Chromtec Wheels

[Tony476]

I do all of my own detailing, but don't know anything about Chromtec wheels and just purchased a new Highlander Limited Platinum with them. How do I Clean/Maintain them. What tools and products are recommended. I have speed brushes and wheel woolies. I use Sonax on my other wheels, but am concerned it will damage the protective coating on the new wheels. Any advice or help would be appreciated.

[Mike Phillips]

I do all of my own detailing, but don't know anything about Chromtec wheels and just purchased a new Highlander Limited Platinum with them. How do I Clean/Maintain them. What tools and products are recommended. I have speed brushes and wheel woolies. I use Sonax on my other wheels, but am concerned it will damage the protective coating on the new wheels. Any advice or help would be appreciated.


Is that a clearcoated silver finish or a plastic chrome surface?


Not sure I've worked on these yet?

What does Toyota recommend?



:)

[Goonie75]

It seems it's a chrome finished plastic wheel cover.... sort of permanently affixed to alloy wheels. Hope that helps.

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[jkrig]

Our family has a 2014 Highlander Limited with the Chromtec wheels, puchased new and I've used wheel woolies with soap and water from day one with no issue ...I don't believe they are plastic but they are bonded to the wheel, I coated mine with Optimum Gloss Coat and its held up well and made them easier to clean....attached a pic of the chromtec wheel on a 2015 Limited Hybrid

[Tony476]

Great, thanks for th help. I was told it’s a plastic type hub cap that’s bonded to the wheel with a chrome finish. I didn’t want to use anything that was going to damage them.

[Goonie75]

Mother's makes a fake chrome plated cleaner. Doesn't seal. Really. Best for sure would be to ask Toyota. Previous post would also work. Good luck. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180210/29996ade9688801dfec7c123cb12769f.jpg

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[Setec Astronomy]

Great, thanks for th help. I was told it’s a plastic type hub cap that’s bonded to the wheel with a chrome finish. I didn’t want to use anything that was going to damage them.

Yes, that's what they are. Maybe they have improved them and/or things have changed, but when these first came out I had a lot of issues with them, at least the GM implementation I'm familiar with. The first problem is they glue this "hubcap" to a standard gray-painted wheel, which makes the wheel surface stick out further from the tire increasing the chance that you will scrape/curb the wheel. When that happens, and you scrape through the chrome to the plastic...there is no repair option, because you can't paint it (because it's chrome), you can't rechrome it (because it's plastic and attached to a painted wheel), and at least in the case I investigated, even a wheel repair place couldn't get a replacement "hubcap" to fix it (this happened to a relative and I called a very reputable wheel shop who said there was nothing they could do except get me a takeoff wheel).

Anyway, treat this like you would a chrome-plated plastic grille, which is, carefully. In my experience the chromed surface is pretty easy to take care of, but you still have an aluminum wheel underneath, in some cases with an exposed lip, which is subject to the usual damage, corrosion, etc., and these wheels have plenty of places to trap salty water and acid wheel cleaners (if you use that on the back).