Best way to remove chrome from plastic

[K1RC]

Hi I have a bumper here that has seen better days and the chrome paint is flaking badly. I just wondered what the best way is to remove it and are there any ways to re-paint it? Thanks in advance

[cmac]

Originally Posted by K1RC

Hi I have a bumper here that has seen better days and the chrome paint is flaking badly. I just wondered what the best way is to remove it and are there any ways to re-paint it? Thanks in advance

Yes I would like to know if this can be done without damaging the plastic too. I have a set of wheels that would look really cool in flat or satin black instead of chrome. I would think any chemicals would damage the plastic and sandblasting might scratch the plastic. I was thinking of just doing a light sanding and then spraying primer and then painting the wheel. I would guess that it would be the same for your bumper.

[gumleguf]

Haven't tried it myself but maybe Acetone?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X7aK9XgkuI

[cmac]

you don't think it will ruin the plastic?

[gumleguf]

Not making any promises but I know it's a commonly used method for removing tires from wheels.

[cmac]

Yes you are right. I think I have seen that somewhere, and the wheels were fine. I just wish I had an old wheel or something I could test it on.

[josh9mille]

try some Brakleen (brake clean)

This might sound crazy,back in the day when i was building model cars i use to vinager
to remove the crome on bumpers and some crome wheels.Just let it soak for a couple
of hours or let it soak overnight.The crome will come right off with out damaging the plastic.

[JAILBIRD]

I stripped the chrome off a set of Proline wheels. I used Easy-Off oven cleaner to dissolve the chrome. Spray it on and leave it until you see the chrome dissolve. Then I used a scrub brush to get into the cracks. Under the chrome is a yellowish coating. Im guessing the coating is used to make the plastic conductive so it can be plated. I can't remember if I used the oven cleaner or simple green to get the yellow coating off. I tried one and it didn't do anything, but the other stripped it right off. after that I tried to dye the wheels bright yellow and they looked like crap, so I dyed them black. They came out looking pretty good. The dye job isn't as good as a fresh set of white wheels. I've also never had any problems with the wheels as far as durability etc.

[K1RC]

Originally Posted by JAILBIRD

I dyed them black.

What did you use to dye them?

[JAILBIRD]

Rit dye, liquid or powder.

[K1RC]

Yeah most people seem to use that and get pretty good results

[Bondonutz]

I tried dying chrome Proline rims once, the chrome came off and they were semi-gloss black and they looked great.

[MiRatlhed]

I soak Tamiya TXT rims in Purple Power cleaner overnight and it makes the chrome vanish and does not hurt the Tamiya plastic. You can soak them for 2 weeks without it hurting them. But it works great overnight for me and the stuff is cheap. Get it at Advanced Auto stores.