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Chrome Powder Coated Steelies ...??

5K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  vanhead 
#1 ·
Had mine done about 2 years ago... great when I first got them , however , the finish has ..greyed over time , sort of in between chrome , and shiny silver . They still look clean and neat though . Is there a way of restoring the original sparkly chrome finish , or is it just how it is with powder coating , in chrome ..??
 
#4 · (Edited)
A nice effect for wheels is a "Shadow Chrome".
This is not a shiny bright chrome, but a darker effect achieved by first painting the wheel black and lacquering, and then painting with a translucent silver paint and then lacquering again.
You end up when this is done right with a silver wheel that is a bit darker on the face where the sun catches it, and on the sides which are in shadow with a silvery-black colour. It appears like a two-tone finish, but it is not, it is the same all over, and the special effects come from sunlight, like some of the more unusual car colours
Hard to describe and to show in photos, but this is a good example:


This finish is a lot longer lasting then a true Chrome finish
 
#8 ·
Cheers all ..!! Yes they were really nice when first done ..!! Over time , the sparkle has gone , and they now look more like dull alloys , except in bright sunshine ..!! I,m not complaining , they still look neater , and cleaner than original, no rust , etc . I tried a little polish on rear light protectors , which I also had done , and felt it was if anything , worse ..!! So I simply wash them all .. Yes , genuine chrome , if yr a polishing tart ....but I,m not ..!! And the price difference ..!! Just wondered if anyone had practical expierience , on retaining original powder coating finish ...
 
#10 ·
One thing I would not use on alloy wheels is alloy wheel cleaner :D
If you wash your vehicle every week or two and don't let the brake dust settle on them and then burn it when hot, then a normal car shampoo is all that you need.
Something like carplan wonderwheels WILL get the wheels clean with virtually no effort, but you pay in the long term with the surface dulling over time.
I use shampoo, or sometimes AutoSmart G101 at a 5:1 mix if a little muckier, washing off throughly, and then apply some Colinite 476S, exactly the same wax as you would use on the bodywork to provide protection.
 
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