alright so my buddy has cobra rims and the rims are like falling apart they are at least 5 years old anyways i was wondering if newer chrome rims are made any differently and if their is a difference in the chrome vs a replica cobra wheel off american muscle vs a true cobra wheel ?? i dont wanan b sitting here in a year looking at my rims and looking at the chrome just chip away or does that happen with all chrome wheels ?
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Joined: 6/8/2006 From: SF Bay Area Status: offline
I agree with Stoenr, but will continue to buy chrome rims anyway as they are bad a$$
My last pair of O.Z. Racing rims, on my '85 GT, went bad a the bead and were losing air pressure. Had to have all tires removed, and grind down surface to get smooth and do lots of prep work. They never leaked air over the next two years I had the car, but the chrome finish was compromised at that point and will eventually peel off toward the face and look
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Joined: 6/8/2006 From: SF Bay Area Status: offline
Water and brake dust is the biggest enemy of chrome rims (asside from curbs ) I you garage it and very aggressive on keeping clean, they will last many, many years. Eventually, the chrome may go bad at the bead where tire makes a seal to rim. I had this issue several years ago, and had to do a lot of work to repair. They held air for the next couple years and sold the car. Is safe to say, they will leak again at some point, and need to be replaced. They were 6 or 7 years old before they originally corroded at bead and was cheap chrome plating as well.
I have always wondered about having a set of chrome wheels clear powdercoated and seeing if that would help with the longevity of them and keep the chrome from peeling. Anyone tried this or know if it would work?
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Joined: 6/8/2006 From: SF Bay Area Status: offline
The issue I have had was the water in the lubricant that is used when the tire is mounted. If you ever watch, the installer uses a bottle-brush to get the bead of tire very wet, so the machine will slide along tire when it is being stretched to fit onto rim. That water gets trapped between tire bead and rim. Over time, that water will corrode the chromium much like aluminum that has been exposed to salt water, and leak air.
oic good c i wanna get these rims but im afraid of rub jazzer what size tire u think i should go with stock tire rims size is 245/45/17 wat size tire u think i should go with xxx/35/18 ?
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Joined: 6/8/2006 From: SF Bay Area Status: offline
I agree with Stoenr and recommend 265's to be safe for clearance. 275's should not be a prob, but you may have to roll fenders slightly to clear (probably not). I run 275/35/18"s on 9" rim and have only the slightest of contact between outside of drivers tire and plastic liner in wheel well during hard RH cornering and bump on turn.
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chrome wheel question - 
) I you garage it and very aggressive on keeping clean, they will last many, many years. Eventually, the chrome may go bad at the bead where tire makes a seal to rim. I had this issue several years ago, and had to do a lot of work to repair. They held air for the next couple years and sold the car. Is safe to say, they will leak again at some point, and need to be replaced. They were 6 or 7 years old before they originally corroded at bead and was cheap chrome plating as well. 
