the boxes up when he sends back a set of freshly restored Fuchs is like Christmas when I was kid!

Originally Posted by JeremyD

Two great people.

As seen at the Phoenix club swap this year. Diane had a bout with cancer last year.

I believe this photo was actually taken by Harvey Weidman.

[sammyg2]

Al doesn't answer the phone all the time. Certain days he just ignores the phone and works on wheels without interuption. He is definately old school but well worth the effort and patience.

When he finished my wheels I didn't want them to put them on the car, I wanted to hang them on the wall instead for everyone to admire. They were that good, and it was CHEAP!

[Zeke]

Yeah, he even locks the front door on Tues and Thurs, IIRC. I think his phone answering machine explains all of it. It used to anyway. I've only had 2 sets done and he always greets and treats me like and old friend. One of the best businessmen I know.

The story goes that Al bought that business from Harvey Weidman's brother. I know this, they all know each other well. There used to be a guy in Costa Mesa named Henry Palagian (sp?) and I asked Al about the name. He knew the whole story.

Henry polished for Andial and dealers mostly and out of his home garage.

[Head416]

Here's one more that had Al de-chrome wheels and they came back beautiful.

[McLovin]

I don't think it's the de-chroming process that is of concern, it's the chroming process.

At least for Fuchs, the story has been that chroming them makes them brittle.

I can tell you from personal experience - I had a set of chromed Fuchs on my SC, that were done by the previous owner.

One of the chromed rears (16x7) ended up developing a huge crack on one of the spokes. And it had never been in an accident, raced, etc. Just street use.

Supposedly, Fuchs aren't supposed to crack, even if impacted they're supposed to bend but not crack. So, in my case, did the chroming make them brittle?

I don't know for sure, but I don't really trust any Fuchs anymore that have been chromed.

[Zeke]

McLovin, that's the rumor.

[speeder]

Glad to hear that Al is still going strong. He has refinished at least 2 sets of wheels for me and did excellent work for a very fair price. I was 100% pleased and I'm picky.

I've heard the same thing about chroming and Fuchs rims. When I sold new Porsches in the '80s at Westwood Porsche/Audi, Robert Woods used to come in and talk the boss into letting him chrome the wheels on showroom cars and it just made my skin crawl. Partly because I hated the look but also because I knew even then that he was depleting the supply of Fuchs rims in the world. The rims that I'm thinking of, (on a car I'm thinking of buying), are AMG monoblocks on a MB. I imagine they're forged but don't know(?)

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by speeder

Glad to hear that Al is still going strong. He has refinished at least 2 sets of wheels for me and did excellent work for a very fair price. I was 100% pleased and I'm picky.

I've heard the same thing about chroming and Fuchs rims. When I sold new Porsches in the '80s at Westwood Porsche/Audi, Robert Woods used to come in and talk the boss into letting him chrome the wheels on showroom cars and it just made my skin crawl. Partly because I hated the look but also because I knew even then that he was depleting the supply of Fuchs rims in the world. The rims that I'm thinking of, (on a car I'm thinking of buying), are AMG monoblocks on a MB. I imagine they're forged but don't know(?)

AMG monoblocks were also factory chromed. In other words, they weren't factory finished silver and sent out aftermarket. The factory produced them in chrome. I'm sure it's much the same process, but may make a difference in how they can be stripped and refinished.

[speeder]

Thanks, it's funny but I was wondering if these were chrome from factory. They actually have a really high quality finish, I just prefer silver wheels.

[Rufblackbird]

not fuchs, but the last set of wheels I had de-chromed locally (in Hawaii) were a set of D90's off a 944 for a friend. When they came back the aluminum had pits all over it, which I believe was caused by the chroming process. It took a lot of work to get it smooth and shiny again...

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by speeder

Thanks, it's funny but I was wondering if these were chrome from factory. They actually have a really high quality finish, I just prefer silver wheels.

Denis

Why not just sell the chrome set and buy a set of silver monoblocks?

[speeder]

That would be logical if I could find a silver set for a reasonable price.

[Head416]

So did you ever try the chrome strip?

[Zeke]

AFAIK, you can paint over chrome with a fair amount of prep and a good bonding type primer. Of course thin is better because of chips. Touch up is easy if you used a rattle can for the finish. The stuff Pelican sells is a good German silver color match up.

At least for Porsche.