So, my brand new KR is in the driveway, I'm looking at the wheels. The chrome is a plastic cover over the face of the aluminum wheel.

Anybody know what it looks like underneath the "hub cap"?

I'm About halfway to being really pissed off , was a $1200 option for chrome clad 20" wheels.

 

Join the club of the dissappointed. I also didn't realize that my "chrome" wheels where plastic until I was home admiring my new truck. I was pissed for a while then I just sort of forgot about it. I guess at least they won't rust.

 

The "cap" doesn't come off as far as I know, bonded on.

 

Yea they are a joke. I found out the hard way as well. Next truck will not have the chrome package for sure.

 

Biggest rip off I have ever seen so far in my life

 

When we were looking for our new SUV we looked at some of them that had those..ugly!

 

My Dad's 14 has them too, I didn't realize this until I was helping him wash it a couple weeks ago. I was shocked too.
I own a 07 Ford 500 that has the chrome clad wheels, and they have held up well for being driven on a gravel road every day since new.

 

Yea....and don't go to discount tire for a "free" tire rotation you'll be even more disappointed after they scuff and gouge the wheels and you find out you can't do anything to polish it out because it's plastichrome so you have to replace instead....wish I had not gotten the chrome pkg and went with the polished alum wheels like my 11 with the chrome pkg had. Those look better to me anyway.

 

It's sad to see all 3 manufacturers going this route. I tend to go for Machined or polished aluminum wheels because of this. but I guess the big justification is for holding up in the rustbelt. That's the universal reason I've heard. Could also be just being cheaper across the board as well. Only the bean counters and engineers truly know all the justifications for going chrome-clad versus chrome plated steel.

 

My 09 F350 FX4 SRW had the 18" chrome clad steel wheels. They had chrome plated plastic covers glued to the front of the steel rim. After 5 years, the adhesive started to give up. A couple of the covers got loose but never came off. I put some foam board adhesive into the gap and secured them.

 

I don't find the chrome clad wheels to be that nice looking anyway.

If i were ordering today, I'd get the 20" aluminum wheels. Especially on the KR and Platinum...they look great.

 

If I ever upgrade from an XLT, I still would want the 18" XLT cast aluminum wheels I have now. The chrome clad wheels do look poor for an upgrade.

 

I'm surprised its even on option on the KR. Both of mine came with the 20" aluminium wheels thankfully, the '11 even had the chrome package. I've seen the chrome cladding on the dealership stock and they make a $65K truck look like a $15K ranger IMHO.

 

I'm considering going to ask the guy that bought my '11 if he would trade wheels with me...

Or, rip off the plastic cover and see what's underneath.

 

To the best of my knowledge, it is just a steel rim underneath.


As much business as you do with that dealer, ask them for better rims and see if they will trade them off of a truck in stock.