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Wheel Talk

You may be wondering why your factory original wheels are coming “chrome clad” on your new original equipment vehicle instead of the traditional “chrome,” but this growing trend has been performed on steel wheels for quite a while now. The process is quite easy to understand and StockWheels.com has the know-how staff to answer your “chrome clad” questions.

“Chrome clad” refers to a plastic chromed hubcap, or full wheel skin, that is manufactured onto your OEM rims. The difference about this stock hubcap however is that it is permanently attached to the face of the wheel by a coat of bonding agents and sealants. The up side is that this process is quite a bit cheaper in addition to the material of the hubcap being corrosion resistant and long lasting. The down side is that because this original wheel skin is glued down, major damage to the cap cannot be simply fixed. In fact, the whole wheel often needs to be replaced if damage is done. Damage to traditionally chromed wheels can often be fixed without having to replace the entire used wheel through a process of buffing and re-chroming of the rim. Factory original chromed wheels however are of course susceptible to corrosion and the process to repair them is not necessarily the cheapest. Personal preference and the original manufactured equipment on the car are the deciding factors on whether you chrome or chrome clad but either way is a shiny ride.