Clearing Chrome

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SpeedThrills

SpeedThrills

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I bought a set of these: https://www.cragarwheel.com/wheels/whee ... 3-smoothie

After only two months, they started rusting. I waxed them when I installed them. Every two months I've polished the rust off and waxed them.

I emailed Cragar to tell them how disappointed I am, and ask them what they would do for me. I expected a run around, but to their credit, they have agreed to reimburse me.

So now, I have a set of free wheels that still rust. I'm wondering if there is a coating of some kind that would hold up for a while, protecting them. As it is now, the chrome is just getting worse and worse. It seems to be blistering, minutely. I can't rough them up to spray them of course, as that would ruin the finish. Even if it was something that would last a year or two, that would be better than them rusting constantly, and hopefully stop the blistering.

I don't want to use a solid color. That would defeat the purpose of buying chrome in the first place. The truck that they are on is bright blue, with a chrome bumper and grill. It looks good in chrome.
 
If it is blistering, it was a bad chrome job. Probably not a good rinse before the chrome plate was applied. I have a timing chain cover that is peeling in quarter size pieces of flake, asked a plater about it and he said the plating process didnt get a good rinse between applications. Your rims are doomed. Enjoy them , free as is.
 
There is a powder coating process procees that comes out like dark chrome. Call a few local wheel repair places.
 
Yes, there is hope! I used POR15’s Peuclid clear paint on the backsides of my Magnum 500 wheels and my replated bumpers (backsides). That was over 15 years ago and they still look great! This stuff sticks like glue and even looks like it isn’t even there. Applied with a brush and it flowed out like it was sprayed. I highly recommend it. Polish out the rust, remove all wax/grease and then apply it over anything you want to protect. If water can’t get to it, rust cannot form on it.

I searched for this product and they must have changed the name. I’ll bet it is now just called “clear”. Here is a screen shot of the page:
15522AC4-63F3-4330-9904-4AAF593BAD1D.png

POR-15 Top Coat - Paint directly on prepped bare metal surfaces
 
68gtxman said:
Yes, there is hope! I used POR15’s Peuclid clear paint on the backsides of my Magnum 500 wheels and my replated bumpers (backsides). That was over 15 years ago and they still look great! This stuff sticks like glue and even looks like it isn’t even there. Applied with a brush and it flowed out like it was sprayed. I highly recommend it. Polish out the rust, remove all wax/grease and then apply it over anything you want to protect. If water can’t get to it, rust cannot form on it.

I searched for this product and they must have changed the name. I’ll bet it is now just called “clear”. Here is a screen shot of the page:
View attachment 1715135240
POR-15 Top Coat - Paint directly on prepped bare metal surfaces
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That sounds great! I'm going to order a quart. Thank you.
 
pishta said:
If it is blistering, it was a bad chrome job. Probably not a good rinse before the chrome plate was applied. I have a timing chain cover that is peeling in quarter size pieces of flake, asked a plater about it and he said the plating process didnt get a good rinse between applications. Your rims are doomed. Enjoy them , free as is.
Click to expand...
I'm hoping the coating stops the blistering, but if it is as you think, i'm not sure. I still think it's worth a try. The blistering (if it is doing that), is minute and hard to see. I can feel it better than see it.
 
Your correct: if you stop the oxygen, you stop the rust, POR style.
 
Are these being exposed to Winter conditions? Salt and other nasty chemicals? If so you'll never stop the rust/corrosion on real chrome plated metal. This is why nobody uses it on new vehicles anymore.
 
mbaird said:
There is a powder coating process procees that comes out like dark chrome. Call a few local wheel repair places.
Click to expand...

Our resident powder coater is Phoenix Specialty Coatings.... (Cudachick1968... )
 
The way chrome jobs are done nowadays is a far cry from how our cars' parts were originally plated. Rather than a base of nickel and copper followed by several dips in chromium, these days it's just a dip or two in chromium and then they get stuffed in a box and shipped. Compared to a triple-plated chrome job that lasts 30+ years, you're lucky to get 30 days out of it now before the corrosion starts.

They can of course be powder coated, but all of the existing chrome has to be stripped first. Standing at the blast cabinet manually removing it can be time consuming and costly. I encourage customers to get them to a chrome shop so they can be chemically stripped instead (which is also expensive but not as much as a few hours' labor costs). Once the chrome has been removed, you'll have a suitable substrate for whatever color you desire.
 
CudaChick1968 said:
The way chrome jobs are done nowadays is a far cry from how our cars' parts were originally plated. Rather than a base of nickel and copper followed by several dips in chromium, these days it's just a dip or two in chromium and then they get stuffed in a box and shipped. Compared to a triple-plated chrome job that lasts 30+ years, you're lucky to get 30 days out of it now before the corrosion starts.

They can of course be powder coated, but all of the existing chrome has to be stripped first. Standing at the blast cabinet manually removing it can be time consuming and costly. I encourage customers to get them to a chrome shop so they can be chemically stripped instead (which is also expensive but not as much as a few hours' labor costs). Once the chrome has been removed, you'll have a suitable substrate for whatever color you desire.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info on today's chrome work. That's what these seem to have on them (Cheap!). I'm very disappointed in Cragar, but glad they are stepping up and reimbursing me. This being a driver (with now free wheels), I'm not going to invest much in them. I'll see how the Por 15 works.
 
SpeedThrills said:
Thanks for the info on today's chrome work. That's what these seem to have on them (Cheap!). I'm very disappointed in Cragar, but glad they are stepping up and reimbursing me. This being a driver (with now free wheels), I'm not going to invest much in them. I'll see how the Por 15 works.
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I`d get them sandblasted, and find a coating I liked .
 
I put two coats of the POR 15 on them yesterday. It didn't flow as well as I expected. It brushed on like glue, very thick and heavy. I'd call them "10 Footers", as far as how they look. They sort of look like they have water on them. Fine with me. Again, just a driver.

Here's few pics. One to show the truck. (Yeah, a Ford. I get good answers on FABO!) I didn't want to use a solid color. Would've defeated the purpose of having the chrome in the first place. One to show after the coating, and one to show the rust. (One of the pics I sent to Cragar at their request.)
I'll post about these after a year or so to see how they are doing.

Thanks, folks.
IMG_1896.JPG
IMG_1917.JPG


IMG_1918.JPG
 
SpeedThrills said:
I put two coats of the POR 15 on them yesterday. It didn't flow as well as I expected. It brushed on like glue, very thick and heavy. I'd call them "10 Footers", as far as how they look. They sort of look like they have water on them. Fine with me. Again, just a driver.

Here's few pics. One to show the truck. (Yeah, a Ford. I get good answers on FABO!) I didn't want to use a solid color. Would've defeated the purpose of having the chrome in the first place. One to show after the coating, and one to show the rust. (One of the pics I sent to Cragar at their request.)
I'll post about these after a year or so to see how they are doing.

Thanks, folks.
View attachment 1715138482 View attachment 1715138483

View attachment 1715138484
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POR15 Can be thinned (using their thinner). You should try their spray can clear too. Hope it works for you! They look great now!
 
Thanks for the idea's, 68 and Bruce. I'm done on this. Hope it holds up.
JeffisOld, I posted pics, not links. Maybe your device? (I'm clueless about tech stuff.)
 
Here are bumpers powdercoated in extreme chrome, but without the clear coat on them they looked just like chrome or very highly polished aluminum .

20150731_103731.jpg
 
Matts440 said:
Here are bumpers powdercoated in extreme chrome, but without the clear coat on them they looked just like chrome or very highly polished aluminum .

View attachment 1715141478
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That's the big issue with dual stage chrome powders. Unfortunately, without the clear topcoat it isn't UV stable so it will oxidize eventually.
These days there are single stage chrome powders that stay looking good.
 
True and I don't mind the clear coat thats on it, it still cleans up good and shines pretty good, just didn't want to fork out the $425 per bumper so instead I paid $100 for both bumpers powdercoated, and have been happy ever since.
 
It hasn't been a year, but I have more info on this.
The POR-15 product I used yellowed after only a few weeks. It also started peeling. I contacted them to see what I could do. And yes, I should've asked them how to do this before I did it the first time. (DOH!)
I was told I used the wrong product, and didn't prep correctly.
Here are some photos showing, in order:
-The wrong product, that I used previously.
-The correct products (stripper, cleaner, metal prep and two part coating.
-The result after applying the correct product.
I thought about spraying, but brushing was simpler and good enough for a driver.

IMG_2129.JPG


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IMG_2143.JPG
 
I bought a set of Craegers for my truck 40 years ago. The dealer said that I didn’t take care of them. Never again would I buy Craigers.
 
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