Hi all,

I have a set of widened chrome wheels. I really like them, but they are starting to rust a little, and one has some chrome flaking off. They also have a little bit of gutter rash from a previous owner.

Can anyone recommend somewhere to have them repaired/re-chromed.
I went to a local wheel repair place today, but they were of no help.

Cheers
Ryan

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

This is an old pic when they were still nice and shiny.

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

I think you will find it will be expensive I'm sure they take out the centres chrome and polish then put back together again

+1 from me too. Trouble with chroming is it's very labour intensive. You'd probably be looking at $300 a wheel to redo yours. My suggestion would be find some more 'unchromed' ones and have them widened and chromed. That presents problem number 2, finding someone to do them. The 'old' method of widening them is technically illegal now days and most would shy away from doing them in fear of being sued for a possible failure. If you do decide to go with the 'new' wheel widening scenario, tell the guy they're for a golf buggy, then they don't have to worry about it so much.

You might be able to get rid of some of the rust with some good chrome polish and some elbow grease

There is a relatively new method of coating called hydrographics, which seems to give a nice chrome finish. I've no idea on the cost though, and you'd probably need to strip all the old chrome off too..
http://www.justdipit.net/liquid-chrome/

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Yeah, I think finding new wheels is going to be the easiest and cheapest option.

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

I don't think it will be ridiculously expensive... give someone like this mob a ring and ask http://www.easternwheelworks.com.au/whe ... rvices.htm

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From people I've spoken to it will be very expensive.

The process involves splitting the outer and inner, removing the old chrome, repairing the outer, polishing the inner and outer, chroming the inner and outer, polish, re-weld.

_________________
Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

Just spoke to them and they won't do it because it involves splitting the rim.

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

Mini and Moke World don't make them anymore either as there outer rim die was lost by a manufacturer.

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

I have a set of those in the shed... although not sure they're exactly the same width.

They would NOT be expensive...

Cheers, Ian

Ian, I habe PM'd you.

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

I would get a price from these guys, there is no need to split the centre from the rim with this process.
this process is used on alloy wheels and appears to be successful, to have them chrome plated in the traditional way there is no escaping it, the rim has to be separated from the centre

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" A Hundred Years From Now It will not Matter what my Bank Acount Was,
The Sort Of House I Lived in, Or The Kind Of Car I drove ... But The World May Be A Better Place
Because I was Once Important In The Life Of A Child"

can I ask why it needs to be separated?

I have a set of chromed S wheels that look like they were done in one piece

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

I've seen the dipped type pretend chrome, it's good but its a long way off looking like real chrome.
Simon k, the halves have to be separated to allow them to polish the metal before chroming, it has to look like chrome before it's chromed. Chrome in most cases is only about 1 thou thick so surface prep is very important.
Then the rims are reassembled and welds touched up with paint.
There is another reason that I can't really explain but it's to do with how the 'chrome' deposits it's self onto the metal, it tends not to go into holes or gaps like the joins in rims. You end up with a nice shiny surface and none in the gaps.......that's where rust starts.
Most old chrome rims tend to go rusty under the chrome because either they were second hand rims or new ones that weren't preped right. Really good plating, whatever the type, lasts for years, I've seen it 70 to 80 years old on old cars, and it's still shiny.
You could 'split' the rims and get the platers to do them, then reassemble them yourself (or someone compitant if you're not)