Painted wheels and trim

[Jnegrea93]

wondering what everybody thinks? I mainly painted the stuff for winter.

[crash93ssei]

Flat black on the wheels? Big negative, go with gloss black and it could look really good though. The badges just look like black rectangles on your doors now, not good at all, maybe only do parts of it so it still sticks out?

[Jfridge92]

It might look better with different light, but I kind of agree with Ryan. I'm a huge fan of blacking out wheels and leaving the lip silver, so that way you still have that distinction between the wheel and the tire.

With that being said, if you like it then that's all that matters

[CMNTMXR57]

I can't see the wheels...

[Evan0801]

My favorite color is chrome.

[Renegade]

I agree with the gloss look, flat black really never cut it for me.

[Jnegrea93]

i only painted the wheels and trim with plasti dip to protect it from the salt in winter because i live by pittsburgh then i can peel the black off, other then that my car looks like this but with black center caps because the grey ones were faded from the previous owner not taking care of the car...

[haro1225]

When the time comes to remove the plasti dip from the wheels, bug and tar remover will be your friend.

[nos4blood70]

As a winter set up, I understand. I hope you used at least 1 can per wheel otherwise your finger nails will be bleeding come Spring.

[Jnegrea93]

Iv used plasti dip alot and i usually put about 4 coats on each rim then when i go to peel it comes off easy

[crash93ssei]

Throw some glossifier on there and it will help the look as well. Chrome is pretty tough to begin with though, you don't have much to worry about with winter and salt, just give them a good polish in the spring. The big issue is the tire weights, they kill wheels in a hurry, have your tires static balanced or use the stick on weights, if the she's are cleaned good they will be fine and you won't have any issues with them.

[1oldman]

GM Chrome wheels on these cars don't rust because the wheels are aluminum with chrome "plating". - BC

[nos4blood70]

I thought only the bent 5s were aluminum with chrome plating, while the swoopies were steel with chrome plating. Can anyone confirm?

[1tinindian]

GM Chrome wheels on these cars don't rust because the wheels are aluminum with chrome "plating". - BC

GM chrome wheels corrode, that's what aluminum does.
The chrome starts peeling and makes it almost impossible to keep sealed around the bead.
That's why the bend 5s on my wifes SLE come off for the winter.

The chrome wheels look real nice, but painted wheels fair much better in the winter.

Leon

[1tinindian]

I thought only the bent 5s were aluminum with chrome plating, while the swoopies were steel with chrome plating. Can anyone confirm?

They are aluminum, chrome plated.

[CMNTMXR57]

This.

This is why Swoopies are so notoriously prone to air leakage over the years and the plating flakes off, and the aluminum corrodes.

[Zeik75]

I should find other rims then..... mine still hold air like a boss

[crash93ssei]

Keep the *shoot* clip on weights off the front of the wheels and it will help, not saying it will prevent corrosion, but it will help by not giving the wheels a nasty place to start corrosion.

[CMNTMXR57]

That, and if you're pretty good at keeping the wheels clean and brake dust off of them over the years you won't have problems with any wheels.

It's those wheels that are never cleaned and then subjected to road salt, precipitation, temperature changes, and general miscare, etc, that suffer from these problems.

[nos4blood70]

Mine were never particularly cared for too well, and always have had the lip weights. No corrosion anywhere so far.. I keep them waxed now though. I think the bent 5s are one of my favorite OEM wheels ever.