I searched awhile and didn't find a satisfactory answer.

I've got a set of S4 wheels with a failed chrome plating, it's to the point they're leaking air now. I'm not taking the time to ship them out, and haven't found much for shops within a reasonable drive. They've got new rubber, but tires never did balance out very well.

What's the best course of action?

1.) Wash my hands of it all and find a new set of wheels/tires.
2.) Find a shop to strip and re-anodize
3.) Strip & polish

Removing the chrome & nickle plating without ruining the aluminum does not appear to be an easy task.

I much prefer the chrome appearance.

 

There are sets of manhole covers that come up every once in a while for barely north of shipping cost. I think I saw a S4 set in the last week, might be from Waltstar. I'm not sure I'd step up to a replating effort, and as you point out it costs more time/effort/$$ to strip and either polish or re-anodize than it will to find a decent used set.

A PNW owner shared forward a set of chromed S4 wheels, less than perfect plating but still 9/10. I also have the original S4 wheels with the original tires still mounted. Meanwhile, finding 16" rear performance tires is getting to be an ever-bigger challenge. Moving to 17" rims has been a blessing just for the tire selection, even though I have a couple sets of very serviceable S4 manholes. If you find yourself out in the wheel and tire market at the same time, look hard at 17" and maybe 18" options. I like the ride quality that the 17" wheels offer, but many are running 18" and not complaining too much.

 

I have a good set of chrome manholes, wider rears, with hand painted center caps I'm not using. New rubber, includes a fifth wheel/tire which was a "show off" piece for a chrome shop. Call/text Rick @ 816.853.4663 if interested in the set

 

Stripping off chrome is expensive and chances are there is corrosion underneath that wont refinish well. I'd vote of starting over

 

Chromed aluminum, sitting damp where the tire meets the wheel, has never turned out good.

Start over, with a virgin set of wheels.

Consider every alternative, other than chrome.

 

In the Marketplace tab, two sets of S4 wheels:
https://rennlist.com/forums/market/1109676
https://rennlist.com/forums/market/1108813

Or buy my Cup I reproductions:
https://rennlist.com/forums/market/1137738
Jason

 

Chrome is some pretty nasty stuff.

Very 'dirty' to put on. Very hard to remove.

As noted above, you are likely best off tossing them and starting over.

MHCs are pretty cheap.

If you like the 'shiny' look, get a set and remove the anodizing.
It's not super difficult, search google for the process. Lots of folks have inadvertently 'discovered' that caustic cleaners do a pretty good job of it.

Polish up the bare aluminum. While it's a lot softer (and more easily scratched) than the chrome, I think it looks pretty good.
I have a set of bare, polished aluminum on mine.

 

I have blasted one-off wheels before, one was for a Ferrari and the other a Honda. Issue was the replacement wheels had chrome that needed to come off the softer Alum alloy underneath. I blasted the wheels cleanly and with no damages to the aluminum substrate, each wheel was like 600.00 just to media blast. I gave up on time charges for these customers because it was insane.

 

So I vote start over.

I've got chromed manholes also, in good shape with some peeling at the lug holes. They work fine with decent handling and a nice ride quality with Bridgestone RE-11 summer tires (NLA). But tire selection is so limited I decided to go with new larger wheels.

I got Panamera 18" 5 spokes cheap on eBay. That allows for several brands of modern high performance all-season tires. On the big rims it's a noticeably harder ride but not unpleasantly so, and quite a bit stickier on the wider tires.

 

The needed tires for the manholes (rear) seem to come and go. They weren’t available in the fall of 2014, but were in the fall of 2017 (three manufacturers, even - I got the RE-11s). I think the deal is they make them in batches, when they feel like it. Unpredictable.

I was going to switch to other wheels, but I never quite grokked the details on offsets, etc. I know one person who went down that path and is now returning to manholes. In fact, I run with his old manholes (I got them just for the tires in the fall of 2014) and will soon be giving him my old manholes.

 

I like the ride better on the 16’s as well. Plus as these cars get older originality becomes more and more important.

When I go back to the manholes (Thanks Curt). I hope the RE-11’s are available again, they were great tires. Currently the only tires I can get are the Pirelli’s at $1600 cdn all in for 4 (about 1k usd on Tire Rack).

 

Just my opinion: Time to put those "originals" in the shed.....
Get some 17" Cup 1s or something else new....

Option 1 on your list. But keep those chromies around.