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[Sledge]

Hello all,

Chrome finish degrading everywhere on my flhtcuse6.  The backs of my mirrors look like they have been sandblasted.  There is very slight pitting like years worth of sand hitting it.  Also on cowbells and chrome lower legs and the heads.  Won't polish out.  Looks like a mist of acid was sprayed on it.  Very subtle with no bubbles or peeling.  I have chrome trim rings I bought back in 2003 and they are near perfect still.  My 8 year old motolights are still mirror finish.  Where the heck does HD get their chrome from, China?  Anyone have any similar issues?

Have heard that the original warranty will cover chrome pitting.  My 2 years are up on Feb 23.  Also heard you get one shot at it, if it happens again you are screwed.  Local dealer said he had one CVO customer very unhappy after all the work to replace it only to have it reoccur and now the moco won't cover it.

So does anyone else have any experience with this and is it true that I only have one shot at it?

I have read a lot about chrome treatments/polishes/etc., once I get the work done what should I use to prevent if from happening again, since the quality of the chrome is obviously poor?

Thanks

[Fired00d]

I see in your profile you live on the gulf coast so I'll just copy/paste a post that was made today on another thread regarding chrome pitting (BTW - you may want to search chrome pitting for more information on this same subject).

It doesn't really matter if your warranty is expired or not.  I see you live in Florida.  Since you live within a thousand miles of the ocean, Harley would have blown you off and blamed the "salt air" and other environmental factors for the problem.  If you think I'm kidding, try reading some of the many threads on the site about pitting and peeling chrome.  This is not a new thing, Harley's cheap Chinese chrome has been pitting and peeling for at least a decade.

Jerry

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[dayne66]

I've been on Vancouver Island for over 5 years now and only a few hundred yards from the ocean with no chrome issues on either bike....been using FUUKEN wax on paint and chrome. The chrome  HD license plate frame on the Jeep is pitted badly though.

[Sledge]

Thanks for the info Fired00d and Dayne66,

Since my dealer is sympathetic to the problem and has dealt with it before, I'm not too worried about getting the parts changed out.   I just want to keep it from happening again.  Trade the bike every 2 years?

So many opinions on how to treat chrome to prevent this.  What do you use Fired00d?

Thanks

[Fired00d]

Thanks for the info Fired00d and Dayne66,

Since my dealer is sympathetic to the problem and has dealt with it before, I'm not too worried about getting the parts changed out.   I just want to keep it from happening again.  Trade the bike every 2 years?

So many opinions on how to treat chrome to prevent this.  What do you use Fired00d?

Thanks

I don't use any... I wash (detail) the bike and use wax on the painted parts but that's it.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[braymond52]

I've been on Vancouver Island for over 5 years now and only a few hundred yards from the ocean with no chrome issues on either bike.....

I live about 1/4 mile from salt water.  My previous two H-D's had no issues with chrome pitting or flaking. 

[Sledge]

Yep, I live 1500 feet from the Gulf.  Never had any probs with my '03.

[Grizzly]

From what I've heard and read, it appears that only the newer bikes that are having concerns with their chrome.

I guess the Chinese don't know how to do chrome as good as us??? 

Just sayin' things have changed and NOT for the better.

[grc]

From what I've heard and read, it appears that only the newer bikes that are having concerns with their chrome.

I guess the Chinese don't know how to do chrome as good as us??? 

Just sayin' things have changed and NOT for the better.

Not really.  There are plenty of folks with older CVO's that had all sorts of major chrome problems, from wheels to mirrors to footboards.  Now if you go back a lot more years to when the stuff was made and plated somewhere other than China, Harley was known for having much better chrome parts than what was available in the aftermarket, and that quality justified their higher prices.  Now you just get the higher prices but not better quality.

Btw, to clarify my earlier post, I'm not the one saying living near salt water causes the problem, that was the BS Harley was using to avoid paying claims on all the cheap crap chrome they've been selling.  A properly plated part will hold up just fine.  My point was that Harley will try to BS you, so be prepared.

Jerry

[lestat210]

Hey Sledge,

How did this end up for you?  I've got the exact same bike, live on the coast, and all they say is, 'You must have run it through salt' or 'You stored it with pool chems' or ....  Well, you get the idea.

And on top of all that, the engine powder coating is flaking off!

This from a bike that listed for over 37K....really?

Infuriating.  

[LRebel]

I read somewhere.... sometime... recently that the EPA has put restrictions on the type of chemicals that platers use and this is effecting the quality of the chrome parts we are getting now.  Now, whether this is true or not... I don't know.  I am guessing that all boils down to something between EPA regulations and an effort to increase the bottom line by making stuff cheaper (like inferior metals).
Recently, I have had Kuryakyn accessories peel and pit... specifically, ISO grips and chrome clutch & brake levers that were less than a year old.

[Sledge]

Hey Sledge,

How did this end up for you?  I've got the exact same bike, live on the coast, and all they say is, 'You must have run it through salt' or 'You stored it with pool chems' or ....  Well, you get the idea.

And on top of all that, the engine powder coating is flaking off!

This from a bike that listed for over 37K....really?

Infuriating.  

Spoke to the dealer, who I know pretty well.  He thought it was one chrome item, one time.  Not what I heard so I'm going to call HD tomorrow.

Noticed that my chrome on the lower legs, cowbells, mirrors is all looking sandblasted but only on the front.  The backsides are all fine.  This tells me my problem is related to sand and road dirt hitting the surfaces but causing more damage than it should.  Thin chrome layer probably.  I think I can justify the replacement but since only the front is affected I'm not so sure.

I had my last bike for 6 years before I noticed any dulling of the front facing chrome.

My engine granite paint is doing fine so far.  I guess in this case we don't necessarily get what we pay for.

 

[CVOgaree]

Has anyone had issues with the grips peeling chrome?

[Mano]

Ish...no, not the grips. Had other issues though. Thats for other treads.

[grc]

I read somewhere.... sometime... recently that the EPA has put restrictions on the type of chemicals that platers use and this is effecting the quality of the chrome parts we are getting now.  Now, whether this is true or not... I don't know.  I am guessing that all boils down to something between EPA regulations and an effort to increase the bottom line by making stuff cheaper (like inferior metals).
Recently, I have had Kuryakyn accessories peel and pit... specifically, ISO grips and chrome clutch & brake levers that were less than a year old.

China doesn't follow EPA regulations, so I doubt Harley or anyone else could blame the EPA with a straight face.  The real issue is dollars and cents, since it is still possible to get really good chrome plating even in the USA with our environmental regulations.  You just have to pay for it, and Harley prefers to charge high prices, not pay them to suppliers.

Jerry