Polished vs Chrome Wheels | Wheel Care and Maintenance Tips
Wheels are the biggest single change you can make to your car or truck that you can actually see. Power and handling modifications you feel, but wheels instantly change the look of a classic or muscle car. And they’re one of the key items on this entire machine full of moving parts people truly see moving as you drive down the road. Obviously, choosing new wheels is an excellent choice to change up your ride. But now the hard part, choosing the right ones. And that comes down to size and design, but also the finish; specifically chromed versus polished. While design is subjective, the choice between polished or chromed wheels has both pluses and minuses. Let’s have a look at both and help you with that decision.
Why Are Cragar Wheels Always Chrome, and American Five-Spokes Aluminum?
Part of your choice of finishes comes down to which wheel designs you like. Classics like Cragar S/S, Cragar Keystone Klassics or Allied Supreme come in one finish only, chrome. Then there are US Mag Indy Series slotted dish wheels, American Racing Torq Thrust five-spokes, and Halibrand Sprints. They come mostly with as cast or polished aluminum finishes.
The original reason for the two types of finishes comes down to their origins. Torq Thrust and Halibrand wheels began life as magnesium racing wheels. Some racers and the early users running them on street cars polished the wheels, because nothing shines up like magnesium. But the magnesium, or “mag” wheels needed constant attention, as oxidation occurs very rapidly with these wheels.
That’s why for street use, manufacturers of true magnesium wheels shifted to aluminum casting. Besides being better suited for the street and cheaper than magnesium, the casting process is much easier to accomplish. And the bonus for customers is they’re much easier to maintain. You can explore the pros and cons between forged vs cast wheels elsewhere in the Toolbox.
Differences Between Chrome and Polished Wheels
Aluminum, though slightly heavier, most closely resembles the look of magnesium wheels in as-cast, brushed, or polished finishes. And the added advantage is the shine holds up for a long time, needing only occasional hand polishing. But the entire wheel is a casting, which makes it more expensive to make than chrome mag-like wheels.
Chrome five-spoke wheels like Cragar S/S and Keystone wheels began as a response to the growing popularity of mag wheels in the 1960s. They have no racing origins. Though the spokes are aluminum, the rims are steel, which is cheaper, stronger, and easily brightened up with a chrome plated finish. And other than wiping them down after a wash, they require little maintenance.
As to the look of each finish, chrome tends to be bright and flashy, some would even say harsh looking. Polished aluminum, though flashy too, has a slightly softer shine. But ultimately it comes down to the look and style that most suits you and your car. Whether it be a C3 Corvette, 1955 Chevy, or vintage Mustang, either finish type makes your classic stand out from the rest.
Best Chrome Wheels for Classic Muscle Cars
As we’ve said, which aftermarket wheels you choose is subjective. But there are several types that go with different eras, should you be looking for the right period-specific mag wheels for your project. For 1960s and 1970s cars, the Cragar S/S and Keystone Klassic, Allied Supreme Reversed, or Smoothie wheels are considered “era-correct”. Because these designs closely resemble wheels from the early period of mag wheels and heyday of the muscle car, some would consider these to be the best chrome wheels for a classic car.
Best Polished Wheels for Classic Muscle Cars
US Mag Indy, American Racing Torq Thrust, and Halibrand Sprint wheels are authentic early mag wheels. American Racing Outlaw and Salt Flat, and Cragar Street Pro follow closely the styles of mag wheels of this period. The now famous Weld Draglite wheels came out in the early 1980s, but their timeless design means they look good on everything.
Speedway Motors carries an extensive line of wheels and wheel products from a host of companies for every application, be it off road or show and shine. Before purchasing a new set of wheels, whether they are second-hand or brand new, make sure you know how to measure car wheels and how to measure wheel backspacing first for a perfect fit. As you’re installing your wheels it is also crucial to know your lug nut torque specs and what lug nut style your aftermarket wheels utilize for a proper and safe installation.
Tips and Tricks Cleaning and Caring for Chrome Wheels
The most damage made to a chrome finish is from water spots, rust from extreme neglect, and wiping them down while they’re still dirty. That’s because the fine grit of dirt and brake dust can damage the finish. And the calcium and magnesium minerals that make up water spots tend to cling to chrome.
But including your wheels in your regular cleaning regimen using only soap and water helps to eliminate that problem. And drying them off with a microfiber towel restores the brand new look. Taking an extra step and using chrome cleaner helps the finish to ward off future spots and rust if you’re not washing your car regularly. In all, this is the appeal to many for buying chrome wheels.
Chrome Wheel Rust Removal
If rust has formed on your chrome wheels, there are rust removal products available to address the problem. There are also plenty of home remedies you can try, mostly using white vinegar and even Coca-Cola. But keep in mind that these DIY concoctions are acidic, so they can harm the chrome finish. A professional spray-on, paste, or cream rust remover offers the best chance of getting rid of rust.
Tips and Tricks Cleaning and Caring for Polished Wheels
For polished aluminum, their care requires a bit more time to maintain the finish. There are many polishing products on the market to help keep that hard-polished look. The differences have mostly to do with how fine the abrasives in the polish are. You might want to buy two or three different aluminum wheel polishes to see which one you like the best.
Polishing with a more abrasive composition tends to soften the shine. It leaves minute scratches and swirls on aluminum. The plus side is that they easily cut through oxidation and hard water spotting. Finer creams and polishes bring out the most shine on aluminum. But they may take a bit more effort to achieve the level of shine you’re looking for.
If the aluminum is heavily oxidized, you may need to start restoring the shine with wet and dry sandpaper. Start with 1000 grit wet, then go to 1500 grit, and finally 2000 grit. From here you can begin using a polishing paste or cream, then finish with a spray-on product to help seal the aluminum and maintain the shine. Don’t try this on chrome, however, as you will easily sand through the chrome plating.
Whether polished aluminum or chrome, simply washing your wheels with soap and water should maintain the factory shine for years to come. Or at least this will extend the period between needing to bring out the polishing supplies. Speedway Motors has an extensive list of wheel care products to clean and protect any wheel finish; from chrome to polished, as well as painted or powder coated finishes as well.
