1990 GW - Anyone have a solution for rechroming these bumpers?

[PhatAssWJ]

So I'm told these are aluminum bumpers on the Grand Wagoneer, whereby they cannot be rechromed.

Does anyone have a suggestion for this? Front bumpers are still available from DC, but personally, it's the rear bumper I need replaced/rechromed.

Thanks!

[18cherokee]

i've been told its entirely possible to re-chrome them :confused:

[Lindel]

They are aluminum, yes, and they can't be re-chromed because they weren't ever chromed in the first place.

Aluminum isn't real fond of chrome and after several years it will literally fall apart, but if you want to chrome it, go ahead.

[yankeedog]

powder coating

[Ghinmi]

They did make chromed aluminum bumpers for one year, 1979. It was a disaster and I wouldn't recommend trying it yourself. I have heard of people stripping the anodizing and polishing the aluminum to a nice shine. I'm sure someone who has done this will offer you some advice.

Greg

[DanHS]

when I bought my Chero, the original owner told me how he had to go back to the dealer because the chrome came off the bumpers pretty quickly, they replaced them for him. You can polish the bumpers and get them real shiny, then clearcoat them if you like or keep up on polishing them. There's a chrome powdercoat finish I've seen before used on exhuast tips. They might even look good bead blasted and anodized with a satin finish.

[cowspyrsy]

I work for Keystone Auto (body parts), & have a rear in stock for that. I'm in KC, but we have a store in Chicago. They can transfer it in about a day or two. Its not OEM, but an aftermarket look-alike.

[Ristow]

They did make chromed aluminum bumpers for one year, 1979. It was a disaster and I wouldn't recommend trying it yourself. I have heard of people stripping the anodizing and polishing the aluminum to a nice shine. I'm sure someone who has done this will offer you some advice.

Greg


i did it.


http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=54601

[mdill]

I work for Keystone Auto (body parts), & have a rear in stock for that. I'm in KC, but we have a store in Chicago. They can transfer it in about a day or two. Its not OEM, but an aftermarket look-alike.

I assume that would be a aftermarket chromed steel bumper, rather than the OEM polished aluminum?

Mike D.

[cowspyrsy]

Yes

[PhatAssWJ]

Yes (I assume that would be a aftermarket chromed steel bumper, rather than the OEM polished aluminum?)

Right, so that being said, I'd rather keep with the original approach. Thanks though, good to know...

[tgreese]

Buying a repop chrome anything today is cheaper than rechroming the original, because of the environmental laws.

The aftermarket chrome steel bumper sounds like a good option to me.

[PhatAssWJ]

i did it.


http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=54601

Invaluable :thumbsup:

I'm all over this, but since I'm up in Minocqua this weekend :drivin: (yes, I saw you were from WI) I don't have the GW here to crawl under and check this out, so I figured I'd ask...

The rubber on the bumper- I believe I noticed when I had my new exhaust installed that the rear bumper's rubber corners were held on with bolts. Thing is, what are the front pushes fastened with (black, rubber bumpers evenly offset from center (name?))?

Ideally I don't want to remove the bumpers for this process, so, there's why I ask. The rear scratches I make reference to were caused by the original owner having backed into the tongue of his boat trailer a few too many times; nice deep gouges, but no dents, but quite obvious now having read this thread, looks worse because they're scratches in clearcoat... makes sense now.

I'm operating under the assumption that the gouges are deep enough to have damaged the surface of the aluminum, so I really hope some elbow grease will level it all off.

So again, since this was a long thread, questions were:

* Does the bumper HAVE to be removed for stripping?

* What is the rubber on the bumpers fastened with up front? Anything I need to know about removing that stuff (prone to snapping plastic during removal, etc)? This vehicle is COMPLETELY rust-free, but I still can't discount the likelihood of bolts breaking.

* IF a guy wanted to re-apply the clearcoat, what do you suppose was on there originally? Yes, I recognize of I go this route, I MUST remove the bumper.

[shackwrrr]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e357/shackwrrr/DCP_1590.jpg


guess Im preatty lucky then eh. mines only flaking in one spot on each side

[Hunter Green 91]

So again, since this was a long thread, questions were:

* Does the bumper HAVE to be removed for stripping?

I just took mine off for the same reason. The bumper guards and nerf strips should be removed before polishing. The bumper guards are bolted on with the bumper bracket, so you have to remove the bumper first.

* What is the rubber on the bumpers fastened with up front? Anything I need to know about removing that stuff (prone to snapping plastic during removal, etc)? This vehicle is COMPLETELY rust-free, but I still can't discount the likelihood of bolts breaking.

Bolts.
Mine had some light rust on the bolts. I only messed up one bumper bolt.

* IF a guy wanted to re-apply the clearcoat, what do you suppose was on there originally? Yes, I recognize of I go this route, I MUST remove the bumper.

Check Ristow's posting about clearcoat. I would just keep them polished.

[Tonka J200]

I have thought of going with the stripping/polishing route with mine and then sealing them with this stuff:

http://www.zoops.com/zoopseal.asp

It's a sealer and not a clear coat. Supposed to protect for a couple years.
It looks like it's kinda pricey, but if it works it might be worth it.

[Chrome]

Another alternative is to Chrome paint them. A company called Alsa Corporation makes Chrome paint that actually does look like real Chrome. Here's the addy to their homepage.

www.alsacorp.com (http://www.alsacorp.com)

http://alsacorp.com/products/chromefx/images/machines/P1130706_L.jpg