Clearing Chrome

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 28, 2018 11:40 am
I bought a set of these: https://www.cragarwheel.com/wheels/whee ... 3-smoothie

After only two months, they started rusting. I waxed them when I installed them. Every two months I've polished the rust off and waxed them.

I emailed Cragar to tell them how disappointed I am, and ask them what they would do for me. I expected a run around, but to their credit, they have agreed to reimburse me.

So now, I have a set of free wheels that still rust. I'm wondering if there is a coating of some kind that would hold up for a while, protecting them. As it is now, the chrome is just getting worse and worse. It seems to be blistering, minutely. I can't rough them up to spray them of course, as that would ruin the finish. Even if it was something that would last a year or two, that would be better than them rusting constantly, and hopefully stop the blistering.

I don't want to use a solid color. That would defeat the purpose of buying chrome in the first place. The truck that they are on is bright blue, with a chrome bumper and grill. It looks good in chrome.



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PostPosted: Sun Jan 28, 2018 1:03 pm
I can't give you much advice but you could spray them with clear if you don't get it on smooth its not going to look that good. this kinda caught my eye as I bought a camp trailer last summer and was giving it a cleaning when I got down to the wheels (chrome) I went around them with a sos pad and noticed that they were dull now after closer examination they are powder coated with clear :whoops: :cry: lucky I only did 2 of them. before I scratched them they looked very good no peeling and they are about 8 years old.
Jay D.
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 8:21 pm
I ordered a qt. of this: https://www.amazon.com/POR-15-Rust-Prev ... r+top+coat
Can't hurt.

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PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:55 pm
I was going to recommend a KBS product called Diamond Clear along with adhesion promoter. It's an MCU (Moisture Cured Urethane) that's very hard after curing.

The POR-15 clear seems to be a similiar product, so it might be just as good...

Take care when spraying these products (MCUs), since they are just as hazardous as isocyanate cured paints. Don't let the fact they are one stage fool you into getting complacent.
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 7:55 am
i dont think anything will stop your rusting, but if you wanted to clear it

you should get some HoK AP-01 then clear over that.

to my knowledge chrome does not rust. what happens is a pin hole or some metal is exposed and the steel underneath rusts, is the rust in the cracks and crevises ? i honestly dont think any top coat will solve your problem hope for the best
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:00 pm
:goodpost: yep, Dave's on it. chrome doesn't like to transfer into crevices or concave areas, and with a low quality job this is what you get. also on a high quality chrome job they will copper plate first this reduces the chance of rust. the copper you might say is like an epoxy primer for paint usually only used on hi quality chrome.
Jay D.
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:11 pm
NightTrain wrote:I was going to recommend a KBS product called Diamond Clear along with adhesion promoter. It's an MCU (Moisture Cured Urethane) that's very hard after curing.

The POR-15 clear seems to be a similiar product, so it might be just as good...

Take care when spraying these products (MCUs), since they are just as hazardous as isocyanate cured paints. Don't let the fact they are one stage fool you into getting complacent.
Thanks. I'm going to brush it. Simpler, and I understand the stuff flows well enough for my purposes. It's just a driver.



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PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:16 pm
badsix wrote::goodpost: yep, Dave's on it. chrome doesn't like to transfer into crevices or concave areas, and with a low quality job this is what you get. also on a high quality chrome job they will copper plate first this reduces the chance of rust. the copper you might say is like an epoxy primer for paint usually only used on hi quality chrome.
Jay D.
PainterDave wrote:i dont think anything will stop your rusting, but if you wanted to clear it

you should get some HoK AP-01 then clear over that.

to my knowledge chrome does not rust. what happens is a pin hole or some metal is exposed and the steel underneath rusts, is the rust in the cracks and crevises ? i honestly don't think any top coat will solve your problem hope for the best
I get it that the steel is what's rusting. As they were only 2 months old, and waxed, when they started rusting, I figure Cragar either makes them that cheap on purpose, or they screwed up. I'm going to hope that the coating will stop it.



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 31, 2018 10:16 am
free wheels that rust like crazy=
take the tires off, have them sand blasted, apply a coat of epoxy primer, paint the color of your choice, clear em.

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 31, 2018 4:49 pm
^^^^^^^^ Yep, that's what I did with a free set of them years ago. Same thing, clean, buff, rust.... Blasted them and did them in a satin black for a low slung bright yellow kit build. Looked great for years.....
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