The stuff is probably brake dust. I also has a mark from where a sticker was located. Neither came off with the Ice wax. That stuff is a good wax but does nothing if the surface needs cleaned.

Definitely don't use the Never Dull stuff if it is the wool like material that comes in a can. On my last truck, I had a bunch of brake dust that wouldn't come off the clads and the Turtle Wax Chrome Polish did the trick. It is cheap and in a white bottle. Wal Mart sells it so it is easily obtained.

 

Mine are dull around the edges as well. The 1/2" ring around the rim that the bead of the tire sits on is tarnished. It's almost like some sort of black spray that was applied to the tires when they were seated on the rims at the factory. I've also noticed that one of my rims has about 10-12 wheel weights glued inside while the others only have 2-3. I've used my fingernail and windex to scratch off this tarnish or over spray. It's a PITA and takes alot of elbo grease. I've thought of using some sort of mag polish or maybe a majic eraser. I'm pretty sure it's from something the factory used in assembly. You have to get real close to see it as well. It looks like paint over spray or something.
--Hop

 

Wonder if you could use a clay bay on those wheels?

 

I have used Never Dull on this truck and my last truck with chrome clads and found it to work really well. Gets the stains off and soft enough not to scratch. I do usually follow up with some kind of wax though. The Never Dull seems to leave the finish shiny but bare so Iput on a quick coat of wax.

 

I had a problem with 1 of the 4 wheels and they replaced it underwarrenty. I had the truck 2 weeks and never used any chemicals on the wheels. I was honest, showed it to them they took it around back (tried to clean it off) and said, we will order a new one. Now I am doing the same with the rear spoiler. Waitting to see what they say about it.

 

Chrome clad, plastic with a chromed finish. So the chrome is over the plastic, right? If so chrome is chrome, just like the grill is chrome clad.

 

My truck had transport gunk on the rims, so I took some regular Turtle Wax and cleaned them up. I just waxed them just like I would the paint. It took a couple of rounds of wax and then clean, but they polished up and shined like a gem.

On a side note, does the chrome clad plastic come off the rim somehow? I was wondering that if in 5 or 6 years when the plastic is all scratched up or whatnot if you could pull the chrome clad off and replace it.

 

i had the same problem but i got a window cleaning cloth set (ones a microfiber cloth and the other is a polishing cloth) that u dont need to use windex or anythin wit and when i was my truck i use the chamois to put some water on the rim and use the polishing cloth and it cleans it up nicely. i think its just some sort of road grime or somethin

 

That clad is pretty permanent. Just saw a guys 09 in the body shop here that pulled out in front of someone. The wheel got hit and the clad didn't shatter, but got cut from something. I was surprised to see that it held up that good.

 

I was incredibly disappointed when I learned the 300C I was going to buy in 2006 had chrome clad wheels. We still got the car and I'm pretty surprised that they've held up so well. When we decided to get the Ram I was again surprised to find the 20" upgrade was chrome clad, but the experience with the 300C has me less worried.

In both cases I'm surprised that they went with chrome clad - both our 300C and Ram stickered at 40k+ yet my 2002 PT Cruiser that stickered just over $20k came with actual metal chromed wheels. My main guess is that a lot of people don't take the time to clean their true metal chromed wheels and complain about the brake dust eating into them. Maintenance-wise the chrome clad are definitely less work.