Well, as in many things, it depends. Aluminum only survives in air
because its surface atoms oxidize instantly to form the ingredient of
many sandpapers – aluminum oxide. It’s very hard, but very thin and
the underlying aluminum alloy is soft. So, if you go the polish way, be
prepared to clearcoat it, or never take it out on the road where it may
get hit by gravel, wetted with salty water, etc. That’s why the pitting
occurs, even in the chromed version, if the chroming is poorly done.
Since US dealers had the wheels chromed, who know how good each set is?
In our case, pitting was modest and concealable…
http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap_view.php3?id=1160717661
http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap_view.php3?id=1189390448
A few years later and it’s still fine, but we have no salt on roads here.
So, personally, I’d take the wheels to a good plating shop that knows
how to properly layer different, compatible metals between the alloy &
the chrome. Chromium is far harder than aluminum and so is indeed best
for the outside world, just as on bumpers.–
Alex
79xj6L SII (BRG + wires)
86xj6 SIII (Black)
61 Sprite MkII (Red)
Menlo Park, Calif.
Alyn wrote:
In reply to a message from Tim. sent Fri 10 Oct 2008:
I have chrome Kents and they tend to flake,…the chrome comes off
the wheel. Had a slow leak from ( as it turned out ) chrome flaking
off of the wheel where the tire bead seals at the wheel rim. I have
a set of 5 ‘‘like new’’ stock Kent wheels. I am going to have the
anodizing removed and then polish the hell out of the base
aluminum. As an owner of a 73 MGB, I frequently visit the MGB
Experience website, and recently there has been much interest in
removing the aluminum anodizing that is on MGB windscreen frames
and polishing the frame until it appears as chrome. I have tried
doing this on a spare MGB windscreen frame I have, and after going
to a smoother and smoother grade of sandpaper ( now at 2000 )the
frame is just like chrome, very shiney. So, with that in mind, I
would suggest in polishing the rims until you reach a mirror shine
as opposed to chrome plating them. Aluminum can be polished to a
very nice mirror finish. Start with 600 paper and work your way to
2000 then rubbing compound applied by machine then wax. May not be
quite as shiney as chrome plating but it will be close and best of
all will not flake.
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