Fuchs just back from Al Reed Polishing

boston914 · 05-24-2006, 05:31 PM

Here are before and after photos of one of my wheels.

I got the full polish, but no clear-coat.

Curb rash is gone, undersides painted.

nine_one_4 · 05-24-2006, 07:19 PM

Looks good. How much did it cost?

zumwoll · 05-24-2006, 08:30 PM

I had my Fuchs done on my SC and they were $60 each, and I think that was a steal cause it was not his main work, and he did them as time permitted. So I would be interested in cost.

boston914 · 05-25-2006, 03:52 AM

$75 each plus shipping.

I had a set of 5 wheels polished.

Since I live in the east, shipping was a little costly.

I am waiting for my lug bolts to come back (chrome plating) so that I can mount the wheels.

I will have a set of 5 Mahles for sale after I mount the Fuchs.

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

I personally would worry about the chromed bolts becoming brittle. This is something that can happen to metals (ferrous metals only?) when they are chromed. I would be more inclined to polish them, or use "chrome" plastic covers for the bolt-heads.

--DD

boston914 · 05-26-2006, 05:26 AM

Are you saying that the plated surface may crack, or are you implying that the bolt itself could fail?

rich · rich's Garage

chroming changes the base metal. But plenty of lugs are chromed....

boston914 · 05-26-2006, 06:33 AM

Rich, can you give me any technical basis for your comments?

I am a chemcial engineer, not a metallurgist, so I am not an expert in metals.

My understanding of plating is that a surface coating is applied electrolytically.

Are you saying that metallurgy of the entire lug bolt is somehow changed during the process?

I agree that the surface of the metal may change, but it does not seem logical to me that a metallurgical change to the entire bolt will occur.

From Dave's commets, I am reading that he thinks that chrome plating can adversely affect the strength of the bolt.

Thanks

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

I have been told that it is a bad idea to chrome-plate lug nuts and lug bolts, specifically. I believe the phrase "hydrogen embrittlement" was used? I do not know the specifics (I'm a computer flight sim geek, not a metals geek!) but I was led to believe that chroming highly-stressed pieces like lug nuts and lug bolts could lead them to crack. And cracks, as we know, propogate--even into non-"embrittled" metal.

Somehow the bolts that were manufacutred already chromed were immune to this effect, or possibly the design "got around it" somehow. But very specifically I was told that chroming lug nuts and lug bolts post-manufacture was a Bad Idea.

--DD

boston914 · 05-26-2006, 09:15 AM

Thanks Dave.

I know a local guy who knows plating well. I will call him and ask for his opinion.

Al Reed has my lugs, so I left him a message asking questions as well.

Stay tuned for more info.........

kirk4 · 05-26-2006, 09:18 AM

Very nice looking rims. Update us with a photo on your car when you get them mounted.

calbrat · 05-29-2006, 10:58 PM

Stay away from any Hydroflouric and/or Sulfuric type wheel cleaning products which typically are the best for chrome and not our polished aluminum Fuch's. The chemical will destroy the plating eventually causing it to flake off.

I sell commercial car wash products. You oughta see what that chemical did to some S55 AMG Mercedes bolts on a 2004 in 3 months of regular car washing.