Anyone chromed their wheels?

[BJ]

Just wondering if anyone has chromed their wheels, Is this possible and what was the  outcome.
Not interested in polishing them at this stage

[Mick_J]

Chrome on alloy wheels is never a good idea, it's very difficult to get it to stay and will fall off eventually and look crap.  I think Triumph stopped selling them for the thunderbird as most went back to be replaced under warranty after the chrome started to peel off.

[Andre]

Hochglanzverdichten. High Gloss Consolidation/Compacting is the best translation I can come up with.

Through this process the surface is hardened. Requires less care than just polished aluminum. Even chrome likes to be polished to keep up the shine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JWASVyGbYk

[Notty]

Chrome on alloy wheels is never a good idea, it's very difficult to get it to stay and will fall off eventually and look crap.  I think Triumph stopped selling them for the thunderbird as most went back to be replaced under warranty after the chrome started to peel off.

yep my 1999 triumph legend had chrome wheels (read cheap thunderbird) and the chrome went crap inside 18 months BUT Triumph said it was owner neglect and would not replace them so sold the pile of crap  of course breaking down every month didn't help 

[BJ]

Sounds like nothing but trouble. Think I'll side step that one!

[seth]

@BJ you could go down the chrome powdercoating route
Its not as full on shiney as real chrome but looks good and really easy to keep clean.
😎

[grog]

Andre, the high gloss process amazing. The cost?

[Andre]

Grog, that depends.

One wheel complete 240€
Rim to "middle" (see attached pic) 150€, including powder coating the rest 300€
Not sure if acryl-powder clear coat is included, but they recommend it for the "rim to middle". So probably not included.

[BJ]

Re the YouTube above.
From the 2Gloss website

Your metal and rim finishing specialist in Düsseldorf.

In February 2010 the first sales room of 2Gloss GMBH was opened in Düsseldorf,
with the aim of offering our customers an optimal service for their rims.

In order to guarantee the best possible performance, our professional staff ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Due to the steadily growing demand from the automotive industry, private customers and tuners, we strive to do justice to all customer groups. We now have a considerable spectrum of our product range, which is characterized by exclusivity and exceptional quality.

Our services extend across the entire range of finishing, rim repairs (concentricity repair, CNC diamond turning), high-gloss compacting and polishing, classic car wheel restoration, as well as various paintwork and powder coatings.
Additional support from systems such as lifting platforms or tire changers and balancing machines enable us to provide an all-round customer service.


In order to meet all customer needs as far as possible, we offer additional services in order to be able to offer a coordinated individual service level taking into account special ideas and wishes.

After extensive research and constant further development, 2Gloss GMBH now has the capacity to process 500 bikes a month for private customers, tuners, tire centers and car dealerships.
Thanks to our above-average range of machines and systems, rims, even for private customers, can be processed and refined within a very short time.

Your aluminum rims are dismantled, stripped and refined in high-quality industrial quality.

Despite the already remarkable variety of offers and services of our company, we are always ambitious to expand our spectrum in order to be able to offer our customers a complete service around the aluminum rim. Our product range is growing steadily through further and new finishing options.

[Andre]

BJ made me look at the site again as I thought I overlooked the English language part there.

They have some prices listed. For chroming they say that it is "a complex and costly affair" and to request an individual offer.

The pic of the bike with "rim to middle" is from a German forum. There are a number of bikes like that. Don't know any where the whole wheel was done.

[grog]

Andre, is that your bike? Truly great mods, one of the best ive seen.

[Andre]

Nope, not mine. Just picked this as it shows the high-gloss compacting rim-to-middle.

Sat together for a coffee with 2 Dutch guys. One suggested to put spoke chrome wheels on mine. The other said that the bike is already very shiny, adding chrome wheels would be overkill. I agree with the latter one. Rim-to-middle high-gloss compacting I may think about in the "far" future. At most a 10% chance I may opt for that.

I am more inclined to have various other parts done with this procedure which are only polished right now.