What are the cons of polishing factory flat wheels?
10-31-2002, 11:10 PM
#2
Addict
Rennlist Member
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I think you may be confusing polishing with plating.
Porsche doesn't recommend chrome plating wheels because the process could reduce the strength of the wheels.
If you're just thinking of buffing up a shine, there should be no problem. However, if you wear through the protective coating the wheels may become dull due to oxidation.
Porsche doesn't recommend chrome plating wheels because the process could reduce the strength of the wheels.
If you're just thinking of buffing up a shine, there should be no problem. However, if you wear through the protective coating the wheels may become dull due to oxidation.
11-01-2002, 12:21 AM
#3
I've got a set of polished S4 wheels on my '79, no coating just raw polished aluminum.
They don't seem to dull up as quickly as alot of other rims I've had in the past and when they do it's quick work with Mother's and a rag to bring them right back.
I've also got a set of polished phone dials....ughhh...not much fun to keep shiny.
They don't seem to dull up as quickly as alot of other rims I've had in the past and when they do it's quick work with Mother's and a rag to bring them right back.
I've also got a set of polished phone dials....ughhh...not much fun to keep shiny.
Oh nice.......I just got my phonedials polished, and they look terrific!! <img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" />
11-01-2002, 03:24 AM
#5
928 Barrister
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Isn't the reason polishing is discouraged because stress cracks may develop more readily across smooth surfaces? The ideal would be glass bead blasting the surface to reduce the liklihood of surface tension cracks and stress concentrations. <img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" /> 
11-01-2002, 08:29 PM
#7
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Polishing is not, to the best of my knowledge, discouraged by anyone.
Polishing does not increase the probability of stress riser, but will in fact improve fatigue life.
Shot peening a surface increases fatigue life by compressing the surface material. Glass beading helps a little bit, but not as much as peening.
Fatigue life is not usually a factor with stock wheels, whether polished or not.
Porsche discourages plating of factory wheels, since they can not control the process. Some plating processes will weaken the wheels, some won't.
Polishing does not increase the probability of stress riser, but will in fact improve fatigue life.
Shot peening a surface increases fatigue life by compressing the surface material. Glass beading helps a little bit, but not as much as peening.
Fatigue life is not usually a factor with stock wheels, whether polished or not.
Porsche discourages plating of factory wheels, since they can not control the process. Some plating processes will weaken the wheels, some won't.
