Am I crazy????

[CHILI]

Ok, I'm considering selling my chromed 7's and 9's and buying 7's and 8's (probably use a 1/2 inch spacer for the same look).

The reason: I don't like the 205/55 and 245/45 tire combination. The back tire doesn't have the same profile as the front. Plus, I prefer the look of the wheel well being filled so 225/50's on the rear IMHO will look better. Also, I have A/X'ed my car and would like to do about 2 a year, but I know chrome doesn't let heat out, so they aren't good for "track" type use.

So, am I crazy? I will be going from 245's to 225's.

Flame away, or say it's ok, either way I want to hear some opinions. Also, if I do, what do you guys think my wheels are worth? Chromed and a fresh Al Reed paint job, too.

[Rot 911]

I don't think you are crazy. Personally I would never run a chrome weakened Fuchs regardless of size.

[dd74]

Why do you have to "sell" them? Keep the chrome and get the additional set. If you keep the wheels, you can play with the cars personality a bit.

If anything, it'll keep your relationship fresh!

[v9ff]

I'd say go for it!! 7Jx16 and 8Jx16 wheels rock! Take a look at how great they look on my 911.

[CHILI]

Steve, you cheat!

Kurt,
Ok, I've never heard of chrome "weakening" a wheel. Or do you mean by holding in the heat it weakens it?

[v9ff]

Just trying to spread some fuch sunshine!

[Rot 911]

Originally posted by CHILI
Steve, you cheat!

Kurt,
Ok, I've never heard of chrome "weakening" a wheel. Or do you mean by holding in the heat it weakens it?

From TRE Cup (TRE Motorsports): "We do not recommend racing with a repaired , or chromed/ dechromed wheel. Nitrogen embrittlement occurs in the chroming process and the aluminum is weakened.
Sure plenty of people out there have driven thousands of miles on plated wheels, but they are taking a chance (and probably never achieve more than .5 g in their lives)"

[CHILI]

Ok, Kurt, my next question. How can you tell if a wheel has been dechromed? As you stated above TRE's quote says that's bad, too. Before I started thinking about this, I was going to have them dechromed.

[jmz]

are you sure they are chromed and not just highly polished?

I am not a fan at all of chromed fuchs on a performance/track type car.

[CHILI]

Originally posted by jmz
are you sure they are chromed and not just highly polished?

I am not a fan at all of chromed fuchs on a performance/track type car.

Ohh, yea, they are chromed all right. PO did them.

[speeder]

How do you tell if a Fuchs has been chromed and then "de-chromed" in the past? Beats the hell out of me, but it's a good question. Knowledgable people generally won't touch a chromed Fuchs, so there is probably a bit of "de-chroming" going on.

The reason for this has to do w/ a weakening that supposedly occurs during the plating process. Someone w/ a better understanding of metallurgy will have to explain why, I forget the reason. Still, the risk of using a chromed Fuchs on a track car are probably minimal, since Fuchs are such a superior alloy to start with, and heat retension(sp?) would not be one of them. Unless you are putting them on a 917 and braking from 240mph down to 40mph in 300 yards for that hairpin at the end of the Mulsanne straight, (in which the rotors glowed white hot) , you are probably safe there. In fact, I have never heard of "hot rims" being an issue on a race car.

My personal issue w/ chromed Fuchs, (and most fully polished for that matter), is that they look ghetto, IMO. I felt this way in the '80s when I sold the cars new and Robert Wood was pimping chrome wheels on our customers. Might as well have whitewalls and curb whiskers, if you ask me. Obviously, some people like them and don't agree.

As for selling them, my guess is 40% off the going rate for stock anodised, (most valuable if mint cond.).

[masraum]

Chili, the difference between 245 45 16 and 225 50 16 is about 1/4" total, that's 1/8" of tire on each side of the wheel. The average height of a 245 45 tire is 24.6 while the height of a 225 50 is 24.9. You won't see much difference. You'd be better off trying a different brand of tire for one that looked bigger.

Granted chrome fuchs aren't the best to have, and unless you have a turbo having the 245's on the back will increase the understeer, so going to 8's is probably a good idea.

[buttjoint]

I guess this looks ghetto KMA

[Kurt B]

Hydrogen embrittlement is not something you should worry about if you had your Fuchs chromed. It is a negative result of processes like chrome plating that affects steel, titanium, and aluminum.

The only danger is if the process is not done correctly then hydrogen is introduced into the wheel during the plating process and gathers in certain locations (forming lines usually) which can create cracks for obvious reasons.
But baking the wheel after the plating process removes this excessive hydrogen, returning the wheel to it's initial state.

In fact, if the wheel doesn't crack in the process and is properly baked, then it will be just as strong as an unmodified wheel and also more resistant to external corrosion.

[vash]

i grew up in el paso, tx. the lowrider people used to chrome their suspension components for the added sparkle while "bouncing". i have seen stuff just snap. i know it was the chroming process, but until now i didnt know exactly why. thanks to kurtv!

[v9ff]

[dd74]

Ghetto is relative, of course. I rather look at it like a change in the car's personality.

[CHILI]

Ok, thanks guys! And, no buttjoint, I don't think that looks ghetto.

[v9ff]

I agree with masraum!

The 8s will balance your 911 better than the 9s.

Happy New Year Everyone! (Still celebrating)

[vash]

chrome = ghetto
carbon fiber = rice

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