California Chrome Wheel Inc.

To prevent confusion as to what is and what is not covered under warranty, we have outlined below what is covered, the warranty time tables for each finish and have shown examples of conditions that are not covered under warranty. Please also see the maintenance area of this website for instructions on maintenance to prevent damage from salt and brake dust corrosion, which is not covered under warranty.

Warrantable Condition

California Chrome Wheel Inc. limited warranty covers only delamination / separation of the plating from the front face and front lip of the wheel or related accessory, caused by a manufacturing defect, not caused by impact, road hazard, chemical damage or improper installation technique.

Delamination / Separation

The example shown above is an example of a delamination / separation caused by a manufacturing defect. This defect was recognized only hours after completion. Upon inspection it was determined that the chemical manufacturer supplied the wrong concentration of a key chemical used in the final stage of the plating process. Such manufacturing defects are recognized during the quality control check phase, as this example was. It is rare for this type of defect to appear after this time frame.

Rest assured, if you have not seen this type of condition on your wheel within the first week of ownership that, with proper maintenance, our chrome plating will provide many years of service.

All Other Finishes: 1 Year

1-B

California Chrome Wheel Inc. limited warranty period is 1 (one) year for all other products and finishes listed below: Multi-Piece wheels (Simulated two piece, two piece welded, two piece assembled, three piece assembled, regardless of finish. Motorcycle wheels and related parts Chrome plated misc parts All Custom Paint Nickel Plated Wheels and Parts Inner Barrel Polishing Brushed Aluminum High Luster Polish Clear Coating Any labor required to disassemble and reassemble multi-piece wheels is warranted for 90 days from date of purchase. Because of the difficulty in plating the unique designs of 2-Piece welded wheels, we are not able to warrant the facial seam area of the wheel for any length of time (see photo at right). If any of the finishes we offer are applied to a previously chrome plated wheel (re-chrome), there is no warranty for the new finish due to the unknown condition of the base material of the wheel / part. See 1D.

Listed below are some, but not all, of the conditions that are not covered under warranty. Most of these conditions can be prevented throught proper maintenance and quality installation techniques.

Corrosion Due to Chemicals

2-A	Corrosion due to chemicals (Harsh wheel cleaners / polishes such as car wash wheel cleaners which can streak or change the color of the finish)

Climatic Conditions

2-B	Climatic Conditions (Road salts, snow melting / traction methods, blowing sand)

Neglect

2-C	Neglect (Brake dust build-up)

Damage to bead seat area from the use of incorrect tire lubricant when installing tires

2-D	Damage to bead seat area from the use of incorrect tire lubricant when installing tires (Only waterless wax based tire mounting solution should be used)

Acidic Corrosion

2-E	Acidic Corrosion (Including animal urine)

Surface Corrosion "Rust"

2-F	Surface Corrosion "Rust" (Not covered but can be prevented through proper maintenance.)

Plate damage due to corrosion of base material

2-G	Plate damage due to corrosion of base material. (Caused by neglect or defect in the base substrate material)

Blisters in the chrome plating

2-H	Blisters in Chrome Plating. (Caused by outgassing of trapped silica in the base substrate material.)

Listed below are some, but not all, of the conditions which are not covered under warranty, and further will void your remaining warranty.

Damage by improper tire mounting or improper tire mounting technique

3-A	Damage by improper tire mounting or improper tire mounting technique. (Chrome separation along edge due to incorrect machinery or improper mounting techniques)

Improper Installation

3-B	Improper installation. (Tearing of the chrome plating due to wheel being dragged across threaded center post of wheel balancer.)

Accident / Road Hazard / Curb Damage

3-C	Accident / Road Hazard / Curb Damage. (Curb damage, road hazards, debris impacting wheels etc.)

Alteration or Modification

3-D	Alteration or modification. (Including damage caused by razor blades and masking tapes, in painting on top of chrome plating.)

Finish / Wheels Damaged in Transit

3-E	Finish / wheels damaged in transit. (Retain all packaging materials and contact your courier or freight carrier.)

Finish Damaged Through Improper Cleaning

3-F	Finish damaged through improper cleaning. (Must use proper methods to clean the wheels. This is an example of steel wool used on chrome finish. See our care and maintenance section for cleaning tips and techniques.)

If you live in areas where there are extreme climate conditions, please be aware that additional care needs to be taken to keep the finish from being damaged. Additionally in any climatic area, care must be taken to periodically remove any brake dust from the inner barrel and windows of the chrome wheels.

• Example: areas that use salt on the roads. If the salt comes in contact with the wheel the finish can be damaged. It is advised to install different wheels during these conditions.
• Example: in coastal areas extra care needs to be taken to keep the wheels clean as the salt air and an accumulation of brake dust can damage the finish of the wheel.

Wheels manufactured by California Chrome Wheel Inc. carry a limited warranty for one year. This warranty does not include and will be voided by the conditions below:

• Any defect, malfunction or failure caused by damage to wheels in transit, off-highway use, during tire installation, or by abuse, misuse, accident or negligence.
• Wheels that have been altered or repaired.
• Wheels that have not been installed in accordance with California Chrome Wheel Inc. installation and application instructions.
• Wheels which have been installed on incorrect tire size or used with excessive vehicle loads.

For wheels with lower profile tires (18", 19", 20", 21", 22", 24", etc.) extra care must be taken, even during normal road use. Impacts from curbs, speed bumps, railroad tracks, potholes, driveway approaches, etc, can cause damage to the wheel due to the shorter tire sidewall having less deflection which transmits more energy into the wheel structure.

This structural warranty does not cover wheels which have NOT been manufactured by California Chrome Wheel Inc. For wheels which have been finished by California Chrome Wheel Inc., but manufactured by another party please refer to said manufacturers structural warranty information.

It is generally recognized that even after employing all the science known to us, and capable men with years of training, there still remains hazards in the electroplating and metal finishing fields. As a consequence, in order to avoid misunderstandings, we are setting forth below conditions under which your material will be accepted by us for processing.

• 6-A: Whenever we are given material with detailed instructions as to treatment, our responsibility shall end with the fulfillment of those instructions.
• 6-B: Our liability for any cause is limited to the quoted cost of our processing of your part, if directly damaged by our processing. Charges for our services are based on this policy limiting our liability.
• 6-C: We will assume liability greater than outlined in 5-B above only when so agreed in writing by us. In such event a higher charge may be made for our services.
• 6-D: Wheels, parts, materials, etc. as processed or sold by us, shall be presumed to be accepted as satisfactory by you if we are not notified of damages, shortages or other discrepancies, within 5 working days of your receipt of the same. For rejected wheels, parts, damages, shortages, or other discrepancies that qualify within the 5 day time period listed above please contact your sales representative in writing with your concerns. Upon receiving such request, we will respond in writing back to you, with options to resolve such problem. Further processing, assembly, or installation of rejected parts by you or any party other than California Chrome Wheel Inc. shall constitute a waiver of any liability on our part. The only exception to this is written confirmation by your California Chrome Wheel Inc. representative on California Chrome Wheel Inc. letter head.
• 6-E: Where operations or processes performed by us are in the nature of salvaging parts or materials (such as re-chroming, repairing, re-finishing) the work is accepted on a "best effort" basis and no liability shall attach to us unless previously agreed upon in writing prior to processing the job.
• 6-F: Our plating of Alloy wheels or parts is Decorative Chrome only (the shiny finish). Our processing concerns the front face of the wheel or part only. The inside barrel is excluded from the California Chrome Wheel Inc. Limited Warranty. Because of the difficulty in cleaning this area and the high instance of neglect, we cannot warranty this area for any period of time.
• 6-G: In the event that results of metal finishing operations are unsatisfactory due to metal imperfections, changes in grade or composition of materials, manufacturing and/or fabrication imperfections, usage's for which the plating or other finishing operation was not reasonably designed, and similar variables over which we have no control, the customer would be required to pay the contracted amount for the finishing operation performed.
• 6-H: We at California Chrome Wheel Inc. to the best of our ability and expertise, provide guidance in fitment, new goods, and services. But you the customer ultimately make the decision on what goods or services to purchase and are ultimately responsible for the fitment and usability. Other sources opinions may be sought before purchasing decisions are made, as there is no way for California Chrome Wheel Inc. to know and understand all of the intended uses of the products or services we offer.

*You must provide your original invoice when filing any warranty claim. Be sure to store your invoice and original documentation in a safe, secure location.

Upon reviewing the information listed, if you feel you have a wheel or part that falls within our warranty, please contact us and have ready your original invoice, and if possible, pictures of the area of concern. Upon consultation we will try to determine what action is necessary to address this area of concern. If the wheel or part is believed to be defective, please acquire from us a Return Authorization Number, and send the product freight pre-paid (you the customer pays) with detailed instructions. Once the product arrives, we will inspect the wheel or part and determine what needs to be done. If the chrome plating on a one piece wheel is found to be defective as detail listed above, it will be re plated at no charge, and returned to you the customer CCW freight pre-paid. For multi-piece wheels, custom wheel finishes, and specialty applications, there may be additional labor payment required to complete the re-plating process. If the wheel falls outside of the warranty policy, every effort will be made to rectify the problem at a special, discounted, agreed upon amount.

For customers of California Chrome Wheel Inc., who have product that is damaged, which is not covered under warranty we are able to offer to you any of our services at a 50% discount (not including freight).

Below is an example of a CalChrome customer who has electro chrome plated 20 inch wheels on their vehicle, whom curbed two of their wheels, and wishes to have them re-chrome plated. Curb damage as shown above is not covered under warranty, so the the customer would be responsible for the cost in re-chrome plating the wheels.

This example does not take any sort of freight into account, all freight costs are the responsibility of the customer.

If you have product from CalChrome that is damaged in a manner that is not covered under warranty, please feel free to contact one of our customer service representatives.

When changing to an upgrade package or upgrade finish from the original equipment setup the tire and wheel brand and/or sizing, this may effect the ride quality. This change is always a compromise and there are advantages and disadvantages to every upgrade package. The benefits of a larger/wider/lower profile setup are:

• Enhanced Appearance (Custom finish)
• Quicker Steering Response (Lower profile tires)
• Larger Contact Patch (Wider or larger tires)
• More Stability (Wider tires)

Unfortunately you may experience a firmer ride due to an upgrade with lower profile tires. Wider tires and wheels can also effect steering geometry which may result in slight vibration dynamics at certain speeds. Lower profile performance tires by design use a softer compound to achieve additional adhesion which usually shortens tread life.

Also the design of the upgraded wheel may or may not lend itself to providing space for the balancing wheel weights that the previous wheel may have allowed for. For example, some original equipment wheels accept wheel weights on the outside lip of the wheels. For cosmetic reasons the weights on upgrade packages are almost always installed on the inside barrel so they do not show.

If you are experiencing problems with the TPMS system (tire pressure monitoring system) such as the dash indication light has been illuminated and will not turn off, please first visually check to make sure you do not have a tire losing pressure. Sometimes when fitting the tire and wheel assembly it may take a learning period for the system to recognize all sensors. Many times all that is necessary is to drive the vehicle, and depending on the manufacturer, this can be as little as 1 to 2 miles, and as far as 15 to 20 miles to reactivate the system. Some auto manufacturers do require manually resetting of the system which might require a step-by-step procedure, we may have a detailed instruction sheet for you to follow.

If you are experiencing a ride quality condition that is more than described above in the first paragraph of this section, the problem may be something as simple as a wheel weight has fallen off, or an air pressure adjustment may be required. Also some manufacturers install retaining clips over the studs that hold the brake rotors to the vehicle during assembly. These clips must be removed to allow the wheels to sit flat, and snug against the hub surface.

If you have any concerns about any conditions listed above, please feel free to contact us for assistance. If for any reason you take it upon yourself to have an outside service provider attempt to investigate, analyze and / or fix such problem, California Chrome Wheel Inc. will not be responsible for any repair costs, down time or other consequential charges resulting in such repairs. California Chrome Wheel Inc. must be contacted first and allowed the opportunity to investigate, analyze and / or repair such problems.