Posted by Clint Dixon [172.70.127.52] on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 10:18:29 :
In Reply to: DCs NOS Budd Wheel Rings posted by Marty [172.71.142.65] on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at 19:17:18 :
The debate as what the rings were coated with has been going on for years. Like Chris, I too was told years ago that they were Cadmium plated. At least on the civilian rings that were never painted, I tend to agree.
On all of the nice original civilian rings that I have observed, the plating has been relatively smooth, very thin, and had kind of became one (adhered within the surface) with the part. As the parts aged, the coating gradually faded off. Not unlike all of the Cadmium plated hardware on the trucks.
On the few military rings that I have seen, that had been painted with the OD paint and later removed, they appeared to have been originally covered (under the paint) with a much thicker coating that was much rougher and looked just like galvanized.
Here is a sure-fire test.
Take a chisel and a BFH and make several deep dents in the rings. If the coating flakes or peels off in large chips, it is galvanized. If there no flaking, it is Cadmium plated.
;^)
Junior
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