D2-AUTOSPORT

Does anyone have verified data stating the weight differences between chorme and silver? Whenever I tell people that I wanna USA chrome my Dronells, some say "oh its gonna be heavy then". I have always wondered, just how much heavier is chrome than clearcoated silver?

If someone could post numbers for the SAME wheel, SAME size, etc in Chrome vs. Silver, I would appreciate it.

Hameed

I don't have an answer to your question, but I read somewhere (I forget now, perhaps SoCalSc4 - Bob Hale will post something on this thread), but high quality wheel manufacturers don't usually recommend chroming wheels for some very good reasons.

The first being that chrome obviously has different characteristics from the metal it is covering (characteristics such as expansion rate with temperature change) and they don't recommend chroming wheels if you are **** about quality and the "perfect" wheel.

I know what I just said will cause a flurry of posts, but I also wanted to put that out there to get confirmation of what I have read online.

I am also not trying to put anyone down by making the comments above. Some of the best looking GS's on this board usually have chrome wheels and I am sure their owners are very happy with the quality of their wheels.

Baby ///M3

Interesting point....

Taking this literally, does it mean that the chrome GS4 wheels are actually heavier than the silver version?

Jon

D2-AUTOSPORT

I dont know for sure, but I have always heard people say that chrome is heavier! Your question is EXACTLY what I wanna know, same exact wheel, only changing the finish and if there is a weight difference!

Baby ///M3

Maybe that's the reason why some GS400s are able to outrun the GS430 (as this subject's been beaten to death many times).

Jon

SoCalSC4

Chrome wheels can weigh up to a full pound more than the same wheel in silver- but this depends on the wheels' construction

Most manufacturers of forged aluminum alloy wheels don't like to chrome their wheels because the chrome process can affect the heat-treated properties of the base aluminum material. Basically, the wheels become both heavier and weaker when they are chromed...

Also, Hameed is right on the money- chrome is a 'dissimilar' metal when compared to aluminum, so there can be adhesion issues. This is why the 'triple chrome' process exists (any chrome wheel should be triple chromed).

After polishing & preparing the wheels' surface, the first plating process is to copper plate the wheel. This is to establish an adhesion layer on the aluminum for the plating layers to follow.
Then, Nickel is applied: this gives the final finish its' silvery color.
Finally, chrome is applied, which is essentially a reflective clearcoat. This gives the finish its' depth and reflectivity.

Bottom line: chrome for show.... silver for go!

ATSOU

My chrome Brabus Monoblock V weights 45 lbs EACH!!!

Wald GS

iTrader: (1)

My carlssons weigh 50 lbs.

LS4fun

Can i ask you a question...i know HRE prefers to only polish lips and does offer chrome centers. Does HRE provide chrome lips with chrome centers as well?

AzLex

4pounds total who cares it's not like were running Le Mans. Plus chrome has a bling factor that polishing can only come so close to.

-Steve

bluelex

thats my view aswell, a whole pound per wheel...wow......all this time when u hear people say "ya i went with polish cus it weighs less" they were talking about a total of 4 mayb 5 pounds total. it makes me laugh so hard now when i think about it. espeacially from 400 owners like they don't have enough power 2 pull an xtra 4 pounds......i rather have 4 pounds xtra and have that great texture of chrome than poilish which is a pain and 5 times as hard 2 maintain.....jmo

Hameed

I would chose silver painted wheels that are clear coated over chrome simply because I am tired of my chrome chrome wheels plus I want to reduce the bling factor on my silver car. The 4 lbs extra weight does not even enter the equation. Having the wheels clear coated will make the maintenance just as easy as chrome wheels.

BuyERTS

The four additional pounds on the vehicle is a non-issue. It's the one additional pound of unsprung weight per wheel it what you want to avoid, if possible.

SoCalSC4

We can and will chrome outer rims and centers, but this must be specified when the wheels are ordered because the centers are specially machined so they can be assembled after the additional chrome thickness. We prefer not to chrome the outers, as the structural integrity is compromised.

Holy smokes!! My 20x9 HRE 841Rs weigh 27 lbs. each. I forgot to take into account that cast wheels are already heavier, due to the additional mass required to make them even close to as strong as a forged wheel. On a cast wheel, figure chrome probably adds slightly more than a pound. When you're dealing with a wheel in the 40-50 lb. range, every extra pound is critical !! Our 22" SUV wheels don't weigh that much...

Have you ever seen a polished forged wheel? Every year at the SEMA show, countless people ask who does our chrome plating... what makes this interesting is HRE DOES NOT SHOW ANY CHROME
on our display wheels or our ad print media.

Compare our polished wheel to any chrome wheel, you will be blown away. I actually prefer the polished because it is a bit more 'silvery' or 'liquid' looking than the chrome. The chrome is a bit different, and reflects light "darker" looking than the polished finish.

Hameed

This is precisely why I will get HRE's some day!!!!

How much does the 547R 19 x 10 weigh, Bob? What did you think of the email I sent to you last week?