Have new Chinese chrome redone ?

[CompoSimmonite]

I've got a new boxed pair of car chrome headlight. They were an eBay purchase that only owes me £20, and included new light units, as from somebodies abandoned project. They look good but obviously made in China so finish could be suspect. If I fit them to a car and they rust then labour to polish them back and rechrome will be expensive. I'm thinking therefore of having then stripped whilst brand new and properly British chromed.

What do people think ? Fit and paint if chrome fails or have rechromed now ?

Thanks.

Paul H

 

[Robotstar5]

Is the metal thick enough to be stripped & polished before chroming?

 

[richie00boy]

Surely the labour involved in stripping now or in a couple of years time is the same? The only issue I could see is that in a couple of years time you might be without the vehicle for a few days whilst the work is being done.

Fit them and see rather than create work and cost that is possibly not even necessary.

 

[piman]

Hello Richie,

I think that if left and they do rust there will be a lot more work to get the polish back as opposed to being stripped new.

Paul are you sure that they are steel not brass, if the latter then the finish should be durable?

Alec

 

[Shox Dr]

I'd look at the price of replacement items, as having them rechromed could be more. I'd ask Langy he gets a lot of stuff chromed so would have a better idea

 

[johnakay]

well in a couple of years time chrome will not be the same.
due to EU are changing the law again and it will all come into affect in 2016.
very few companies now do triple chrome because of the expense of disposal of chemicals.
currently most just just nickle and chrome but nickle will be phased out as chrome will to.
this is the info I got from my local chromer and seen the info but can't much on it at the mo as it is not released to the general public.

 

[hotrodder]

Nickel is what provides most of the 'shine' and nearly all the corrosion protection with decorative chrome plating. The chrome provides the final colour and, being 'kin hard, protects the nickel. 'Triple chrome' can mean lots of different things (marketing BS) and typically just means the thing was plated three times- copper, then nickel and a flash coating (millionths of an inch) of chrome. As 'triple chrome' is 'better' then it's not surprising that 'quadruple plating' also exists, again can mean lots of different things as it's a marketing term... 2 coats of copper to act kinda like high build primer or could mean duplex nickel (semi bright nickel followed by bright nickel) which is better with regards to corrosion resistance and an actual industrial term. Duplex nickel wiithout copper could also be called 'triple plating' in marketing speak...
Industrial / hard chrome forgoes the nickel and uses a MUCH thicker chrome deposit but thicker deposits don't self level so it's not something you want on bumpers

Personally if the lamp bezels cost a score and were bought new (as opposed to spending months hunting for a set) i'd key the hidden bits and slop some paint on them, give em a good coat of wax and see what happens. If they fall apart in short order then you've wasted £20 and have to start over, if they last you've saved a chunk

 

[norlander]

for my part I'd get em replated before I fit them, if you are not happy with the finish now get them redone, if you are ok with the current finish then fit them.What I will say is that all chrome plating is not the same-if you see top chrome stuff next to mediocre the difference is apparent.
I'm out of touch with the UK custom scene now and don't use chrome much on my bikes now so can't be of much help, but the platers I used did not charge much for small bits if you left them to be fitted in with a batch.
If you look at Harley Davidsons chrome there is a depth to it-I forget how many microns their chrome is but I once oxy A welded a hog zorst and then cleaned up with a flap disc and did not get through the chrome plating-ok so flap discs are fairly gentle but some chrome plating would have thinned out in the wind of the flap disc before the abrasive touched it.
Me-if I was gonna chrome something I'd get it done now coz costs are going to shoot up I reckon -re johnakays post, have you noticed how there is a lack of shiny bits on newer cars and bikes? I've been doing blacked out bikes for some time -now look at harleys and other makes-chrome is getting less-which is a bummer for me as my bikes do not stand out now!!!-but I suspect it could be for the reasons johnakays has posted.


Personally if the lamp bezels cost a score and were bought new (as opposed to spending months hunting for a set) i'd key the hidden bits and slop some paint on them, give em a good coat of wax and see what happens. If they fall apart in short order then you've wasted £20 and have to start over, if they last you've saved a chunk
I do this to most of the chrome bits-I hit them with 120/180grit then use matt black from a pro rattle can- I use Harley denim paint cleaner to clean em up or Scottoiler 365.

 

[garethp]

They look good but obviously made in China so finish could be suspect.

One of the many VW suppliers sells parts listed as 'sunny climate chrome' and they reckon that its only good for dry summer use as it'll rust after one winter.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Maybe I should clarify.
Yes I only paid £20 as an eBay bargain a while (maybe 10 years) ago. However to buy them new today would cost around £100 so simply fitting and then changing for another £20 pair when they go rusty isn't really an option.

Paul H

 

[hotrodder]

Time to some quotes for stripping and redipping then

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Just had a quote.
Plater says redoing them would be around £50 a unit.
If used, and existing Chinese chrome deteriorates, then the price can rise substantially depending how much work they would have to do before rechroming.
£100 isn't a shock as expected a similar amount.
Wonder if they do stainless headlights ? Quick look finds these -
http://www.kitcardirect.co.uk/wipac-7-complete-single-headlight-lamp-stainless-steel.html

Paul H