Best option to de chrome plastic (10 Viewers)

[JHE4601]

Hey there. I searched the forum but didn’t come up with much. Maybe I missed something. Anyways trying to dechrome a few plastic trim pieces in the LC. What has most used to get the already peeling chrome off the front trim for lights? Sorry if this has been discussed before. I could not find it. Thx

 

[MrMacdugal]

Sand it off with some medium/fine grit sandpaper, then paint or re chrome however you like.
I literally was just doing this

 

[tucson_sailors]

Yah. I've seen paint over with a primer and repaint to suit without the chrome removal. But, you tend to see peeling off of the chromed layer. Suspect the physical sand with fine grit paper won't damage the substrate plastic too much and give good tooth for the new paint.

Glenn in Marana

 

[mattressking]

Soda blasting *might* do the trick.

 

[k91]

I’ve used easy off oven cleaner in the past on plastic parts on a car to strip the chrome off. You may try that...

 

[BMValentine]

I used Bleach to take the chrome off, it takes a little while to soak it and you need a large container depending on what you are de-chroming. It was kind of a pain because it took a couple iterations of soaking then sanding, soaking then sanding, etc.

 

[gregnash]

This spring I am going to attempt (yet again) to paint mine. This time will be sanding with something like 240grit or 320grit and then using a high build DTM (direct to metal) primer. Let that completely cure, rough up with 320grit and then 500grit and then spray my chosen color over.

 

[Mike FJ62]

I took my grille/headlight to a chroming place and had them remove it through their chemical process. It was like getting a brand new grille down to the stock yellow plastic, then primed and painted. This was years ago and the price may not be worth it nowadays, but it was definitely the best way to remove it imo.

 

[IslandJ]

This spring I am going to attempt (yet again) to paint mine. This time will be sanding with something like 240grit or 320grit and then using a high build DTM (direct to metal) primer. Let that completely cure, rough up with 320grit and then 500grit and then spray my chosen color over.

Called around her in LA and most people wouldn't touch chrome on plastic. One place said their minimum was $125. The last chrome shop I called said to do exactly what you mentioned @gregnash

 

[hurricane51]

I used hydrochloric acid (toilet bowl cleaner), it took soaking the parts for a few weeks but all the chrome literally fell off

 

[doug720]

I used this company to strip the chrome off my grills and other parts - Home

They are in Santa Fe Spings and when they did mine a couple of years ago, they only charged $35 for 2 grills and 4 headlight surrounds. Like stated earlier, they come back looking like new, ready to paint!

Here's what the parts looked like after stripping!

 

[IslandJ]

Those look great. I just called them and they no longer have the bath set up to dechrome plastic but were willing to set it up for $100.
Not really worth it unless a handful of us sent them out to them at the same time.

 

[guerasfj60]

willing to set it up for $100.
Not really worth it unless a handful of us sent them out to them at the same time.

Let me know if you decide. I'll throw in a set

 

[Spook50]

Super Clean. Get enough to submerge the part and let it soak. This will dissolve the chrome plating. It's very common for people to use it with the thin plating put on plastic model pieces and when restoring old Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. Granted the chrome plating on our parts is much thicker, it should still work but take a lot longer. Really I wish there was a good way to dismantle FJ62 mirrors so that plastic could be dechromed too without damaging the motors.

 

[IslandJ]

I’m at day 4 of soaking my 60 grill in a 1:1 purple power to water bath. The paint on top of the chrome is wiping off. The actual chrome seems unbothered even in the areas that have been sanded or chipped.
I’ll let it soak for another few days to see what happens.

 

[Wayne Jacobs]

Really I wish there was a good way to dismantle FJ62 mirrors so that plastic could be dechromed too without damaging the motors.

Gouge on this would be priceless!

 

[drwright68]

I am going to try soaking mine in muriatic acid from a pool store.

 

[NookShneer]

I am going to try soaking mine in muriatic acid from a pool store.

I had success with muriatic acid.

 

[k91]

Again, a can of easy off oven cleaner will get the job done in 30 minutes. Spray it on and wipe it off when you see the chrome peeling.

 

[Spook50]

Again, a can of easy off oven cleaner will get the job done in 30 minutes. Spray it on and wipe it off when you see the chrome peeling.

I might have to give this a try with my mirrors. Obviously since they're motorized with no way of taking apart I can't just dip the whole schmear into a bucket of Purple Power or muriatic acid, but the black paint is ALWAYS coming off of the chrome, no matter how much prep I put into it.