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  for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Can Chrome be Plated on aluminum wheels?

I have a set of aluminum wheels and have been told by some that I can have them chromed and others say I cannot. Any information on this is appreciated.

Rick Landweer
US Navy - Lemoore, California USA
2002

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Most chrome plated wheels are in fact aluminum, so in principle they can be plated.

However, it is a complicated process, with certain elements like conforming anodes having to be customized to the particular wheel, so it is more expensive to plate wheels this way than at the time of manufacture. That is, if you find the price of new chrome wheels high, you may find the price of plating yours outrageous; and it is not because someone is cheating you but because many many hours of labor will be required to do this.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2002

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Sir,

As the previous responder stated, Ni/Cr plating of your Al wheels is entirely possible. There are only a handful of companies that will process customer wheels, but the processing is relatively expensive. You are looking at $150 to $400 per wheel depending on the complexity of the wheel design and the difficulty of removing the existing paint/powdercoating.

Barry Williams
- Rock Hill, South Carolina
2004