Ok I dont know if you would call this a appearance question or not, but I couldn't find a weight board lol. Ok my question is...How much difference could you tell between chrome and alum wheels? This might seem to be a really stupid question, but I was wondering.

 

Chrome wheels are a lot lower maintenance versus un-coated polished aluminum. If you want polished aluminum make sure you keep them clean or get some that are clear coated.

Chrome does have one down fall, it will pit or even rust over time if exposed to the elements.

I read your question again and I am not sure that is what you wanted to know. If you want to know the difference between the two the chrome is definitely shiner than polished aluminum. I think chrome looks better on a dark car and polished aluminum looks better on a lighter car. That is obviously just my opinion.


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88 IROC convertible
So slow it is timed with a sundial

 

Oh my bad! Im so stupid I didnt even ask my question. Da*m I feel dumb. Ok my question was weight wise. Could you tell a difference between the 0-60s? You know what I mean now?

 

You will have to do the comparison yourself. If I understand your question, youare comparing the weight of chromed STEEL rims vs. aluminum ones, right? I went with the lightest stock rims available on thirdgen's, the 16 X 8 Pontiac WS6 rims with 245/50 tires. I was surprised to discover they weighed exactly the same as my stock 15 X 7 RS rims with 215/60 tires. So i made a dramatic improvment in handling and performance capability with no weight penalty, cool. You need to decide what rims you want and have them weighed. Then add the maintenance issues of chrome vs. aluminum. Good luck, Lon. BTW, I vote aluminum polished.

 

I don't wanna get off on a rant here, but doesn't anyone think chrome anything looks tacky? It always looks like plastic to me. No offense to anyone.

 

Monkie, The difference in weight can be very little because you can have the factory aluminum wheels chromed and it adds very little weight to the wheel. If you are talking about steel versus aluminum in the same size wheel yes you can feel the difference. Extra weight in the rotating mass is a lot worse than just dead weight in the car. A heavier rotating mass eats horsepower. Hope this makes since.

Larsulrik No offence taken. I have a set of chrome IROC wheels and I know what you mean about looking fake or plastic. I have cured that a little by using the factory black lug nuts. I may experiment a little and paint the small lines in the wheel satin black to help break up all the chrome. If everything on the wheel is chrome it can look kind of funny.


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88 IROC convertible
So slow it is timed with a sundial

 

About chroming.Chroming a metal also makes it more brittle.BTW Aluminum can be polished to mirror finish..

Daz

 

I had an artical in a ***** magazine. Covering the EXACT differences in performance with different weighted wheels. They ran many tests, i belive a few of these were....Heavy wheels, full load. Heavy wheeels, light load. Light wheels full load. Light wheels light load. Heavy wheels, riced out car (expensive sound set up, neons, blah blah, riced out) and light wheels striped car. (no music, heater AC, lexan windows ect. ect...) and heavy wheels stripped car.

With all those tests, they published 0-60's 1/4miles and so on an so forth (breaking and turning too) results were very interesting. The reason why they had so many tests was because heavy wheels on a pact car made less difference then the same wheels on a stripped car.

Oh and you guys were absolutely correct in saying heavy wheels make more difference the the same weight added in the car and light wheels.

Some food for thought. Not only does absolute wheel weight make a difference but also where the weight is on the wheel (wheels that are heavier in the center are perform better then wheels that are heavier on the perimiter). So wheel DESIGN also makes a difference. Good luck.

I'll find the artical its from june/july or augest or even september if i find it ill post its complete results AND scan it in....later all

 

damn you brought this back from the dead 2000? i have changed names twice since then haha