springforfun34 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 These Chrome clad wheels sound awful. I can't believe anyone on here can defend them. It sounds like the Ford Beancounters are trying to take over Ford again. "Let see, we charge them Chrome wheel prices, but get them a glued on chrome hubcab" A design has to be robust to normal customer usage. A light curb scruff shouldn't cause that much damage. Worse, the design of these "Clad" are on top of the regular wheel which makes them stick out past a normal wheel, and makes them easier curb targets. Kinda like making bumpers out of glass, so they would shatter at the slightest bump. Yeah, it's the drivers fault if they bump something, but they should be a little robust. Almost everyone takes their cars through car washes, so I'm hoping that there was some testing to make sure the clad wheels are robust to that. A friend just got these on new Explorer and they didn't sound all that good to me. I would rather just take the regular non-blingy aluminum wheel than these. Borg-I would take the car in for a warranty repair and argue it with service manager. If Ford Beancounters get enough claims, they will change for a robust design. If someone buys a new Ford for the first time, with these Chrome clad wheels, will not think highly of Ford Quality after a couple years. Imagine if they get hit for a big bill at the end of a lease for 1 or 2 new Chrome Clad wheels! I guarantee they won't be a repeat buyer then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixt9coug Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 These Chrome clad wheels sound awful. I can't believe anyone on here can defend them. Who is defending them? Im just making a point that reasoning for being defective is due to curb contact due to driver error and not due to a design fault of the wheels themselves. When these start to peel and rust on their own then talk to me. I think its a hokey design myself, but because i think its cheesy to make wheels this way doesnt mean that they are automatically defective. Id much rather have polished aluminum, over CHROME even. Then again, as i said before, im not a chrome kind of guy. Or a clad kind of guy for that matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
springforfun34 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Actually, even without curb damage, these Chrome Clad Wheels seem to have other troubles: Noises (temperature creep of different materials?) and brass showing. Ford Edge Forums are showing: http://www.fordedgeforum.com/index.php?sho...amp;#entry23505 I wonder if Ford is the only one trying these things out in the market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixt9coug Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Actually, even without curb damage, these Chrome Clad Wheels seem to have other troubles: Noises (temperature creep of different materials?) and brass showing. Ford Edge Forums are showing: http://www.fordedgeforum.com/index.php?sho...amp;#entry23505 I wonder if Ford is the only one trying these things out in the market. Dodge has used them on their trucks for at least 7 years now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazda626 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 (edited) Here are some images of the inside of the chrome clad wheels from my 2008 Taurus. It looks like the cladding is glued onto the wheel. These 18" 7-spoke wheels were a $695 option when I bought the car. That's a lot of money to glue on some additional hubcaps. These are no longer an option on the 2009 Taurus Limited and are now standard. Edited January 2, 2009 by mazda626 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noah Harbinger Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 (edited) nevermind.... Edited January 2, 2009 by Noah Harbinger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemiman Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 These Chrome clad wheels sound awful. I can't believe anyone on here can defend them. It sounds like the Ford Beancounters are trying to take over Ford again. "Let see, we charge them Chrome wheel prices, but get them a glued on chrome hubcab" A design has to be robust to normal customer usage. A light curb scruff shouldn't cause that much damage. Worse, the design of these "Clad" are on top of the regular wheel which makes them stick out past a normal wheel, and makes them easier curb targets. Kinda like making bumpers out of glass, so they would shatter at the slightest bump. Yeah, it's the drivers fault if they bump something, but they should be a little robust. Almost everyone takes their cars through car washes, so I'm hoping that there was some testing to make sure the clad wheels are robust to that. A friend just got these on new Explorer and they didn't sound all that good to me. I would rather just take the regular non-blingy aluminum wheel than these. Borg-I would take the car in for a warranty repair and argue it with service manager. If Ford Beancounters get enough claims, they will change for a robust design. If someone buys a new Ford for the first time, with these Chrome clad wheels, will not think highly of Ford Quality after a couple years. Imagine if they get hit for a big bill at the end of a lease for 1 or 2 new Chrome Clad wheels! I guarantee they won't be a repeat buyer then! Not Ford bean counters. It's the EPA. Real chrome plating is VERY expensive now due to environmental issues. Not a problem for me as I prefer the look and function of aluminum alloy. This "chrome cladding" is just an attempt to get "the look" without the huge expense. They must have achieved this goal as Borg and others liked "the look" when they purchased the product. Oh yeah, I backed my PzKw-V into my wife's Freestar. The cheap tail light lens on the Freestar cracked. Anyone think Ford will give me a new one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exploder48 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 (edited) Not Ford bean counters. It's the EPA. Real chrome plating is VERY expensive now due to environmental issues. Not a problem for me as I prefer the look and function of aluminum alloy. This "chrome cladding" is just an attempt to get "the look" without the huge expense. They must have achieved this goal as Borg and others liked "the look" when they purchased the product. Oh yeah, I backed my PzKw-V into my wife's Freestar. The cheap tail light lens on the Freestar cracked. Anyone think Ford will give me a new one? People, People. I do not understand this entire issue of the chrome clad wheels. I've had them on my 07 Edge SEL for two years, driven through tons of New York Salt Roads, even scratched one of them. I have never seen any sign of corrosion or rust on the wheels so I cannot understand how it could happen. I agree with you guys on BORG, he's never been a whiner, so what could be the cause? Anybody else have this issue? By the way, it's all about the look anyway!! Edited January 2, 2009 by exploder48 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I agree with you guys on BORG, he's never been a whiner, so what could be the cause? Anybody else have this issue? By the way, it's all about the look anyway!! I'm thinking it may be a bad batch of wheels. That does happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 (edited) People, People. I do not understand this entire issue of the chrome clad wheels. I've had them on my 07 Edge SEL for two years, driven through tons of New York Salt Roads, even scratched one of them. I have never seen any sign of corrosion or rust on the wheels so I cannot understand how it could happen. I agree with you guys on BORG, he's never been a whiner, so what could be the cause? Anybody else have this issue? By the way, it's all about the look anyway!! last post because this is going no-where....the rust is there due to owner incurred damage....is that really that hard to fathom? Borg should take one on the chin and admit that the ONLY reason it is rusting IS in fact due to his OWN actions....man, let me put it this way, if it was me in the same situation, I would not even embarass myself attempting to shift ACCOUNTABILITY to a party not in the slightest bit responsible...because it would be MY fault, no-one elses.....there is absolutely no grey area here in the slightest. NONE....so you guys continue passing blame, its echoing Otis Ford Sucks..... Edited January 2, 2009 by Deanh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 so you guys continue passing blame, its echoing Otis Ford Sucks..... I wouldn't go that far. We have agreed that BORG has never been a complainer, nor has he sought out "something for nothing" in the past. He has admitted his error in hitting the curb. But many had hit curbs without this kind of corrosion. So something is not quite right. There should be a little more protection of the wheels. Minor brushes with the curb are to be expected with "some" of today's drivers. No different than I would expect the paint under the door locks to be able to take light brushing of keychains without breaking the clearcoat. I don't think anyone should expect Ford to pay for their negligence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 For the record, I have had problems with my Ford vehicles in the past. Heck, my wife's Freestyle has problems with it right now (drivers heated seat inoperative, CEL routinely comes on, headlight switch backlight out) but what the hell, shite happens. I've had problems with my trucks (now and in the past) I've caused self inflicted damage to vehicles (burned out a tranny on a Chev pickup due to my own negligence). So I'll claim driver error where need be. I'll assign Ford blame where need be and chalk things up to "natural vehicle problems" where need be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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