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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Billet aluminum motorcycle parts have chrome peeling off
Q. In July 2003 I purchased a new motorcycle expensive ($28,000), lots of chrome, special custom anniversary edition. Within a few months the chrome plating on the billet aluminum handlebar clamp/tach mount started peeling off. The factory replaced this part under warranty, now 6 months later it is peeling again. Also a billet aluminum mirror housing has blisters in the chrome. The bike is 11 months old and is still under warranty.
When I contacted the dealership about the problem the shop foreman stated to me that he thought maybe that these parts have been exposed to a corrosive environment and doubted the factory would pay. He asked if I had a pool or water softener salt
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or bags of fertilizer stored in the garage. No period. No pool, no softener, no fertilizer. We do not live near the coast, nor any chemical plants or corrosive environment. The bike is immaculate, clean, no rust and the hundreds of other of chrome parts on the bike are perfect. Nothing else in the garage has any corrosion. Not the other motorcycles or bicycles and they are over 10 years old.
I believe they are trying to throw blame at me, with this fragile excuse to keep from having to warranty these parts. Instead of the real problem, which is the poorly plated parts supplied to the factory by one of its plating contractors. Can anyone shed any light on this matter? Thank You
motorcyclist - Houston, Texas, United States
2004
A. Take it from someone who has spent their whole career in plating: 'Peeling' of plating is a manufacturing defect; I have personally never seen a single case of peeling that wasn't.
Aluminum is much more difficult to chrome plate than steel or brass are, for a number of reasons, and I sympathize to a degree with the shops that are trying to do it and probably aren't being adequately compensated by the manufacturer. But the shops shouldn't sell it if they can't do it, and the manufacturer shouldn't subcontract it to shops who can't do it.
You have correctly noted that you have done nothing wrong, and the plating on the parts is surely defective. Although the average dealer might not know it, the manufacturer's engineers certainly know it, and this info should filter down.
But we'll say it again for the benefit of the dealers and the customer reps who want to learn: 'Peeling' of plating is a manufacturing defect. Send some pictures.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004
Q. One month after receiving my 2004 motorcycle I found chrome peeling off my billet aluminum wheel. Three months later more billet parts were peeling. I spoke with the dealer and said I would bring back in spring of 2005 to have it fixed. By spring even more was peeling. They replaced $3000.00 in billet parts on a $30,000.00 bike. They would not replace some over the counter parts as they said they only had a 90 day warranty. Now one year and three months later some of the parts they replaced are peeling again. I am being told by the dealer that my extended warranty will not cover cosmetic defects, but they will ask the manufacturer. I am sure they are going to say no. This seems to me like they have a chroming problem. Any help would be appreciated.
Joe Myers- Hilliard, Ohio
2006
A. The plating is supposed to adhere to what it is plated onto with an adhesive strength of thousands of psi. It should be impossible to peel off.
Although the following isn't an expert opinion, because I haven't seen the parts and there can always be the very rare exception to every rule, it's this simple: If the problem is an obvious lack of adhesion rather than corrosion, there is nothing the owner can or could have done to prevent it -- it is simply a manufacturing defect, period.
As for after-market parts, yes, they are frequently of much lower quality than OEM parts.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2006
A. Thanks for the information on the Chrome peeling. The over the counter parts were from the manufacturer just not on the bike from the factory. The manufacturer did tell the dealer what I thought they would. I contacted customer service and they tried to say that it might be environmental. I asked them why it was only peeling off the billet aluminum and not the steel and they did not have an answer. They asked me to send them some pictures of it and they would look into it. Thanks again.
Joe Myers- Hilliard, Ohio
2006
Ed. note: Stay after them, Joe! You are welcome to quote "The home page of the finishing industry®". If you search the site you will see many other examples of peeling chrome. And of the dozens of plating industry professionals quoted on the subject, each with a lifetime of experience, not one -- not one ever in 13 years -- has expressed the slightest reservation that peeling is always a manufacturing defect.
A. I am still fighting the manufacturer on the chrome peeling on my motorcycle. They keep acting like it was caused by something I have done. Is it possible that a outside source could cause the chrome to peel on the aluminum parts only and on none of the steel. Some places have chromed aluminum parts bolted to chromed steel parts. I find it hard to believe that this could happen. Thank you for any information.
Joseph Myers- Hilliard, Ohio, USA
March 31, 2008
A. Hi, Joseph. I sympathize with your problem but I've already said numerous times that such peeling is a manufacturing defect and that aluminum is far more prone to peeling than steel. Aluminum cannot be directly electroplated, but requires an "immersion plating" treatment in zincate before the electroplating. This is a difficult to control process and is the cause of most peeling on aluminum. It's not the buyer's fault.
Point the customer service department to this page and ask them to publicly defend their position if they think that this may be the one case in history where the peeling is not a manufacturing defect
:-)
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
March 31, 2008
Q. I had a Kuryakyn Hypercharger put on shortly after buying a 2001 Kawasaki VN1500 Classic.
After all this time the engine chrome and Vance Hine Pipes are still like new. My Hypercharger has been peeling like an orange. It cost $300.00 Do they still make these things that poorly. I was thinking of getting a new one just for looks, but if this hasn't improved, I won't.
Thanks, James
- Ontario, California, USA
July 31, 2008
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