I have been contemplating doing the chrome front end over the winter. I think my local dealer advertises $699. I think that is labor and all for a winter special. My question is, I have a shop down the street that does chroming, powder coating, media blasting etc, what would be the difference in buying the chrome front end at the dealer vs. taking mine apart and having the shop chrome everything and then putting it back together? Are the parts identical outide of being chromed?

I could definately do the work myself so I am not worried about that.

 

Some times the polishing process will bring out pits in the metal. I've taken some to the chromers that looked like crap after the polishing due to all the pits. The HD chromed stuff is better because they probably sort out the bad ones. I've also had a lot chromed that looked great. FYI, mine are chromed stock ones.

 

I thought chroming was a dipping process

 

I bought mine off ebay and 2 years later, they look great! I still have my stockers in a box in the garage.

 

Not exactly. The part is first polished to remove casting or machining marks. Then the part is put through a series of plating steps.

 

Have you looked at ***** Shiney, they offer a trade process that I have heard good things about. I am thinking I am going to go that way. I believe they are also a form sponsor.

 

I have had the forks chromed on my previous HD Roadglide. They are the same. I say try it since the savings would be huge. Your bike will also be torn apart so if it turns out bad you could always buy from a online dealer for approx. 400.00 and just put on.

 

Make sure your chromer can do a quality job. Here's some links to places that do exchange & have GREAT reputations!


http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?item=...s-chrome&rt=nc

http://www.ebay.com/sch/rick9662/m.h...p2047675.l2562

http://www.willyshiny.com/

 

I just checked out that ***** Shiny- $175 is a good deal

 

I did the chrome exchange from an EBay seller located in Santa Clara. Cant remember the name but they are on ebay and offer a core exchange program, or you can send them yours and they will chrome them.