Modern Vespa

So I've come to the conclusion that I want some shiny rims. Well, I've wanted this since the day I got Perlita. I seemed to have had her all planned out from the beginning. Anyways...

I have done numerous searches for this subject and have come up with next to nothing on this forum. So I have some questions for everyone that has any experience with chroming or polishing aluminium.

I'm debating between getting my rims chromed or polished. I have been told that chroming aluminium can cause it to become brittle. I've also been told that if you do them right that it doesn't. Some how this seems weird to me.

1) Is this true???

2a) Has anyone here ever polished his or her rims???

2b) Has anyone here ever chromed his or her rims???

3) Is one or the other easier to care for and maintain???

4) Which do you think would be better in a wet west coast climate like Vancouver Canada (for those in the states think Portland)???

I do ride her year round, in the rain and cold during the winter months (I skip the snow and ice but that is only about 3+ wks out of the year), so this last one in particular is of a concern...

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
d

I have chromed and polished many parts off my bikes in past years and have found the polished parts to keep the shine longer. Some times the chrome would flake and chip. I never had a part fail just becaused it was chromed.

I'd love to see a photo of someone's GTS / GT rims that have been polished. I would love to have mine polished if that is the longer lasting finish.

I have had wheel polished and chromed..........the polised wheels will tarnish in time if not maintained, but fairly simple to bring the luster back. Chrome wheels will maintain a shine longer and require very little maintenance. If I were to do my scooter wheels I would go chrome. Just my$.02.

BTW I have never heard of a wheel fail because it was chromed. 50% of your after market wheels sold today are chromed aluminum.

Many years ago there were some wheel failures due to hydrogen embrittlement resulting from improper chroming. I've raced my Porsche 911 for many years with wheels chromed after market and they have never even been questioned during the tech inspections. So if you have them done by someone who specializes in wheels, I wouldn't worry.

I would not suggest chrome if you do not take care of cleaning your wheels or you live by the ocean - I had some chromies on my Miata and didn't upkeep them as much as I should have and they ended up with serious pitting in spots, I believe it is a combination of brake dust and the salty air (I live in Miami).

Not that it matters on a scooter-sized wheel but chrome is also relatively heavy.

Polished with clearcoat is the "best" IMO, looks great and is durable if clearcoated.

Either way, apply some wax on the finished wheels to help keep them easy to clean.

Keep in mind the finishes are different so it may come to just how shiny you need Personally I am not a fan of the chrome wheels on the GTV, I think they look out of place.

How often did you find that you had to maintain the polished in comparison to the chrome?

Is it because of the maintenance that you would prefer chrome?

polished, like with wax?

I've done a bit of custom chrome and metal polishing work.

Chrome over aluminum will not pit like chrome over steel. If not done well, the aluminum will oxidize (like aluminum does) under the chrome and cause it to flake. If done well, it will be a durable, low maintenance finish. Like someone else said, a lot of the fanciest aftermarket car wheels are chrome over aluminum.

Bare polished aluminum is almost as shiny as chrome when freshly polished. But it will quickly oxidize, just from the aluminum being exposed to the air. In your salty-wet air, I think it will oxidize faster. You'll need to polish your rims with aluminum polish and wax them regularly to keep them shiny--lying on the floor using nasty paste polish that gets your hands all blackened and smelly. Getting into the crannies of the inside of the spokes will be a bitch. I don't think I'd go this route.

Clear powder coated polished aluminum will not oxidize, but won't be as shiny as bare, freshly-polished aluminum. Again, you'll want someone who knows what they're doing. Your wheels are currently silver powder coated, so it would equivalent in maintenance needs.

"Chrome" silver powder coating is a shinier, more reflective version of the silver powder coat that comes stock on your rims. That would be another option. It's less shiny than chrome, but definately shinier than stock. It actually looks a whole lot like clear powder over polished aluminum. It's also a lot cheaper, since you don't have to polish the wheels first or be as careful during the application.

If you want the real chrome look, I'd get real chrome. It will be very shiny and be reasonably easy to maintain. Go to a reputable shop and talk to them and look at some samples. I'd guess you're looking at $100-150/rim for show quality chrome.

If you want a little less "pimp-daddy" than chrome and a nice sporty aluminum look, I'd visit a local custom powder coat shop and talk to them. They'll have samples too, and powder comes in a number of silver metallic finishes you could chose from. If you opted for just a straight strip and coat job (i.e.not polished/clear coated), it's probably less than $50/rim. Make sure they plug the bolt holes on the wheels so the coating doesn't get in there, else your bolt heads won't fit any more.

Sorry I should have been a little more clear. Polished aluminium is where they take and stripe off all the paint and polish the bare aluminium to a high gloss mirror like finish.

This is my sentiments exactly. I'm looking for the mirror like finish but that is as durable and long lasting as I can get.

I get a little obsesive about things that are shiny. I love them and don't mind the up keep but I don't want to be at them every other day.

Me too.

I'm assuming that you are speaking from experience. How quickly did you find that your's started to oxidize???

Big Thanks to everyone so far that has responded! Keep them coming because I really interested in what people have to say and have experienced...

Sorry, can't vote. My choice isn't there: leave it stock.

Yeah, for me leaving it stock isn't really an option. I've never liked the silver powder coat. Not really my thing.

How would the rims look if one just clear coated the stock finish? Would it look shinier and be easier to clean?

The frequency of polishing the wheels vary due to exposure of elements, but generally once a month. If you let them go, it can really become a chore to bring the luster back. Mothers wheel polish works great for this. You could always powder coat the polished wheels with a clear coat, this will eliminate a lot of upkeep. Basiclly no more polishing, just a general wash.

I feel there is less maintainence with chrome, kinda wash and go and coat of polish every once in a while. Just my $.02.

Yeah I'm an avid cleaner of my scoot. Usually every couple of weeks and at least once a month. I'm thinking that I could keep them maintained... hmmmmmmmm. What to do...

Thanks to everyone who has replied thus far. I really appreciate your comments and advice.

I think I'm going to have to look into a few more shops here in town about chroming vs. polishing and see what they also recommend.

I was kind of hoping that the people from jettin' would have piped in, as it would have been great to get thier 2 cents on the subject. [wink, wink, nudge, nudge]

Any other advice or comments on this subject would be greatly appreciated, so keep them coming.

Thanks again!!!

My rims are all scratched up from my chain lock,
So I guess I wouldn't want chrome rims.
My polished aluminum rims work just fine.

Dave

Do you have pictures of your polished aluminium rims? I'd be very curious to see how they look.

How do you find them to care for?