Wheels: to paint or not to paint?

[tyrantx]

I'm detailing my 96-98 style chrome alloys. After cleaning all the road grime and brake dust off the back of the wheels, much of the silver paint is worn off revealing the shiny chrome underneath.
I'm thinking I'll just repaint the 5 large and 5 small recesses with the silver wheel paint I bought, and just polish off all the rest of the paint. My question is, am I sacraficing protection for the wheels by doing this? I'm wondering why the factory would paint over the chrome if they didn't feel it necessary. I can understand why the recesses at least should be painted, the chrome in there has sort of an eggshell texture, but everywhere else is smooth. It would be alot easier to not have to paint the whole back and mask the tires off. What do you guys think?

 

[f150fan]

Hmm...I just bought a set of chrome wheels off ebay and the backs were painted silver also with some chrome showing through. I just thought the silver was oxidation as I have seen other chrome rims that do not have the insides painted silver. The rims were dirty and after cleaning them, alot of the silver paint was comming off the back part of the rim...so I just proceeded to strip the silver paint revealing the gorgeous chrome. I wouldn't worry about painting the backs again...just clean it and put a couple coats of wax on it and you'll be fine! thumb

 

[tyrantx]

I think I'll just paint inside the recesses then. The silver definately isn't oxidation though. I just saw several different brand new chrome plated aluminum factory wheels in a display rack at the international auto show that were silver painted on the backs and on the round that will be hidden under the tire. Maybe painting helps prevent the chrome shredding mentioned in the other post. I guess I'll find out if I polish off the rest of the silver.