Hmm well I tried searching but couldn't really find anything...but here goes...


K well I just brought a car and it has 16inch chrome ponies. They look really nice until you go up close, there's all this weird stuff around the center. And when you get REALLY close you can see there's almost a sort of bubbling going on with the chrome. So my question is: can this stuff be taken off or are the rims done. Second, if it can be taken off, any reccomendations??


THANKS! Hopefully I'll get some good info, you guys never let me down!

 

Bubbling, eh? Does it "give" if you press lightly?

Is it the wheel or the center cap?

There's a lot of aftermarket chrome pony replica rims, it seems, and likely some are not the best. Because of EPA and other environmental restrictions -- and the fact that there are some just plain cheap wheels out there -- chrome quality can vary.

Sounds like there's some lifting of the chrome... or some corrosion underneath the chrome layer that is making it bubble. This can usually happen at edges, such as at the center or on the lip.

The wheels would be aluminum, so obviously it's not rust, but it could be other corrosion or oxidation if you like. And there are layers of nickel and copper that can separate if there is some physical damage or even just over time. The center cap would be plastic, and chrome doesn't always stick to plastic too well -- and it's a delicate chrome at that.

In either scenario, it might be best to consider looking for some replacement rims as it's only going to get worse.

You can use a chrome polish to help keep the chrome shiny and remove minor pitting, but be careful as eventually these bubbles -- if they are what I think they are -- will crack and the edges will be sharp like glass.

 

Get some turtle wax chrome polish like 3 dollars any grocery/auto parts store, and a cotton wheel that goes on the end of a drill (not the powerball thing a real cotton wheel) that should get rid of most of it.

 

The cotton wheel would be more aggressive and less compliant than the PowerBall, and they preach trying the least-aggressive method first.

The Mothers is mild as chrome polishes go -- less likely to wear through thin chrome, which is likely what these are. And it works great with the PowerBall.

I'm not sure why StevenP450yfz thinks a cotton wheel would be better -- I've been there and done that, and the Mothers PowerBalls are hard to beat for ease of use.

If it's not bubbling, and instead is surface pitting, then try the chrome polish approach. If you have a lot, the PowerBall is a great way to go.

If it's bubbling -- meaning separating of layers -- you're out of luck.

If you're not sure, show us some pics.

 

Probably because thats what I used when I had what sounds like the exact same problem on replica chrome cobra r rims, used a cotton wheel, and chrome polish, and that was what it took to get the oxidation,bubbling, "weird stuff" off of the rims. Plus it was very inexpensive total of $6 or 7 dollars, and worked great for me. Cotton wheels have been around for a long time, I did'nt think it was all that agressive, ie. "cotton" wheel. , and I did not know that chrome polish wears through chrome rims never heard of that before? I always thought it did the opposite....protect abrasive elments from wearing through chrome? Just my opinions and experience though I was just giving some reccomendations like asked.