Posted by Clint Dixon on Friday, June 03, 2005 at 12:55PM :
In Reply to: Re: wheel colors and more... posted by Mac from Texas the rabblerouser on Thursday, June 02, 2005 at 8:33PM :
Interesting. All the good condition civilian lock rings I have seen were Cadmium plated, and not painted over by Dodge. I wonder if those painted NOS ones you have were military NOS as supplied for M37 model trucks? Just thinking out loud here, but that could explain the reason for zink coating (galvanized) instead of Cadmium plating. Both coatings kept the rings from rusting to the wheel but Cadmium plated parts look a whole lot nicer and cleaner for civilian use. Zink coated rings would be better if they were going to then be painted over and supplied to the military.
Good Cadmium plated parts almost appear anodized. Zink coated parts appear to have a thicker coating and this can flake off exposing rusted metal. Cadmium parts tend to appear to be rusting from the surface down through the plating into the metal. Old Cadmium plated lock rings can become discolored enough during the oxidation process to appear similar in appearance to zink coated parts.
You're just dazzled from the brilliance of those unique early WDX cast bronze parts found on your truck. Better put some welding goggles on. ;^)
Junior