New to Forum-Aloha!

[Kohanakai]

Aloha everybody,

 

I am on the big Island of Hawaii. This is my second Ford Edge. Wife and I really enjoy driving them.

We are unfortunetely having the same problem with the Rims on our 2012 as we did with our 2008. Scratching! I am hoping the issue has evolved since the incident in 2008 and we will not be forced to pay $1000 to replace a scratched 20x8 Ford Aluminum Chrome Clad Wheel.

Problem in Hawaii is, everthing cost more due to shipiing costs.

?

1.) Can I somehow detach the skin from the aluminum wheel and take it to a chrome shop to get rechromed and them take it to a body shop to have it riveted or welded back onto the aluminum wheel?

2.) is the skin riveted or welded to the aluminum wheel?

3.) does the small 2inch center cap pop off?

 

Mahalos to you all.

 

 

Kai

[ls973800]

Welcome to the forum!

 

If you take the wheel off, you can push the center cap out with no problem. They are just held in place with tabs. I take a screwdriver with a wooden handle and hit it from the back side with the handle and it pops right out. While you have the wheel off, you will also see that the chrome cladding is just an outer cover placed over a steel wheel.

 

 

The chrome cladding is just attached with an adhesive from what I understand. No rivets or welds. I have read that you can not take off the cladding and replace it. That is something which can only be done at the time of manufacturing.

 

I removed the 20" chrome clad wheels from my 2013 Limited and replaced them with 20" wheels from a Ford Flex which are not chrome.The fellow that purchased my 4 wheels had two on his Edge which he had hit curbs, and one on his wife's that had hit a curb. Now he has one spare for the next time he or she hits another curb!

 

Other than finding good deals on eBay or other sites with reasonable shipping, or replacing your wheels with other non-chrome clad wheels, you just have to bite the bullet and either live with the damage or pay top dollar to replace them each time.