Chrome plated OEM wheels

[Zilla57]

Does anyone have any experience with chrome plating their oem wheels on their GT? I have the standard six point wheels, and was wondering if there is a core exchange program out there, or if I would be better off getting it done locally.

[saber]

Also be careful about the added weight. One pound on a rim or wheel is the equivilant to 7 pounds in the car!

[BlackICE]

I don't know where the rumors of how much wheel weight affects car handling comes from. But a general statement that 1 pound of wheel weight = 7 pounds of car weight is most likely not correct. It is true that unsprung weight has more of an adverse affect on handling than sprung weight, but the affect cannot be generalized to a 7x effect. I don't know what the weight of a GT wheel and tire combination is but I will guess 30 to 40 lbs. 1 pound is only 1/30 or 3% of change of weight. You are not going to notice that. Also too drastic change in weight positive or negative will affect handling in a detrimental way. The shocks and springs would need to be retuned.

BlackICE

[SteveA]

I plated my rears but not the front. This helps my lanch but doesn't change the overall handling and the chicks just love it........



(Ahhahaha, sorry but I just couldn't help myself )

[barondw]

Be careful of chrome plating as it starts to flake around the bead and inside. When that happens slow elaks begin and become a major PITA. I have stopped getting chrome plated wheels, factory or aftermarket because of the problem.

Dave

[samthejeepman]

same here baron
went through that phase, was having everything chromed
as the items aged, got hot, or accumulated that wonderful brake dust, it broke my heart, it was not worth all the efforts to have it done
from now on, i only order my cars with oem chrome, or no chrome at all

sam
#1451 red/white

[barondw]

same here baron
went through that phase, was having everything chromed
as the items aged, got hot, or accumulated that wonderful brake dust, it broke my heart, it was not worth all the efforts to have it done
from now on, i only order my cars with oem chrome, or no chrome at all

sam
#1451 red/white

Even OEM chrome has the same problem in my experience.

Dave

[samthejeepman]

ditto
both my prowlers have had new sets of wheels from the factory under warranty, and they are still chipping on the insides.
almost every member of our prowler forum has had the same problem.

sam
#1451 red/white

[B O N Y]

Be careful of chrome plating as it starts to flake around the bead and inside. When that happens slow elaks begin and become a major PITA. I have stopped getting chrome plated wheels, factory or aftermarket because of the problem.

Dave

great advise Dave, all 4 wheels on the wife's Benz have slow leads from the beads...major pita

[saber]

I don't know where the rumors of how much wheel weight affects car handling comes from. But a general statement that 1 pound of wheel weight = 7 pounds of car weight is most likely not correct. It is true that unsprung weight has more of an adverse affect on handling than sprung weight, but the affect cannot be generalized to a 7x effect. I don't know what the weight of a GT wheel and tire combination is but I will guess 30 to 40 lbs. 1 pound is only 1/30 or 3% of change of weight. You are not going to notice that. Also too drastic change in weight positive or negative will affect handling in a detrimental way. The shocks and springs would need to be retuned.

BlackICE

BlackICE,
Rim weights:
front standard 28 pounds each - 20 lbs for optional wheels
rear standard 34 pounds each - 25 lbs for optional wheels

This "rule of thumb" of a change in weight on an part that is rotated by the cars engine while in motion came from a performance motor guide given to me from my tuner. I have been trying to track it down. Either way it makes sense to me that weight added to a revolving part would make a bigger difference than the same weight simply added in the cars interior. Maybe it is all fiction