remove chrome ?

[chimp koose]

I was at a car show this weekend and was talking to a wheel company about doing my wheels . I have wire wheels that need new bells . 2 of the wheels are fine the other 2 I have cut apart and need new bells put on at an as yet determined back spacing . The wheels were originally chrome and I want to make them tacoma cream . What is the best way to remove the chrome ? The wheel guy says sand blast but I fear the spokes may get stretched /bent or otherwise . The wheel guy wants to paint them and I would prefer powder coat . What opinions do you guys have ? Am i being over cautious about the sand blast ? Is powder coating wheels overkill ? We have a hard chroming shop in town that may be able to de chrome the wheels in their vat .

[enjenjo]

Have them dechromed by the shop. Sandblasting won't really remove the chrome, it just roughs it up a bit.

I have had  wire wheels powder coated. The coater has to know what he is doing.  Just like chrome it's hard to get the powder to carry in to the spokes, so they might have to use a copper ring to induce the powder to carry in for a sufficient coverage.

[chimp koose]

thanks , I really didnt think paint would last . This guy is good for wheels but I think he was pushing for paint as he doesnt do powder . I was quoted $200 per wheel to supply the bell and weld them together at my back spacing . I dont know if that included the blast and paint as well . I may just buy the bells and do them my self . Would not be the first set ive ever done . just a bit of a pain to do all the set up for 2 wheels . I am thinking about powder coating my interior window trim at the same time and same colour .

[idrivejunk]

Just for what its worth... wheels are wheels, but on four of my cars I have painted over chrome bumpers after a light but thorough hit of 36 grit on a 5" grinder chased with as much 40 grit as I could afford, on a 6" DA, followed with just enough 80 to knock the shaggy feel off it. Then epoxy primer and "wet-on-wet" high build 2K urethane primer surfacer as recommended by the manufacturer for bare steel. The most recent one was in 2002, and the front bumper finally chipped on an edge this year. The others showed no signs of adhesion problems that I saw. Just the facts of my personal hobby experience using good quality materials.  

[chimp koose]

Thanks for that IDJ  I think my biggest worry is that they are wire wheels and I dont want to compromise the spokes in any way . I have the odd beater that I have just sprayed the wheels and it has worked better than anticipated but with wires and a colour that has to be mixed  ,(no rattle can tacoma cream ) I am just thinking that powder would be worth it if I can . I am also thinking some interior window trim will get the same colour so might as well do it all in powder coat for a permanent fix . On an unrelated note , I went to a swap meet on the weekend and picked up another hood for my T . This one has good louvers , only 2 are slightly flattened . I will cut the louvers out of the sides and weld them into the removeable sides I have already made .

[bucketmouth]

I had my old chromed rims stripped by the chromed platers the only way to do it properly. I then had them powder coated.
To remove the brake dust I spray them with Meguiers wheel cleaner and hit them with a high preasure cleaner to remove the stubborn dust.
Powder coat makes maintenance a lot easier.