Is He Asking Too Much For Fuchs 16x7+9

[Gunter]

Originally posted by jeffrey2
I'm watching this auction on eBay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=8074915546&sspa gename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

and am curious if the pricing is out of line? I'm looking to get a set, chrome/black with tires. The total package to SoCal from this guy would most likely run about 2300 (with tires); is that a fair amount or is it on the high side? I know it's not a 'deal', but i'm curious if it's the 'market price' for these.

Jeff

No chrome for me but I was curious about the numbers on these wheels and asked the seller to send me clear pictures of the numbers inside the spokes etc.

He didn't want to do that.
His reply was very evasive and snippy, so, there may be other issues with this set.

[charleskieffner]

jason cullen can rattle part numbers right off his head!

[asphaltgambler]

Well........... "crack" wheels or not, I like them. No, change that .......I LOVE the way it looks and how durable the shine is and how it will remain.

To all who don't like it........fine......................... opinions are like............................Naw........I won't go there. At LEAST I didn't have the paddles on a bearing set-up so that they would spin.

I'm a perfectionist. When chrome is done properly there is nothing like it as far as actual finish or durability in real street driven vehicles. That does not mean I chrome everything.........to the contrary, I polish or powdercoat parts as well.


I'd post some pics but appearantly most would not appreciate them.

[Peppy57]

polished for 11 years touched up once a year with blue-magic clean with speed shine after driven live by the beach so chrome is not ideal

[Dan in Pasadena]

asphaltgambler - If you like chrome on Fuchs, you like it. No disprespect intended. If you like it, do it. Enjoy it, its your car and other's opinions are just that, mine included. I have a buddy that has black centered, chrome outer rimmed Fuchs on his black SC and I gotta tell you, it looks pretty damned good. I'd not do it to mine, but I do appreciate it on his.

I know that for years in the street rod community chrome plating of things like dropped front beam axles etc, was of high concern depending if they had been properly baked after welding to reduce the liklihood of hydrogen embrittlement. I'm not sure how that applies to Fuchs because (as far as I know) they are NOT welded, they are drop forged.

I know from talking with Al Reed that CAST aluminum wheels like my old 944 Phonedials cannot always be made to polish nicely due to occasional minor porosity which may be revealed upon polishing. Fortunately it did NOT come out on my old Phonies - Al made them look awesome. I suppose this could(?) be the issue with Fuchs - not sure, guessing. Al used to chrom upon request, no idea if he does it anymore to Fuchs.

[jeffrey2]

Al polished (I think chromed) my 16/6+7s; I've since put 7+9s on, but the quality of his work is simply unbelievable.

[tshih]

Chrome and aluminum alloy results in the same kind of galvanic interaction as any other mixing of 2 different metal(like zinc and iron or steel). This is essentially a battery setup where the more active metal protects the other in contact with it by sacrificing itself transferring electrons to the other metal and itself getting oxidized (chemically meaning by losing electrons to go to a higher oxidation state by "rusting"). That's how galvanized garbage cans last longer than bare steel cans, the zinc plating dissolves over time to prevent the iron from rusting. The chrome in these instance cause the aluminum alloy in the Fuchs to get dissolved away over time (years?) the rate of which is dependant on how wet the weather and exposure is or how much ozone is in the air (ozone is a super form of oxygen that eats up metals faster than air). So in dry and good air quality places like AZ or NV then the chromed Fuchs will last longer or weaken slower. But near the beaches with corrosive salty air those Fuchs are destined to weaken and lead to failure sooner or later. So that is the real explanation for everyone's opinions and hearsay info.

[tshih]

By the way, instead of vasoline, I protect my polished Fuchs by wiping them down with an Armour-All vinyl protectant wipe or paper towels sprayed with black magic vinyl treatment oil. The brake dust and road gums wipe right off and the oils prevent water from oxidizing the metal.

Of course spraying the wheels directly and wiping off is NOT RECOMMENDED as that will allow the possibility of getting an anti-friction oil onto the brake rotors which will make your brakes not work and create a stupid unsafe situation.

[dashman]

Food for Thought; If you like the chrome look! When refinishing your Fuchs wheels, take them to have annodized using chrome color anodize. It is different than chrome plateing.
If you really want @^$*^# you can have them anodized in red,blue,and other colors :>( I did mine in the factory anodized finish.

[mb911]

I Have previously chromed 7 and 9 and removed the chrome once I bought them . I crack checked each wheel with dye and all checked fine. I now have them polished . I can tell you they look great and just like new. Now will they crack??????? Probably not . But if they do I don't think I could blame it on chrome. It would be 100 times more likly that they cracked from over stressing from being driven hard for 20 years. I must put a disclaimer that my wheel only cost me 400 for the set so I would not be out a huge amount if one did crack.

This is more blown out of proportion much like head studs pulling/breaking in the 2.7. If you think about it why would head studs pull out of a case. More likly because of improper warm up and everything is expanding at different rates.

also look at the sc. well lots of sc's had the lower 12 studs break. why because the top 12 were steel and the bottom dilvar. different expansion rates.

Look at the 930s very few break head studs unless over boosted. Why because 24 dilivar heads studs= same expansion rates

Well My theory is that allot of noise is often made of nothing and just makes people over think things. I also would suggest however if I were to spend 2500 on a set of 7 and 9 fuchs I would just buy new. They have never been stressed ..

JMO