Refinishing Wheel Centre Caps

[mk1fan]

Before I cough up for some alloy ones is there a method of refinishing the chrome finish on the plastic centre caps?

[gmw9666]

mk1fan said:

Before I cough up for some alloy ones is there a method of refinishing the chrome finish on the plastic centre caps?

can't you carefully sand them down then prime and try some of that chrome aerosol like plasti coat?

[mrzigazaga]

Hi mate

If the chrome has any cracks or pits then other than spraying...No
If they are in fair nick go and see Steve at Fox plating...

[adam quantrill]

If they are a little rough then I have used brasso on them to good effect. You will gradually end up with little silvering eventually.

[v8s4me]

Not really. How far gone are they? You can get quite a lot of grime off with a kitchen/bath cleaner like THIS but if all the shiney surface has worn off then there is little you can do. It is possible the caps could be hydro-dipped but they would need to be stripped back to bare plastic, filled, sanded smooth and primed first to get a decent finish.



The one on the left has been cleaned with "Pink Stuff". Before cleaning it was black.

How much is a set of alloy ones?

[mrzigazaga]

This may help....Plastic can be chromed but will need nickel coating first...Around 25 sobs per cap at Fox for chroming....
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=158...

I know Leigh was making alloy ones......

[mk1fan]

At not a lot more than re-chroming.

Hhmmm. I may try a little Autosol M1 first. Then pehaps a respray in Mercury Silver to match the wheels.

Refurbed wheels look great. Caps look poo.

Thanks folks.

[jon haines]

For me the costs of doing them are not justified. Spraying with chrome effect paint i have tried and it looks a bit cheap. I have sprayed mine the same colour as the rims i.e silver and although i dont think they look as good as the originals it costs very little and looks better than the tatty ones.

[mrzigazaga]

That chrome spray is rubbish...If you have had the wheels refurbed to original silver then maybe some red caps the same colour of the car to finish off...The gel resin domed wheel centres are good...Mine have been on since 2013..And as you know the car lives outside...

[mk1fan]

Hadn't thought of colour coding them to the bodywork. Hhhmmm, no, don't think that will look good to me.

The rims were done in Mercury Silver so I'll do one in that, use some Autosol M1 on another then assess the results.

If no good then I'll speak to Leigh.

[mk1fan]

Just to close this off.

Used some Autosol M1 polish anf three of the caps have come up very nicely. The fourth is pitted.

They will do for now, but I will consider the alloy ones as replacements.

[Engineer1949]

i would like to see the alloy ones interested how they snap into the wheel for fixing as i never managed to achieve a good fit hence going delrin but alloy would be nice less hassle colouring or polishing


john

[adam quantrill]

If you only fit them with the wheel off it allows more fixing options e.g. a grub screw at the back. (I think Leigh came up with something - I'll try and find the thread.)

Also that prevents unscrupulous types from removing them and selling on Ebay! ;^)