Wheel spots

[thenewtbird2]

I know this has been brought up in the past but don't have time to look for the thread - taking off again tomorrow. While at hobobob's 2 weeks ago, he showed me his premium chrome wheels with the stains that have shown up in the non-smooth, rough area between the spokes. He can not get them to disappear and they don't show up on the shiny, smooth spokes. I took pics and have posted them in the photo section of newtbirddata under "problems" folder

The spots almost look like rust but not quite - have a bronzy cast to them & seem to be on the chrome or etched in the chrome.

btw - the reflections of the stones really look good with that flat mirror finish on the spokes.

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[jodrod]

Dot,

It is hard to tell by the photos but you say they look bronzy. That would make think that the chorme plating is very thin in those areas. Before the chrome plating the wheels are plated with copper and if it is a very thin plating the copper could show through.
I saw this on a set of TSW VX1 wheels I had on the '00 Mustang, two of the wheels were back ordered and rushed through. They had an extremely poor plate job, including flaking of the chrome in just 6 weeks.

 

[leisha]

I looked at a few cars with the chrome wheels and found them to look badly chromed.
Even the shiny flat surfaces were kind of wavy and between the spokes was really badly done. No effort was made to improve the casting quality of the standard Lincoln LS wheel that they are based on.
I ordered my Blu / Blu / blu without the chrome wheels as they are a dealer supplied option and you are stuck with the original wheels anyway.
I thought I would spend my hard earned bucks on American Mags or wire wheels.

 

[jodrod]

leisha,

You want to be careful with wire wheels as DavidA will tell you from his past experience with them.

I believe the wheels mounted on the car come from the factory that way.

Did you order your car in the U.S.?

 

[leisha]

Mine is a Ford of Canada order.
We cannot get a premium model and must order the top and two tone interior on a base car.
The chrome wheels and fog lights must be ordered through the parts department and dealer installed. One realy good thing though, we get day time running lights, better front bumper for 10MPH impact with no damage. This a a Canadian requirement. That is why it does not come with the fog lites. They would be damaged in a frontal impact and would not pass the test.
Regards

 

[tr cruiser]

Footnote on the no-chrome option for Canadians - according to a friend from the Great White North, an environmental protection program, the Canada-Ontario Agreement of 1995, classified chrome as a "Tier 1 persistent toxic substance". Signatories to the agreement, including Ford Motor of Canada, have worked to eliminate the metal from production as well as caustic agents used in the binding process. The Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis (produced at Ford's St. Thomas assembly plant) have been the first to eliminate a chrome-containing phosphate solution used for corrosion resistance. So it's only natural Ford would restrict exports of chrome-plated automotive parts to Canada.

 

[Birdman93]

So why didn't Ford go with a polished aluminum wheel, versus a chrome wheel?

Seems to me that a polished aluminum wheel looks better, and is easier to care for, especially if it is NOT clearcoated, or you use a powdercoat clearcoat finish. Plus our Bird lovers to the north would be able to have the premium wheels available to them.

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[leisha]

I have and older Mustang, which is not winter driven and a 94 Lincoln which is the winter beater. Both have the same type of painted aluminum wheels that come on the regular deluxe bird. The 94 lincoln wheels are only cleaned at the high pressure do it yourself carwash, and still look new after 8 winters. The mustang wheels look like they came out of the box. Chrome would never have fared as well!

 

[leisha]

Just registered, something about being older than 50. Good story about chrome wheels in Canada. Then why do new Lincolns come with chrome wheels but not the T Bird? A few other Ford products also come with chrome wheels.

 

[Hobobob]

Had to go back a long way to find this thread that thenewbird2 had posted after seeing my wheels, but had to finish the story. Today I met a Ford factory rep at my dealers and after trying all kinds of cleaners, acid removers, etc., the rep said "send him a new set of chrome wheels". They said the retail price for the set would have been $1500.00. I admire Ford Motor Company for standing behind their product in a very professional way. Thanks Ford!!

 

[chryslertcnut]

Hobobob,
This is good news. After seeing your wheels earlier this spring, I was hoping Ford would replace them or let you have them replated at a quality plater. (Art Brass) Maybe they would have come back in GOLD !!!
George.

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[greenwr]

I had a small bubble in the chrome on one wheel. My dealer replaced with not questions. Due to the description in the parts book, he ordered a NM wheel and had to send it back and get the correct one. NM wheel is the only one that has chrome in the description in the parts book.

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Bill's Red and White #4359
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