De-Chroming 3rd Gen Alloys

[Rowingfish87]

I just picked up a set of the 3rd gen 17" alloy wheels for my 98. They have the stupid chrome cover on them. I was wondering 1. why chrysler thought it was a good idea to cover up a good looking wheel like that. and 2. how can i get the chrome covers off ?



it would appear that the "covers" are just glued on or something but i dont want to rip them off and then have adhesive all over my wheels.



TIA,

Kyle.

 

[Motorhead]

I think you had better look at the wheels again. If you have a "Chrome" cover on them then I think that they are steel wheels.

 

[Rowingfish87]

I think you had better look at the wheels again. If you have a "Chrome" cover on them then I think that they are steel wheels.

nosir.

this is what i am talking about:

#ad


dodge refers to them as the "17" x 8. 0" Chrome Clad Aluminum Wheels" and if you look by the center hub opening you can see the difference in the chrome cover and the aluminum behind it.

bump for ideas.

 

[odinjunior]

Interesting !! How far around the bead lip does the chrome cover extend? That might tell you if they come off or not.

 

[Rowingfish87]

Interesting !! How far around the bead lip does the chrome cover extend? That might tell you if they come off or not.

maybe half way. i'll have to look. I know they will come off I just want to see if anyone else has attempted this and what kind of adhesive they used and how to get that off without scaring the aluminum.



I have a friend that did it with the "chrome" steelies when he used them for his jeep that he put D60s under. but peeling the covers off and scraping the glue off a steel wheel that is going to get rock rash on a jeep is different than an aluminum wheel that I would like to look nice.

 

[13MWZ]

I cant say for sure avout the aluminum wheels, but I remmoved the chrome crap from my steel wheels. I used a porpane torch to heat up the glue behind the chrome. The chrome cladding would pop and bubble when it came loose. Then I used a screwdriver, pry bar, and channel locks to pull them off. I think that would probably mess up the aluminum face though. I did a write up with pics on another forum, I'll see if I can dig it up.

 

[MVenditti]

I have seen others have done it. They are glued on but do come off. After cleanup can be painted or polished. There were photos and info. Not sure which site, may have been Diesel Truck Resource or Cummins Forum. Do a search there if you don't find it here.

 

[13MWZ]

Here's the thread I made. Keep in mind this is with steel wheels. It should be the same with your wheels, you'd just have to be more carefull not to scratch up the wheel.



Removing the chrome clading on wheels - Dodge Cummins Diesel Forum

 

[Rowingfish87]

thanks 13MWZ.

thats kind of what i was afraid of tho. i dont think the heat will harm the aluminum but i guess i'll just have to be careful not to gouge the wheels while cleaning the glue off. do you think goof-off or something of the like would work without ruining the surface of the aluminum?

 

[13MWZ]

Nope. The glue is kinda RTVish, or more like caulk or something. The powdercoating on my wheels still looked pretty good under the chrome except where the glue was, so I tried several differant things (goo-gone, rubbing alcohol, gasoline and WD-40) to try and remove it before I took to sanding. Nothing realy worked too good. I suppose with enough patients you'd be able to scrape most of it off with like a plastic paint scraper or something and slowly rub or buff the rest off. One of those 3M eraser wheels like folks use for de-badging might work too..... didnt even think of that till just now, I had one in the garage too!LOL

 

[Srichards56]

My 07 Dodge daytona have the OEM 20" chrome clad alumnium wheels on it now

We replaced one wheel as it was damaged by an outher car bumper bumped it

causing surface scratch and crack. This wheel has a plastic chrome clad insurt

Glued to the alumnium wheel. the plastic insurt can be removed by heating the wheel with a heat gun or propane tourch heat it up 200"-300" F and pull off the cover, OR you may try soaking it face side down in a round trash contaner with gasoline for a few hours to brake up or desolve the glue. use care and a gardenhoes handy. Before I did any thing know what thay look like before you pull off the clading,as thay are one of the better looking wheels, stock or after market. mount a set of tires on wheels as thay are and see what you think. I dont think you will be dissapointed the looks will grow on you.

 

[BHaden]

I used to have an 03 1500 with the 20" chrome clad wheels. The plastic portion on those just covers the spoke part of the aluminum. The bead area, where the balancing weights go, is polished aluminum. I loved them for the fact that they were always shiny with nothing more than a car wash. I DO NOT have time nor am I interested in polishing wheels. I you are going to paint them that's another story. I didn't even notice they were plastic until this very subject came up on another forum (DTO) and I went and looked.

As to why they did it that way I would guess chroming a plastic cover and gluing it on is a lot cheaper than chroming a steel wheel. Take Srichards56's suggestion and mount one before you go to all that work.