Question on re-doing rims.

[tylork92]

Well as some of you kno i got a set of 18s pretty cheap on Craisglist a couple months back. Well there not in the best of shape. 2 of the especially have the chrome fading away.

Question is would it be better/ cheaper to do which of the following:
1) re-chrome plating
2) Poweder coating black
3) painting them 2-tone to match my truck when it gets painted this spring. ( i kno it will be 2-tone top black but unsure on bottom color, If i painted rims the lip would be whatever color i decide to paint the bottom half of my truck.)

If i got them powdercoated black is there any way to just re plate the lip chrome?,


Also if painting them is a option what are the necessary steps in prepping and painting them?

 

[SnC RangeR]

idk about money wise but iv seen old rims powder coated in a 4x4 mag once and def looks like the way to go i think jus painting would make more work down the road cus it wouldnt last as long as the powder coat would.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Rechroming would be a PITA and probably the most expensive because it uses electrolysis to plate the rims and to do that you have to have a completely bare metal for it to adhere too. Kind of the same thing with powder coating but its less expensive and doesn't have to be super clean to look good.

 

[JohnnyO]

Rechroming is expensive because a shop does not do mass production like a wheel company, although the quality will be better. I paid $225 to have the front tow hooks chromed on my old Sport Trac.
That's TWO tow hooks.
http://www.paulschrome.com

Then there is this place:

http://www.alloywheelrepairspecialist.com

They are franchises, see if there is one near you. Dude tows a trailer with a shop inside it. I used them to fix an aftermarket wheel on my son's car because the rim was discontinued and you couldn't buy a replacement. Did a nice job. Not inexpensive but cheaper than a new wheel.