Stainless??????

[49autocycledeluxe]

maybe they were plated before being painted. zinc or some kind of protective plating.

my best guess these are not original paint since they would have painted the insides as well. probably plated rimes painted over.

 

[30thtbird]

49autocycledeluxe. Come to think of it all of my other painted drop centers are painted inside.

I will try the magnet thing momentarily. Makes sense.
Ok. Just tried a magnet. Yep, stuck right to it. Not stainless.

The goodthebad&the rusty. Awesome analogy lol

Great links guys. Had read that one saladshooter. Was trying to find it again with no luck but bad.

Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

if you want to see what they look like under the paint I would recommend Jasco's paint remover in a spray can. paint practically falls off anything chrome plated using that stuff.

 

[30thtbird]

I'll give it a try. Thank you.

 

[Robertriley]

Is there a reinforced piece of metal by the valve stem area?

 

[GTs58]

Those are stainless rims. Magnets stick to stainless steel, no doubts about that fact. I see no rust so they are stainless! I can stick magnets on my Schwinn Corvette SS fenders all day long.
304 and 316 are generally regarded as non-magnetic in the annealed condition. This is the stuff used on your fridge.

 

[scooter_trasher]

Slightly magnetic still means it's not steel.

Since when did stainless steel become "not steel", some is even tool steel , like D2 which has a high chromium content

 

[GTs58]

Is there a reinforced piece of metal by the valve stem area?

Schwinn had their seams inline with the valve hole on some of their rims so I would assume that reinforcement piece is for the seam. Other SS rims may not have that piece if the seam is in a different location and or the material type or gauge is different.

 

[30thtbird]

Roberriley. I seen the thread you are referring to. I didn't notice anything but will look again in the morning. ( I work 3rds).

Gts58. I thought that as well. Some of the sheet metal on machines at work are that way and I know for a fact they are stainless.

Thanks for all of the input guys. I think I will go ahead and strip the paint off of one and see if there are any markings. If not I may go to a metal yard and try to get a first hand opinion. Does anyone know of a way to check without damaging my wheel?

 

[GTs58]

Clean up the wheels first and then do a short term corrosion test with vinegar and then salt water on a surface scratch if you really think these are not stainless. Most stainless is not 100% rust or corrosion proof as you can see around the ends of some of the nipples on the inside of your (stainless) rims. Only the non magnetic stainless will not rust. I'm sure once the paint is removed you'll be able to tell if they are plated or not.
I picked up a set of stainless fenders last week that were off a 1959 Schwinn Fair Lady. The outside of the fenders were beautiful but on the inside of the front fender I notice some large blotches of very light rust.