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What's the low down on powder coating your rims? Is it worth the investment?

I got a quote for $120 ea and decided not to bother, although a few years back I had a guy who'd do it for $25 ea.

When I get a house I'll be starting a part-time powder coating business.

Steve

it's a more effective way of painting wheels. I'll probably look into having Art's stock wheels powdercoated once he gets summer wheels/tires

Just paint them, its cheaper and safer. Wheel paint or BBQ paint will work.

safer? how so?


It's also less likely to chip

in my opinion, unless you are an expert on powder coating, paint will look better. Yes the powder coating is tough, but it usually has small flaws, and metallics aren't very uniform.

a high-quality pro base coat / clear coat paint is nearly as tough

powder coating is the bomb for chassis parts, my dad has a set-up using an old oven he picked out of the garbage, nice for anything under 24"

it seemed to me that he was referring to having it professionally powdercoated

LaureltheQueen wrote:safer? how so?


It's also less likely to chip

If your wheels start to develop cracks the powdercoating can conceal them. That's why a lot of people will not powdercoat wheels they race on.

If it chips you can always repaint it. From my experience paint last fine, most wheels are painted from the factory.

Like all the colored subaru wheels.

Painting aluminum so that it stays is difficult at best.

Steve

If I cared at all about my stock wheels(if they weren't filled with gouges and scratches and whanot) I'd have them powdercoated once I got tires off of them. The paint flakes horribly

evolutionmovement wrote:Painting aluminum so that it stays is difficult at best.

Steve

It can't be that hard considering hundreds of people with no experience have been doing it successfully for years.

LaureltheQueen wrote:If I cared at all about my stock wheels(if they weren't filled with gouges and scratches and whanot) I'd have them powdercoated once I got tires off of them. The paint flakes horribly

After 13 years. I suppose if your requirement is that your wheels stay chip free for a ridiculous amount of time you are better off powdercoating. However you could repaint your wheels dozens of times and still not be at the cost of powdercoating. I know people with self painted wheels that have lasted for years and still look good.

Look if you want to powdercoat your wheels, go for it. If they aren't track wheels there's absolutely nothing wrong with it and chances are even if they are for track use you will be fine. Just know (I've seen it done many times) that you can paint your wheels and as long as you do it right it will look just as good and save you tons of money.

And even more haven't done it right. People have been welding aluminum for years too, but not everyone can do it. Dealing with dozens of chipped and flaked wheels would be testimony to this ... in fact I've yet to see a non-pro painted wheel that wasn't flaked. I've even painted with etching primer on aluminum and had it come off almost as easily.

Then you have to contend with the monkeys you bring the wheels to to get tires changed.

Steve

I have a set of pristine painted wheels in a shed. Cost me 8 bucks to do all 4. The trick is to prep them properly.

evolutionmovement wrote:And even more haven't done it right. People have been welding aluminum for years too, but not everyone can do it. Dealing with dozens of chipped and flaked wheels would be testimony to this ... in fact I've yet to see a non-pro painted wheel that wasn't flaked. I've even painted with etching primer on aluminum and had it come off almost as easily.

Then you have to contend with the monkeys you bring the wheels to to get tires changed.

Steve

There are plenty of people that can't do stuff that doesn't mean it's impossible or even hard. If you haven't seen a nicely painted wheel that someone did themselves, you haven't been looking. I literally know 5 people that have done it in my small ass Reno subaru club alone. I've seen them up close after winters, after track days, even after offs at a track. Sometimes you are just wrong and in this case you are.

Sorry, I didn't realize I was talking to Jesus Christ. As always, I defer to your greater wisdom and judgement.

Steve

evolutionmovement wrote:Sorry, I didn't realize I was talking to Jesus Christ.

Hey! that's pretty funny!


Seriously, if you have a problem with one style of wheel painting, just don't do it.

Painting wheels is a bad idea? Coming from a board where the 'coffee cup' mod originated? ROTFL!~

With proper prep, wheels can be successfully painted, and keep on looking good. Most wheels are painted and cleared from the factory. It's not rocket science.

The Coffee mug and painting wheels are two totally different things.

Yeah... even DSMers won't do the coffee mug bit.

Cause they're a bunch a asses!

The coffee mug mod rules, ingenuity at its finast!

I'm going to reitterate this

BAN SUVS wrote:Yeah... even DSMers won't do the coffee mug bit.

Is that supposed to be a burn or something?

It's like i-club invaded this thread

evolutionmovement wrote:Sorry, I didn't realize I was talking to Jesus Christ. As always, I defer to your greater wisdom and judgement.

Steve

It's ok you are forgiven my child.