OEM chrome wheel finish problems?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
From: Greenville South Carolina
OEM chrome wheel finish problems?
Has anyone else noticed a problem with the C6 2007 factory chrome wheels? I was cleaning the car today and noticed a spot that I could not clean off, on the front wheel. Upon closer inspection, it looks to me like it may have a bad chromed spot or something. It is appoximately 1/8 inch in diameter. I know it is not very big, but I noticed it when cleaning. I don't know if something like that would be covered under warranty. I will get a picture tomorrow if the sun is out. May be best to run it by the dealer. Although I did not buy from the local dealer.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 32,921
Likes: 2
From: Coppin' a tan from the Messiah's aura
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Haven't had this particular problem, but the finish on inside of wheel is a constant source of irritation ... gets dirty; tough to clean. Thinking about exchange for set with fully chromed barrels.
Hope dealer takes care of your problem.
Hope dealer takes care of your problem.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27,420
Likes: 64
From: San Clemente CA
Has anyone else noticed a problem with the C6 2007 factory chrome wheels? I was cleaning the car today and noticed a spot that I could not clean off, on the front wheel. Upon closer inspection, it looks to me like it may have a bad chromed spot or something. It is appoximately 1/8 inch in diameter. I know it is not very big, but I noticed it when cleaning. I don't know if something like that would be covered under warranty. I will get a picture tomorrow if the sun is out. May be best to run it by the dealer. Although I did not buy from the local dealer.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 129
From: Fairview Heights IL
Apples and oranges. OEM chromes are forged while WCC chromes are cast. That means major differences where it counts, namely strength and weight. I wish my OEM wheels had chrome on the inner barrels, but to me that's a minor annoyance. If WCC chromes met all the same specs as OEM chromes, I daresay their costs would be a lot closer.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 671
Likes: 0
From: Antelope CA
One of the guys here has applied paint remover to the inner barrel of OEM chromes with great sucess. I'll look for his thread, I told him it would be popular fix for the OEM's.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 671
Likes: 0
From: Antelope CA
Apples and oranges. OEM chromes are forged while WCC chromes are cast. That means major differences where it counts, namely strength and weight. I wish my OEM wheels had chrome on the inner barrels, but to me that's a minor annoyance. If WCC chromes met all the same specs as OEM chromes, I daresay their costs would be a lot closer.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
From: Greenville South Carolina
Okay, no picture but the rims are under warranty. I have about 600 miles on the car so I am glad they are covered. 
I agree that cleaning the inside portion of the rim is a pain.
I agree that cleaning the inside portion of the rim is a pain.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: Houston TX
Forging vs Casting
Apples and oranges. OEM chromes are forged while WCC chromes are cast. That means major differences where it counts, namely strength and weight. I wish my OEM wheels had chrome on the inner barrels, but to me that's a minor annoyance. If WCC chromes met all the same specs as OEM chromes, I daresay their costs would be a lot closer.
thanks,
Mark
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 129
From: Fairview Heights IL
Forging takes a rough cast blank and squeezes it into a die under high pressure (like minting coins). Casting is liquid metal poured into a mold (think iron skillets). Castings often contain bubbles, voids, cracks, and other imperfections that lead to uneven weight distribution and weak spots. Forging causes cast metal to partially melt, flow and reform into finer crystalline structures. Forging usually requires additional manufacturing steps like surface machining and heat treatment (annealing) to relieve internal strains. Forgings are lighter and stronger than cast replicas which have heavier, thicker cross sections and and may be comparatively brittle..
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 20,054
Likes: 44
From: Swansea IL
I'm confused WCC takes OEM wheels and has them chromed, probably by the best chromers in the industry. Why would the "forging" be different? They are OEM wheels with the GM markings on the inside. I checked before I returned my wheels and again when theirs arrived.
Oh and where does GM chrome wheels come from? The US or China?
Tom
Oh and where does GM chrome wheels come from? The US or China?
Tom
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,772
Likes: 0
From: H.V. PA
I've been unimpressed with the factory chrome wheels on Vettes I've detailed. The finish isn't that great and the barrels are tough to get and keep clean since they are machined but not clear coated or anything. On cars I've detailed that took advantage of the WCC ecxhange program the wheels look great. The not so funny part is you could buy a set of take off painted rims and make the exchange with WCC and save money over the factory chrome option and still have a factory quality wheel.
Last edited by carboman; Feb 13, 2007 at 10:52 AM.
