Chrome clad rims

C

cdoo932

New member
Whats the best way to take care of chrome clads rims? I just bought a '12 Equinox and the crap the dealer sprayed the tires with have the rims looking like crap. I cant rub the stuff off. What is the best wax to get them shinning.Also is a powerball for a drill a good thing to use? Here is a pic of the Equinox after I did a quick detail. Not bad for winter time in upstate NY. Thanks,
Steve
 
For older chrome rims, I like to use a diluted acid based cleaner, but I cant imagine brand new wheels needing something that strong. Sonus Full Effects wheel cleaner would be my choice. Powerballs work great too. I suggest getting the mini and the cone both, because they each serve a different purpose.
 
Several companies make Chrome specific wheel cleaners including Grito's and Mothers.

General use wheel cleaners are fine as well, including Sonax Wheel Cleaner, P21s Wheel Gel, and BLACKFIRE Wheel & Tire Cleaner.

The best way to care for your rims is going to be to clean them often (once they are clean, regular car soap works fine). Do not let caustic break dust still on the chrome for too long as this will damage the chrome over time.

Also protect the wheels with a coat of quality synthetic sealant such as Detailer's Pro Series Wheel Glaze or BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Metal Protection. The Deetailers Pro Series will work on both metal and painted wheels and is designed for the tough environment a wheel faces, where as BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Metal Sealant is specifically designed to bond to metals. The choice is yours, there is no real wrong answer.

Clean and protect often and they will look good for years to come.

Also, Chrome is very scratch sensitive and it is all but impossible to polish scratches and swirl marks from chrome (because the actual coating is so thin). You will want to use a soft microfiber towel or Boar's Hair Wheel Brush to avoid dulling and scratching the chrome finish.

For heavy duty cleaning:
Mothers Pro-Strength Chrome Wheel Cleaner
Griot's Garage Chrome Wheel Cleaner

Moderate duty cleaning:
P21S Gel Wheel Cleaner 16.9 oz
SONAX Wheel Cleaner Full Effect
Blackfire Gel Wheel and Tire Cleaner

For regular cleaning use your car soap and water.

For protection:
BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Metal Acrylic Sealant
Detailer's Pro Series Wheel Glaze

Special cleaning tools for scratch sensitive chrome:
Montana Original Boar's Hair Wheel Brush
Microfiber All Purpose & Wheel Detailing Towel, 16 x 24 inches
Wheel Woolies Wheel Brushes

Hope this helps!

Todd
 
These days there are great products to clean your rims like your Chrome Clad ones. You can use on them P21 Wheel Cleaner, Blackfire Wheel Cleaner, Sonax Wheel Cleaner, 1z Einszett Wheel Cleaner and the Duragloss All Wheel Cleaner.

You always want to protect them using one of these products: Blackfire Wet Diamond Metal Sealant, Sonus Aluminum and Chrome Sealant or Optimum Opti-Seal.

Just remember that some of these rims come with a plastic type material over the chrome and don't ever remove them because you're be sorry in the long run.

Great to see you here and enjoy the forum with it's great members and the great reading material in taking care of your vehicle!:welcome:
 
Todd Helme said:

Also, Chrome is very scratch sensitive and it is all but impossible to polish scratches and swirl marks from chrome (because the actual coating is so thin).
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Most wheels I do are chrome (maybe have been too nice to them) but never really seem to be too sensitive to scratching (thought coated painted wheels were more) but if scratched impossible to remove.
 
I finally saw a Dodge Ram with some chrome clad wheels. Dodge wanted $400 for this upgrade.

A quick tap confirmed they are just chromed plastic. I first thought that GM must have invented these since seem to specialize in plastic wheel coverings on steel wheels.

I think the paint aluminum wheels would be better but seems to be a common upgrade.
 
I would not use a chrome wheel cleaner on chrome clad. As Bunky mentioned, it's a vacuum formed film over plastic.

I'd use soap water and a soft bristle brush.
 
Bunky said:
I finally saw a Dodge Ram with some chrome clad wheels. Dodge wanted $400 for this upgrade.

A quick tap confirmed they are just chromed plastic. I first thought that GM must have invented these since seem to specialize in plastic wheel coverings on steel wheels.

I think the paint aluminum wheels would be better but seems to be a common upgrade.
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They came on my truck and I don't like them at all. I had something kicked up by a car a lane over and it hit the wheel on my truck and put a gash in the plastic. It's a glorified hub cap
 
Bunky said:
I finally saw a Dodge Ram with some chrome clad wheels. Dodge wanted $400 for this upgrade.

A quick tap confirmed they are just chromed plastic. I first thought that GM must have invented these since seem to specialize in plastic wheel coverings on steel wheels.

I think the paint aluminum wheels would be better but seems to be a common upgrade.
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I have them on my Ram. They are a pain and cheaply made. For what Dodge charges for these plastic rims it's criminal...
 
My Chrome Clad rims on my F150 are steel not plastic and have held up exceptionally well.... I clean them with either Spray and Rinse or with APC
 
Rocket said:
They came on my truck and I don't like them at all. I had something kicked up by a car a lane over and it hit the wheel on my truck and put a gash in the plastic. It's a glorified hub cap
Click to expand...

That's how I looked at them on a recent detail, glorified hub caps
 
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