CHROME PLATING PROCESS

Chrome Wheels... It's What You Don't See That Makes The Difference. What does it take to turn out the best chrome wheels in the industry? The answer is time. It begins with decades of experience working in high-end chrome plating, the extra time the wheels spend in each of the four plating baths, and the years needed to build up a craftsman's eye for quality and detail. Time is something you cannot see in a wheel...but knowing it;s there bring comfort that the wheels on your call will not be subjected to fasted corrosion due to road salts and other contaminants than the wheels produced by those who skip the extra steps.

HIDDEN VALUE OF CHROME WHEELS

When you look at a wheel you cannot see the plating time and craftsmanship involved. A quick to corrode wheel will look just like a quality wheel right out of the box. Which is why we take extra time and additional steps with each wheel to help protect and prolong the life of the wheel -- and ensure that the original beauty and luster remains year after year...long after the finish has dulled on wheels plated elsewhere.

THE STORY BEHIND EACH STEP

For years, the term triple-chrome plating has been a mark for top quality chrome plating. In reality, this process falls short and does not provide the correct number of plating baths to truly protect the wheel for a prolonged length of time. This is why our chroming facility uses a four-plate process and a number of intermediate hand inspection and polishing steps to turn out a quality wheel. It is the tie spent with each wheel that makes the difference. 

1. It all begins when the wheel comes into the facility and is immediately inventoried to begin the tracking process. Our facility works with raw parts from manufacturers on existing factory wheels which need to have the paint stripped prior to the plating process.

2. On pre-painted wheels, the paint is stripped down to the bare aluminum then polished by hand to remove any imperfections. Hand polishing allows us to get into the hard to reach areas of the wheel that might go unnoticed in the vibratory polishing that is now being used by the more automated plating companies. 

3. After the wheel is initially polished, it enters the first nickel plating bath, It is this bath which adds a protective coating of dense molecular nickel which acts as a barrier against the road salts, contaminants and harsh conditions of the road and east coast winters. 

4. From the first nickel plating, the wheels is inspected again and sent to the copper plating bath...a cosmetic coating which provides a deep luster to the wheel. Copper fills in the microscopic imperfections found in every wheel and smooths out the surface in preparation for the remaining plating baths. What happens here can make or break a wheel.

5. After copper plating, the wheel is once again hand polished to smooth out the surface and generate a deep luster and prepare it for the bright nickel plating bath, which is the final stage before chrome plating. 

6. It takes years of experience at the chrome plating stage to create that perfect wheel. A skilled operator needs years to perfect the craft...knowing just the right amount of time each wheel requires to generate an even coating. Finally, each wheel must pass a final inspection before being wrapped and shipped.

Note: Chrome plating process featured on this page is based on our oem factory wheels that we carry. For further information on the process contact ChromeTechWheels.com

MERECEDS-BENZ S550 WITH AMG CHROME WHEELS

Note: All manufacturer names, symbols, and descriptions, used in our images and text are used solely for identification purposes only. It is neither inferred nor implied that any item sold by ChromeDiscountWheels.com, is a product authorized by or in any way connected with any vehicle manufacturers displayed on this page or any other page on this site.

ENVIRONMENT POLICY 

Our philosophy centers on proactive environmental management in all of its operational activities. We believe our focus on prudent environmental operations contributes to the fulfillment of our environmental responsibilities. We strive to achieve our objective by conducting operations in an environmentally sound manner, as well as, constantly improving our environmental performance.

KEEPING THE SHINE

You have invested in a product of the highest quality and workmanship, and would most likely enjoy keeping them that way. Chrome wheels do require care to maintain their appearance. We strongly suggest that you take a few reasonable steps to protect your investment. 

1.  Regular Cleaning. Typical road soils moisture which can cause corrosion over a period of time. Brake dust, caused by friction of your cars braking system is itself corrosive, and can cause pitting of the wheels finish. These soils must be removed regularly - preferable weekly - depending on your driving habits. 

2.  Use of Proper Cleaning Agents. We recommend a mild dishwashing soap and water to clear your wheels. Your wheels finish should be treated as you would treat the finish of your car. Most household cleaning agents are too harsh for the finish of your wheels, and must be avoided. There are a vast number of commercially available wheel cleaners on the market today, but we urge extreme caution regarding their use, since they tend to be acid or lye based.

3.  Whenever possibly, it is a much better idea to clean your wheels after they have cooled. Normal driving will heat wheels, sometimes into excessive ranges. While this is normal, its best to take precautions as cold water introduced onto a superheated wheel, will ultimately cause scarring and-or pitting of the finish.

4.  Additional tips. to prevent scratching of the wheels finish, never clear your wheels with scouring pads or dense metal polishes. If you use automatic car washes, tell them no to use steam cleaners or strong chemicals to clean your wheels. They can cause permanent staining or corrosion. use caution when cleaning tires with steel wool or a bristle brush. These types of abrasive materials must not come in contact with the wheels as they will damage the appearance of the wheel permanently. Never spray cold water on extremely hot wheels. Always allow time to cool before cleaning with soap and water.