I see lots of new trucks with painted metal bumpers. Any experiences? It seems the chrome would be more durable and show less chips and such.

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chrome would be more durable and show less chips and such

^^^ yes ^^^ if that is your objective.
Mine are chrome and I hate them.
I'm looking for new bumpers but concerned with all the weight.
You can paint or wrap but probably will show more defects than chrome.

depends on the look you want. The chrome looks classy. The painted bumper looks more sporty.

I prefer the look of chrome.

I think that the chrome used to cover bumpers these days is much thinner than in years past.
Ergo, less durable and prone to rust. Not much different than a painted bumper.
I wonder why stainless steel is not used. Be a nice match for my two tone SP2022!

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Originally posted by YooperSigs:
I think that the chrome used to cover bumpers these days is much thinner than in years past.
Ergo, less durable and prone to rust. Not much different than a painted bumper.
I wonder why stainless steel is not used. Be a nice match for my two tone SP2022!

Send the bumper to CCR for refinishing.

There is no such thing as "chrome" anymore. Hasn't been for decades since the dogooders put the shops out of business.
If you are paying ten's of thousands for a new truck. I would go with a custom shop that builds a high quality, real steel bumper and have them powder coat. Every factory option in junk nowadays.

It's probably painted plastic, hardly anyone uses metal anymore. Weight reduction is a major initiative in the auto industry.

“Chrome don’t get you home”

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Originally posted by old rugged cross:
There is no such thing as "chrome" anymore. Hasn't been for decades since the dogooders put the shops out of business....

Untrue.

There are several shops still operating in the US of A that still do true tri-plating, by prepping the steel, then applying and polishing copper strike, then nickel plate, and then hexavalent chrome plating to finish.

As far as "thickness", the heaviest plate would be the copper, which is worked as much as required to obtain the best finish, (having the best steel prep as the first step). Copper step can be repeated until the surface is near flawless. Then the nickel plate is pretty much a set depth of covering, and then the chrome is also premeditation to provide the protection and luster.

The chrome is nearly (effectively) transparent but it does "color" (changes the tone) of the nickel that is otherwise a "warmer" hue.

Chrome plating is expensive, and many shops that do chrome use a "nickel/nickel/chrome" process with trivalent chrome.

These are not as durable, nor as appealing to the eye as copper/nickel/chrome using haxavalent.

And yes, Erin Brockovich and the EPA did more damage to chrome than all the salt dumped on the roads for all time.


My preference of chrome vs paint are specific to the overall look of the vehicle. A "sporty" truck may look better with paint, and a "custom" truck, may look better with chrome. Even if the same year/make/body.

SM, the shops doing chrome today are a shell of the shops doing real chrome work back in the day. They are not the same. Not even close.
The salt and MC will eat the new chrome jobs off in no time. Unless you are diligent about washing/rinsing it off. Then almost anything will last.

You are probably going to pay 5-7% the cost of a new truck for a high quality set of heavy steel powder coat custom bumpers.

Paint on mine. Only shiny bits are the horizontal grill bar & the bowtie.

I used to hate following a truck with a chrome bumper, or worse, the polished steel or chrome tailgates that were popular years ago. Both were blinding to drivers of average cars behind them.

Since I haven't noticed it lately, I'm guessing that paint has become more popular than chrome, and that's a good thing!

Back in the day we had our 55 & 56 Chrysler 300 bumpers rechromed with CuNiChrome. Later we had 66-68 Mustang bumbers redone. Early chrome was MUCH better (as were the bumpers)

On a pickup, I would never chrome the rear bumper due to the load-in and load outs abuse. Repaint is easy. Rechrome not so much.

Leave the chrome to 1958 Buicks and Olds

Chrome bumpers went the way of carburetors and tail fins.

I tend to keep cars for at least 10 years. My last two, a 4Runner and Tacoma, had chrome bumpers that began rusting thru at 7-8 years, especially the rear bumpers. Never again.

Have only had chrome bumpers and likely always will. With the Lovebugs down here, chrome can be scrubbed on where painted bumpers, not so much.

Rinoliner works for my custom rear bumper....it's been there 6 years and started to fade. A couple quick sprays and it looks good.

I hate chrome/chrome look alike anything on vehicles. Flat can’t stand it.
If it is super shines silver I do everything I can to make it go away.
The grille of my Expedition is plastichrome and I hate it.
Am trying to figure out the best way to get rid of it.
Paint, platidip, etc. but a replacement grille is $650 from the JY and $800 new so am being very careful.

As to the question either black or color matched depending upon application.

Machined silver wheels I am good with. I just hate super mirror shiney like chrome. Always have.

 
I love chrome. For many years I owned a daily driver '56 Chevy wagon, and of course I kept all of the chrome and stainless polished. Driving up I-270, you could see the sun's bright reflection off the front bumper pass over the overhead green signs.

Yep, certainly nothing wrong with a real chrome bumper set. Looked great on Camaro's, El Camino's, GTO's, Chargers, Malibu's and the likes. Even nice pickups.
The junk now, not so much.