Stock Chrome Rims Leaking Air

[ChaosOrion]

So, my tires keep losing air for the past year. And there is a vibration like they are out of balance.

So, after buying new Z-rated tires again, Im still having the air loss and vibration. Stumping both me and the employees at Discount Tire Co.

Finally I take it back and speak with a manager and had the road force test the wheels and tires, and they show me why the tires are loosing air...they found that the chrome is peeling off the rim, and the manager who found the problem told me its a common problem with Lexus Stock Chromed rims, because apparently Lexus Rims arent Chrome Stock, Lexus dealers send the rims to be chromed.

Anyone else with similar problems?

[dcfish]

The wheels need to be burnished where the tire seals to the wheel , And yes lexus factory chromes are for real they do not send the wheels out before they are installed at the factory . If the wheels you have are peeling they have chromed aftermarket , If you bought the car new from dealer they will cover the problem !!!

[ChaosOrion]

:o

Lexus dealer here in PHX is the ones who told me the rims are all sent out to be chromed, they also had a very very hard time finding replacement center caps, because chrome centercaps are aftermarket (at the dealer) also.

its a 98, and the wheels did come with the car new...its got 140K miles...Do you think the dealer will still fix the problem? If so, awesome

thx

[loopydloop]

Greetings. I have a 1995 GS 300 in impeccable condition but I, too, have the air loss from peeling chrome on the rims. I took it to the dealer a few years back and found that they are, indeed, sent out to be chromed. I have had all my wheels rechromed once at a very high cost and a year later they were leaking again so I don't want to go that route again. I love the car and I am the original owner. It is all original and working great at 98,000 miles. But, I have to say I have about had it with this tire leak problem and I am nearly ready to replace the chromed rims with something new that will not peel. I had to replace original equipment, but this is ridiculous, expensive and unsafe. Are there some thoughts or suggestion out there on what I might do?

Loopydloop

[S2KDDS]

I have a 99 GS4 and had to have a factory rim replaced. It came directly from Lexus (Toyota) and was already chrome. Factory, not sent out.

[ChaosOrion]

S2KDDS,

Hey, did you order the rim from Toyota Directly, or through the dealer. All 3 Lexus Dealers in the Phoenix area told me that all chrom lexus wheels are chromed after the wheels get to the US.

Also..The chrom was peeling at 60K miles, cuz thats when the air pressure proplem started...I think Lexus "The passionate pursuit of perfection" should be replacing wheels that peel....wheels simply should not go bad, period. (unless smahed into a curb...hehe)

[EuroGSL]

I do have a set of 18" x 8.5 silver polished Momo Arrow wheels that used to be on my maxima, but I still am looking for a place in tx preferably, to chrome them and put them on GS. Anyone know of any places that chrome plate wheels?

[loopydloop]

I took my GS300 (see earlier post above) to my local Lexus Dealer yesterday and, for a cost of $90 (diagnostic fee), they told me what I had told them in the first place - That the wheels were peeling chrome causing the tires to leak and had done so before. They told me that all chome plated rims eventually peel and that this speads like a cancer on the chrome. They also informed me that new chrome wheels would cost $2500 and there was no guarantee that these would not peel in a couple of years as well. I politely declined the replacement and I am looking for some nice, NON plated, aftermarket rims that will look good with this model. That's the latest from me and, for my money, I would stay away from chrome plating unless you want a lot of headaches. They sure look great but they'll cost you and cost you down the road a piece.

[loopydloop]

Hi S2KDDS. I thought the wheels were factory chromed, too. They look beautiful. But I was assured at Lexus, just today, that their chrome wheels are just the normal alloy wheels, chrome plated (at the factory or when they reach the states is unclear) but one thing that is for sure (so they say, off the record, when confronted) eventually chrome plated wheels will peel. I found out the hard way. Twice.

[Vikin9]

Why don't you just put a little "stop leak" in there?

Only your tire technician will ever know.