Chrome issues with XD

[dank78]

Just curious if anyone has had any quality issues with any of the XD Series wheels from KMC. I've got the chrome Diesels, and they are starting to look like crap. I didn't want to (because I know it isn't the best for the wheels), but I have to run them now in the winter for this season until I can get the $$ for a spare set. I've been trying to keep them clean, but they still look like this after only 3 months of winter weather. Again, I know winter conditions are not real good for chrome, but c'mon, this is pathetic...

[Megw3788]

That looks horrible! How old are they? You may want to cantact KMC to see if they have any kind of warranty for the chrome, I know one of my wheels started pitting after like 8 months and I took them back to the tire store and they got in contact with the manufacturer and sent me a new one. I just waited til it came in took it to the shop and they swapped it out. If not, you may want to consider Powdercoating them, IMO it would look better than rust and should hold up just fine to the road salt.

[lxvp]

that is a bad plating job I would contact KMC and show them the pictures also go to the shop that you bought the tires and show them.

[54warrior]

Yeah, definitely get something done about this!!

[dank78]

I'm definitely going to try to have something done about it. I've had them on the truck since August (washing the truck weekly or more), and they've realistically been exposed to about 3 months of winter conditions. For that kind of $$ I was hoping for a little more durability. I might try to have them order me the Monsters in black to replace these. Maybe the black matte is a little more durable? I'll keep y'all posted.

[deepwatertitan]

im sorry but i ran a detail shop for several years and what you got going on is pitting from road salt and possibly some wheel acid.there is no way those just started pitting for no reason.you live in new york and i bet anything you got road salt on them and didnt get it off quick enough.that salt is highly corrosive and it doesnt take long to eat metal.i have seen it eat rims and undercarage of vehicles all the time.its not kmc's fault,any chrome rim with road salt left on it will do the same thing. next time clean the wheels off as soon as you park it or do what most people do and buy some rims just for the winter months(not chrome or polished alloy).good luck

[Hawaiianbasshead]

my moto metals looked WAY better than that after almost 2 years, I had a dog piss on two of them and forgot to wash them til like a month later I see this green corrosion lookin sh!t in the formation of trickles and realized what it was from... washed it and continued to wash them for the last year and a half and they're no where near that bad... I live in HI and drive right up to the beach sometimes and don't always wash the salt spray off for weeks... road salt in 3 months on 8-9 month old rims shouldn't do that imo... look at the thickness of the chrome... I don't personally think their black wheels will be much better only because it's probably a similar paint thickness good luck though! and I hope you get a new set. if you can sell um and buy something else if you don't want the same thing repeating...

[luvbelly]

Originally Posted by deepwatertitan

im sorry but i ran a detail shop for several years and what you got going on is pitting from road salt and possibly some wheel acid.there is no way those just started pitting for no reason.you live in new york and i bet anything you got road salt on them and didnt get it off quick enough.that salt is highly corrosive and it doesnt take long to eat metal.i have seen it eat rims and undercarage of vehicles all the time.its not kmc's fault,any chrome rim with road salt left on it will do the same thing. next time clean the wheels off as soon as you park it or do what most people do and buy some rims just for the winter months(not chrome or polished alloy).good luck

I have a stupid question. Why do aftermarket rims have this problem when most factory rims do not. I have had factory chrome rims that I have run for several winters and they always cleaned up well in the spring. If the OEM stuff can hold up, why can't the aftermarket rims?

[dank78]

luvbelly, I was thinking the same thing. I was cleaning off the wheels quite regularly, and they still look like this. Interestingly I have been in contact with Wheelpros (they distribute KMC) and they guy told me that even non-chrome wheels (I was asking about the Monsters) would get eaten up in the winter. Um, my factory wheels are 3 years old and look like new. Based on this I think aftermarket wheels are of much lower quality than stock wheels. BTW, Wheelpros is NOT replacing the wheels but did offer to "help me out" on a new set. And it only took 3 months of e-mails and phone calls. I planned on using these for one winter and then picking up some winter tires for my stockers and then just switch when the weather turns. Instead I'm looking to try to refinish the XDs with either wheel paint or some sort of bedliner coating (hey it can't look any worse than they do now!).

Lesson learned: Unless I live in a completely salt free environment don't run these delicate chrome wheels.

[deepwatertitan]

im not sure why factory wheels are so much stronger when it comes to this issue.i think the process that they are treated is different then aftermarket.oem wheels are going to be on several thousand vehicles and have to be made stronger or you know there would be all kind of recalls and consumer complaints.aftermarket simply is not made as strong because they are not as mass produced and not gauranteed to be on a few hundred thousand vehicles. i dont make rims i just used to take care of them and have seen way to many times peoples rims get screwed up do to the road salt and or wheel acid.the salt on the beach is not as harsh as the road salt for snow.when you drive on the beach your not driving in just a pure concentrate of salt.this is why you must be very carful when buying cars that where up north cuz you look hard enough and your bound to find some fram or body rust,you dont hear this being a big concern when you live in a beach state(just sand in the carpets that never ever comes out).i live in florida and we drive on the beach all the time,it will still eat them but not nearly as quick.i have saved rims that where eatin up.yours are pretty bad but with heavy duty polish and a high speed polish wheel,im not saying those will look new, but you could get them looking better with several applications and then maybe sell them or somethin...i sure hope that xd's chrome isnt that horrible because im soon to get some 20" monsters in chrome.shoot ill this stuff im saying and watch ill be on here complaining about my wheels pitting do to salt on the beach..lol..anyways man i sure hope it all works out for you cuz if your like me i dont have that kind of money to be buying another set if something happens.it took me a while of saving and have saved almost enough to by my rims and tires.i hope it works out for ya..

[luvbelly]

Originally Posted by dank78

luvbelly, I was thinking the same thing. I was cleaning off the wheels quite regularly, and they still look like this. Interestingly I have been in contact with Wheelpros (they distribute KMC) and they guy told me that even non-chrome wheels (I was asking about the Monsters) would get eaten up in the winter. Um, my factory wheels are 3 years old and look like new. Based on this I think aftermarket wheels are of much lower quality than stock wheels. BTW, Wheelpros is NOT replacing the wheels but did offer to "help me out" on a new set. And it only took 3 months of e-mails and phone calls. I planned on using these for one winter and then picking up some winter tires for my stockers and then just switch when the weather turns. Instead I'm looking to try to refinish the XDs with either wheel paint or some sort of bedliner coating (hey it can't look any worse than they do now!).

Lesson learned: Unless I live in a completely salt free environment don't run these delicate chrome wheels.

I have a set of AR Fuel 8's showing some damage from about the same amount of winter exposure. I contacted AR and they emailed me a copy of the warranty that you would need a lawyer present to understand. Same lesson learned. If you buy pretty wheels don't expect them to hold up like the stockers. I will use the OE wheels for winter and try to save these for a least a summer or two of use.

[Gonpostal]

i use chrome polisher from turtle wax, and my rims still look fairly new. This polisher also protect against salt, dirt, and sand. It works great.

[bthelton]

Pledge works good as well for cleaning and protecting on alll types of chrome. Just make sure you put it back up when your done so the wife doesn't loose her mind when she goes to dust the furniture

[Surferboy]

I had some KMC's that did the sam thing. The good thing is that they come with a 12 month warranty. I got mine from discount tire, and they replaced them for some other wheels for free. I even got some that were more expensive and they adjusted the price.

[deepwatertitan]

Surferboy I had some KMC's that did the sam thing. The good thing is that they come with a 12 month warranty. I got mine from discount tire, and they replaced them for some other wheels for free. I even got some that were more expensive and they adjusted the price.

.....................thats good to know cuz i was going to buy from discount tire