onecrazyfoo4u Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 I can't figure out how to take off the chrome clad wheels/hubcaps. They have 5 clips holding the center on under the centercap of the wheel. But even if you loosen those, the don't budge around the rest of the wheel. Are they clipped on in multiple places? Do you pry them up with some type of edge like a screw driver? If anybody knows, please let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B4ZINGA Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Are you trying to remove the wheel from the car? Or the chrome cladding from the wheel? Remove the wheel the same way you would any other alloy wheel, by raising the vehicle and spinnign off the lug nuts. The chrome cladding itself is glued to the wheel and is not intended to be be removed from the wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Are you trying to remove the wheel from the car? Or the chrome cladding from the wheel? Remove the wheel the same way you would any other alloy wheel, by raising the vehicle and spinnign off the lug nuts. The chrome cladding itself is glued to the wheel and is not intended to be be removed from the wheel. Yeah, that....do you have chrome clad wheels or hub caps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecrazyfoo4u Posted September 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 No, I know how to take the wheel off the vehicle. On the steel wheel is the cheapo 19" chrome clad wheel / hubcaps. It's like a plastic hubcap coated in that fake plastic chrome. It's what all the standard DJ's came with. There were no oem chrome wheels...just the oem chrome clad hubcaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 (edited) Well they should come off when you take the lug nuts off. The confusion is, you keep saying "chrome clad wheels/hubcaps". It's either one or the other. Chrome clad wheels or chrome clad hub caps. Completely different things. There are OEM chrome wheels, but they are steel or aluminum wheels with a chrome "cladding". I've seen them, and want them too. my Dakota had aluminum wheels with plastic chrome cladding to make them look like chrome wheels, but they were attached to the aluminum and you coul;d not remove it, well you could, but it would break the chrome and leave a mess underneath. Edited September 5, 2014 by jkeaton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecrazyfoo4u Posted September 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Many many DJ's came with advertized "chrome clad wheels". They actually charged an extra $500 for that stupid option even! What they really are is a steel wheel with plastic hubcaps that look like chrome. It's what the oem wheels were for the "chrome" option. They looked like this (if you look close you can see the real steel wheel rim around the hubcap): http://www.ebay.com/itm/Qty-1-19-Dodge-Journey-Factory-OEM-Chrome-Clad-Wheel-Tire-/300878539800 http://www.ebay.com/itm/DODGE-JOURNEY-OEM-CHROME-CLAD-WHEEL-RIM-2009-2012-19x7-2374-/181061217600?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Wheels&hash=item2a2816ed40&vxp=mtr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webslave Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 I had "chrome clad" (high grade option) on my '08 Jeep Commander Hemi Limited...loved those wheels and may buy some of the clad wheels for my DJ. This past winter, the state (PA) used a lot, and I mean a lot, of anti-skid on the roads. Low and behold, my "special" R/T wheels are now peppered with dings in the finish (looks like some shot each spoke with a shotgun) and Dodge won't cover "road hazard" damage to the wheels. Never had that issue with the clad wheels on the Jeep and that is with 5 years of off-roading on them. Don't know why some don't like them...in my personal experience, they stayed bright, they didn't damage and they looked as good after 5 years as the day I drove the Jeep off the lot. As for the DJ clad wheels. The cladding does not come off; they are not hubcaps, but, are an integral part of the wheel. Take the lug nuts off, dismount the wheel, done. The cladding is most definitely not a "hub cap". No different than the chrome on a bumper; it is a part of the material underlayment, but, as opposed to a chrome bumper, the chrome cladding (and the wheel under it) will never rust, chip or flake off. That is why they cost more than "just" a chromed wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecrazyfoo4u Posted September 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Interesting. You would think they would come off since they have 5 center clips that appear to be holding them on. Okay, guess I'll just dip them while on the wheel...just sucks that now I have to do some taping around the rim. I'm just not a fan of them since they are plastic...which heavily reminds me of a hubcap. I just can't imagine it costs Dodge more money to manufactor these than the other 19" wheel options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 (edited) Gluing a chromed piece of plastic to a steel wheel is much cheaper than actually "chroming" the wheel. Edited September 6, 2014 by jkeaton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawdog1911 Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 The chrome covers on the Dodge wheels don't come off. They are epoxied from the factory. Most of the Dodge R/T models have these glue on chrome caps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 I didn't even know mine were plastic until someone told me,. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webslave Posted September 7, 2014 Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 Sweet. Looks just like the wheels that were on my Commander... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webslave Posted September 7, 2014 Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 The chrome covers on the Dodge wheels don't come off. They are epoxied from the factory. Most of the Dodge R/T models have these glue on chrome caps. I wish my R/T had come with them...in '13, the R/T had their own "special" wheels; the same ones that look, now, like something off a Yugo on mine... I'll probably get a set from my dealer next spring to replace the POS wheels that I've got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTSGUY Posted September 7, 2014 Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 I wish my R/T had come with them...in '13, the R/T had their own "special" wheels; the same ones that look, now, like something off a Yugo on mine... I'll probably get a set from my dealer next spring to replace the POS wheels that I've got. You can probably find a good used set on Craigs List for much less than what the dealer will charge you. I see them all the time in my local Craigs List. Heres a set right now on my Craigs List. http://denver.craigslist.org/pts/4634851284.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 Man I'd jump all over those except they are 19"......tires for 19" wheels are so hard to come by and really expensive where I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobitz68 Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 (edited) Interesting. You would think they would come off since they have 5 center clips that appear to be holding them on. Okay, guess I'll just dip them while on the wheel...just sucks that now I have to do some taping around the rim. I'm just not a fan of them since they are plastic...which heavily reminds me of a hubcap. I just can't imagine it costs Dodge more money to manufactor these than the other 19" wheel options. You don't need to tape around the wheel if you dip it... the dip will peel off of the tire and leave a clean line along the separation between the wheel and tire... Just make sure it is on the tire thick so that it comes off in one even piece. Edited September 8, 2014 by Lobitz68 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B4ZINGA Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 My old Road & Track Charger had 20" chrome-clad wheels. They looked nice even after 7 years and 72,000 miles. I didn't need harsh chemicals to clean them, either. The only thing I didn't like (other than the fact that I HATE chrome) is that you could clearly see the rim of the actual wheel underneath the cladding at the tire bead. You have to look to notice it, but once you know it's there, you see it all the time. My Journey R/T has the 19" darker grey painted wheels I prefer that style. If I get summer wheels, they'll like be machined finished, similar to the SRT Design wheels on my 300M Special. All I have to do to maintain them is wash them thorough (as you would any other wheel), and take a piece of Nevr-Dull wadding to cleaning the machined surface and make them look amazing again. That and not curb them... but I digress. As for dipping... I've never dipped a wheel, but I feel like peeling rubber from rubber would be a PITA of the highest order... I would mask off the sidewall and stick a piece of cardboard sized to the wheel on the inside, just off the spokes. That or mask inner and outer sidewalls and dip both the spokes and the inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 I have the ultimate solution for painting wheels and keeping paint off the tire. Got a deck of cards laying around? DTSGUY 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobitz68 Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 My old Road & Track Charger had 20" chrome-clad wheels. They looked nice even after 7 years and 72,000 miles. I didn't need harsh chemicals to clean them, either. The only thing I didn't like (other than the fact that I HATE chrome) is that you could clearly see the rim of the actual wheel underneath the cladding at the tire bead. You have to look to notice it, but once you know it's there, you see it all the time. My Journey R/T has the 19" darker grey painted wheels I prefer that style. If I get summer wheels, they'll like be machined finished, similar to the SRT Design wheels on my 300M Special. All I have to do to maintain them is wash them thorough (as you would any other wheel), and take a piece of Nevr-Dull wadding to cleaning the machined surface and make them look amazing again. That and not curb them... but I digress. As for dipping... I've never dipped a wheel, but I feel like peeling rubber from rubber would be a PITA of the highest order... I would mask off the sidewall and stick a piece of cardboard sized to the wheel on the inside, just off the spokes. That or mask inner and outer sidewalls and dip both the spokes and the inside. Dip will not stick to any surface permanently and is easily peeled a short time after it has sprayed. I have personally done it (as have thousands of others) and taping or even cards are a waste of time. Grab an edge and pull with even pressure. Maybe 15 seconds per wheel... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobitz68 Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 (edited) I have the ultimate solution for painting wheels and keeping paint off the tire. Got a deck of cards laying around? For paint...yes. For PlastiDip? NO... Waste of time. Plus, you can't get coverage on the outside of the wheel lip which will show. Edited September 8, 2014 by Lobitz68 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecrazyfoo4u Posted September 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 Cool, I won't tape it before I plastidip them then. We'll see how they turn out! I'll probably do them on the vehicle so that I get the lugnuts dipped black as well. I'll just shove some plastic covering behind the wheel to protect everything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 For paint...yes. For PlastiDip? NO... Waste of time. Plus, you can't get coverage on the outside of the wheel lip which will show. That was pastidip, and it covered the outside of the wheel lip. At least on those wheels it did. Maybe some others it would'nt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobitz68 Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 That was pastidip, and it covered the outside of the wheel lip. At least on those wheels it did. Maybe some others it would'nt. Ahhh... Mine on the DJ have the exterior of the lip exposed; the cards would have covered it. Still think it is easier to just peel it, but that is just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzzybubbles Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Okay I know the clad caps are attached with epoxy, my brakes calipers stuck on my 09 causing too much heat and wrinkling my caps. What does the steel look like underneath, if I media blast them and powder coat them would they look like a normal wheel? Any pictures of the caps removed? I want to make sure there aren't any tabs or anything that would make it look bad, I don't wanna buy wheels it's just too costly. Powder coat and all is free just unsure of what's under there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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