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Chroming Procedure for auto rims

I am an attorney in the Los Angeles, I have a client overseas in Europe who owns a chroming operation and would like to work on aluminum auto rims. He would like to learn the procedure. Are there any manuals, guides or other publications that can help him with this interest. Also, he is willing to pay for a consultant to assist him in learning the procedure. Please let me know.

Thanks,

Gary Arakel
Auto rim chroming procedures - Los Angeles, California, USA
2004

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Your client owns a chroming operation, so I am assuming that your question has to do specifically with what is special about chroming aluminum alloy rims as opposed to chroming other things. The essential thing is that aluminum alloy must be zincated before it is plated. Then it ideally should be electroless nickel plated. Then copper plated and buffed. Then duplex nickel plated and finally chrome plated. Some of the best sources for information on this would be "shop writeup" columns in the plating journals like "Decorative Plating of Aluminium Wheels" by Borruso ,Sizelove, and Zaki, published in Metal Finishing, June 91 and "Chromium Plating Car Wheels" by the staff of Plating and Surface Finishing, Oct 93, and the suppliers of the processes.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004

Can the chroming process be reversed on alloy wheels and is it an expensive process?

John Singer
- Los Angeles, California
2005

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Hi, John. The plating can be stripped if that is what you are getting at, but the appearance may not be what you are hoping for.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
August 30, 2009