Alpina rim debacle

Nicad

Nicad

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I have three decent 16 inch Alpinas that are waiting at the wheel refinishers.. I saw my bad one on the wheel machine yesterday and it is an ornament. A few of the locals steered me to a 7X16 Alpina on EBay (thanks) and I bit like a Large Mouth Bass going after a worm. The Rim arrived a few days ago and I have a problem. Problem is the Rim was Chromed. My wheel refinisher says he can do nothing with a Chrome alloy wheel. In the mean time I had one lined up through a forum member in the UK, but turns out he has a cracked one and can't part with his spare ( Are these rims Lemons?)

I wish the EBay description was accurate. Who would have thought this rim was Chromed from the photo? I had been in touch with the seller previously through PM , but in my haste failed to notice it was the same name that had mentioned he had a Chromed rim for sale.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAP...3D&vxp=mtr&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc#ht_500wt_1156

No refund policy.


Well this is what it really looks like on the car after a cleaning
P1060980.jpg


WHat to do? I am out the purchase price and another $170 in shipping, brokerage fees and taxes. To return it (it will cost another $70-90).
My wheel guy says he can't paint it, but I am looking into having it de chromed for $225. Can't see how bare Aluminum can't be repainted. Maybe the surface will be different than Original. Might take the guy 5 weeks because he says he needs a bunch of other parts to go in the de chroming tank or my rim will be ruined (destroyed he said). I have also got a quote from CoupeKing for $500 for a repro and this Ebay seller says he will sell me one of his Repros for $340.00 plus shipping
http://www.ebay.com/itm/40022515403...m=&sspagename=ADME:X:eRTM:MOTORS:1123&vxp=mtr

Anyone know if these rims are similar quality as the rims that CoupeKing sells?

The one good thing about the Bling Bling Alpina is that it is straight.
 
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Well...there should be no doubt that this wheel does have a chromed finish. A painted rim should not have that reflective appearance that a chromed rim possesses.

Am no metallurgist on aluminum, but can't someone take that chrome off (either by chemical or bead blasting) and then have it painted. Somehow I can't imagine that the chroming process degrades the aluminum in any form or manner.

Hope you get yourself out of this pickle soon. :p

Don't get that ebay rims! It's is an inferior cheap knockoff (probably "Made in China") that has 21 spokes instead of the 20 spokes of the Alpina. Also, the offset of the copy is probably different than the actual Alpina.
 
That's bull**** and he should make amends for not disclosing the chrome. The other eBay seller's wheel is a fake 21 spoke so that's not a fit imho.
 
Wow, again my eye deceived me . Just counted the spokes and did not know the Alpinas have 20 spokes. I figure all repros come from China nowadays.
 
?

Is there any signs of the chrome peeling?


FYI- Those new fake wheels are known as Kopi as in copies. They've been around for some time and originally $700/set.
 
No, the Chrome seems to be stuck on pretty well. The areas that are rough between the spokes are permanently discoloured though. I was told I could possibly powder coat over chrome , but I'd prefer to paint them close to original.
 
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I bought a set of staggered Alpinas, three in good shape, blasted, and one bent. I took a chance as they were only $850 shipped for all four. Took the bent wheel to several places and they all said it was not possible to fix.

I finally found these guys
http://www.woodyswheelworks.com/autowheels.shtml
Made my very bent wheel straight and it was very bent. $160
They use heat and tools to reshape the wheel so expect that it will need to be refinished/painted/coated. They may also be able to un-chrome you other wheel without damaging it and they do paint or powder coating. These guys are good.

It seams like these Alpinas are fragile wheels, but they look fantastic on a coupe. Stay off the curbs and out of pot holes.
 
Thanks Waynesie. Will keep that in mind and the ornamental Alpina in inventory.
 
It

can be painted. Chrome bumpers are painted all the time; it just involves proper prep ( sanding) and etching primer. The chrome is hard. It has to be sanded. I did some nickel plated seat slides about a month ago.

If a Harley chromed fender can be painted and last 20 years is that enough?

I'm also of the camp that nearly any bent wheel can be fixed by the right shop. ( Welded)

I don't understand the plater either. Chrome is stripped by acid and reverse electrolysis using a lead anode. It's not the chrome that's difficult; it's the nickel.
 
I would think that the polished spokes are too smooth...

On the stock Alpinas they are rough castings and just painted silver... Chrome required polishing to a mirror finish...
 
Any real chrome shop can easily strip old chrome off, (I have bumpers and other parts striped to be able to do metalwork) then have blasted and painted. pretty painless deal.
 
From my reading the Chrome comes off with just acid immersion. The wheel refinisher says that the Nickel (And I guess Copper under it) is a problem for their paint system. They are the largest wheel place in Canada I believe. ANyway, he basically said it would not come out the same as a wheel that had never been Chrome Plated and it was not something they do.

I will end up with something on all 4 corners one way or the other out of what I have unless someone knows of a 16X7 for sale.
 
Nicad said:
From my reading the Chrome comes off with just acid immersion. The wheel refinisher says that the Nickel (And I guess Copper under it) is a problem for their paint system. They are the largest wheel place in Canada I believe. ANyway, he basically said it would not come out the same as a wheel that had never been Chrome Plated and it was not something they do. I will end up with something on all 4 corners one way or the other out of what I have unless someone knows of a 16X7 for sale.
Click to expand...

Um, the wheel finisher says they cannot? Why are people here arguing that?

THE WHEEL FINISHER is the expert, they do it for a living!

Think of it this way, chrome, and/or nickel are harder materials than the wheel alloy. Chemistry that will remove chrome and/or nickel will be hard on the softer Al surface.

The theoretical possibility of doing this with specific chemistries is not realistic in real-world settings (I know, its redundant for emphasis.)

In layman terms thats why the guy who refinishes WHEELS (not bumpers) for a living says he can't do it
 
Having purchased other rare wheels for other model cars that were chromed, and cheap because of it, I seem to recall that the German authorities (TUV?) do, or did discourage, or outright ban chrome from the roads there based on the weakening of the wheel structure when chromed.

I could be wrong about current restrictions there, but I do know that most wheel refinishers and chrome shops will not warranty the integrity of your stripped wheel if they even agree to do it at all. You're doing a chemistry experiment twice at that point. See previous post....

But I do know that a good refinisher can paint your chrome wheels and that the finish will look good and last for a reasonable amount of time. Perhaps see if they will paint to match the others.
 
Now you have me worried. I hate not trusting a wheel and the thought of catastrophic failure. I have seen photos of powder coated wheels disintegrating on the race track. I dropped the wheel off with a specialist yesterday to be de chromed. One of his niche businesses is plating giant truck rims. He also said he could straighten most bent rims with a guy who uses a CNC machine to true the hub and rim. Maybe I will spend another half tank of gas and drop the bent wheel with him. Ideally another Alpina rim in need of paint for a reasonable fee would make my day.
 
Chroming an alloy wheel does have a long term effect on durability, even though the chrome can be stripped off. I'm no expert but I've read enough Porsche restoration threads where Harvey Weidman discusses the damage chroming can do to alloys. Harvey is very well respected in the Porsche world.

IMO, that seller is on the board here and often sells BMW parts, so he should be expected to disclose that the wheel was chromed. It's a big deal, and not putting it in the ad was an oversight on his part.

I would give the seller the opportunity to take the wheel back and you move on to better options. Undertaking an expensive and unpredictable project because the seller wasn't thorough just doesn't make sense to me. The seller can then decide what he values more- his reputation or this one, $200 deal.

my 2 cents.
 
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