Can anyone advise please?

[neil4374]

Hey guys,
I am a novice when it comes to wheels. I assumed my wheels were chrome. My friend assures me they are polished alloy!
Can anyone tell me for sure?!
(As you can see on the inside they need some serious cleaning)

[tommramon]

Chrome, polished alloy is bright and shiny but not near as bright. Chrome is what you have in the picture.

[Ateyourv8]

That’s chrome for sure. Polished wheels are a bit dull than that. Even fully polished and cleaned up there aren’t that bright.

[neil4374]

Thank you guys, appreciated.
Will an acid based wheel cleaner clean up the black on the inside?
Or is it best just the polish the outside and leave the inside alone.
I don’t have the money to have them done professionally!

[Ateyourv8]

Yes an acid based cleaner should work fine.
Just wear nitrile gloves.

[neil4374]

Great! I will do that. Thanks

[neil4374]

Regarding the outside of the wheel the smaller black bits ) next to the polished outer) will the acid bring them up good too? They are flaking in parts. I really don’t want to have to paint them

[tommramon]

That black stuff is most likely just baked on brake dust and shuould come right off with your cleaner. The flaking on the front or street side is the chrome flaking off; left alone it will continue to flake off. I'd clean it up as best you can and then paint some clear lacquer(sp) over the flaking parts to keep moisture and dirt out. Good luck with your ride.

[emoore924]

Easy way to tell chrome or alloy - put a little metal polish on a white rag and rub the wheel in an inconspicuous spot. Look at the rag. If it is clean, chrome. If it is black, alloy.

[neil4374]

I wanted to thank each one of you guys individually but I couldn’t see a thanks button.
So thank you to all that helped and advised

[neil4374]

Easy way to tell chrome or alloy - put a little metal polish on a white rag and rub the wheel in an inconspicuous spot. Look at the rag. If it is clean, chrome. If it is black, alloy.

I listened to all you guys and took the wheels as chrome.
I did the test as suggested as above and the cloth turned black, which suggests they are alloy! (I had cleaned the wheel first and then tried the test with auto sol).
Now I am really confused as you guys here have far more knowledge than me but the test shows!

I really want to know what metal they are as I may treat them differently when it comes to the flaking bits.

If they are polished alloy, what will happen if I remove the flaking bits on the outside of the wheel around the shiny part?

Any thoughts are much appreciated.

[MIKYZZ4]

Alloys will not flake, but display surface corrosion-discoloration, as they are not one metal coating another, but a solid metal alloy body, usually polished, painted, powdercoated.
Chrome wheels are usually constructed of steel bodies with a thin chrome metallic coating, that due to oxidation of the base metals,
causes the chrome coating to bubble and flake off. Simply put, alloy wheels corrode and discolor-chrome rims rust and flake off.

[neil4374]

Thank you for your post. I am at a loss as to what they are. Please could you look at the photo of the outside of the wheel and give me your opinion on what metal they are. I can not afford to have them professionally done. I have acid cleaner and I am not sure wether that will make it worse.

[MIKYZZ4]

It seems to have a chrome face, but alloy body, inner barrel.
I don't feel an acid cleaner would be safe, and not cause damage.
Are you sure those are not chrome-plastic hubcaps on a steel or aluminum alloy rim?
Need much better HD-photo to really give better advice.
If those are plastic wheelcovers, then they just pull off to reveal the true wheelface.

[neil4374]

Thanks for your reply.
I am adamant there is no plastic.
I will take a better picture tomorrow when It’s day time. And post here.

[neil4374]

It seems to have a chrome face, but alloy body, inner barrel.
I don't feel an acid cleaner would be safe, and not cause damage.
Are you sure those are not chrome-plastic hubcaps on a steel or aluminum alloy rim?
Need much better HD-photo to really give better advice.
If those are plastic wheelcovers, then they just pull off to reveal the true wheelface.

Hey,
here are better photos of the corroded/ flaky bits!
please give me your thoughts
thanks

[neil4374]

Here are the photos in better quality.
please give me your thought. Thanks

[neil4374]

Here are some better photos

- - - Updated - - -

[MIKYZZ4]

Yes, those photos clearly reveal the chrome coating, lifting up and peeling away due to corrosion.
Use the acid on the area in the first photo only, as a test application. If no damage, then safe to use.

[neil4374]

Yes, those photos clearly reveal the chrome coating, lifting up and peeling away due to corrosion.
Use the acid on the area in the first photo only, as a test application. If no damage, then safe to use.

Thanks for your help.
Can I ask what would acid do on the flaking chrome? If its steel underneath I assume it won't make it look any better?

[MIKYZZ4]

You assume correctly, the acid won't improve the look of bare metal.
Clean them up as best you can, and use them as winter wheels,
allowing you time to save some ca$h to purchase nice summer wheels come springtime!

[neil4374]

You assume correctly, the acid won't improve the look of bare metal.
Clean them up as best you can, and use them as winter wheels,
allowing you time to save some ca$h to purchase nice summer wheels come springtime!

Haha! I think I will still be broke then!
Thanks a lot for your help

[Jim@tirerack]

The wheels themselves are aluminum ally with a chrome plating. Chrome wheels are the least durable wheels out there especially if you use them in the winter. The chrome will just peel off in sheets and there is nothing you can do to stop that. The chrome plating is peeling off from the wheels. You can either decide to strip them down and paint them or have them rechromed.

[neil4374]

Thank you