powder coating wheels

[pier252]

I changed my mind from ordering the swamp fox tires and blank steel black wheel combo to ordering some at's and polished wheels....the decision was based only on the all terrains and being right about the same price but with cooler wheels...whee i live is in a subdivision (aka all street to my buddies houses) and our farm is more hills, and hardly any mud...it can always be avoided....the question is has anyone had their buggy wheels powder coated? i don't want polished...ima need them black so am looking into the options of powder coating or painting them...these are the ones i ordered..

http://trademarkcarts.com/product/36...ires-23inns8sp

[bokeasmowl]

NO NO not alltrails:....ultimately its your choice. They make wheels like mine, ITP SS108's, in black. (Also lifetime guaranteed against bending or breaking) just stay outta the mud with those, not only opinion but experience. Wish I had a nickel for everytime I've pulled out my buddies riding on alltrails.

[pier252]

haha im thinking it will be ok...but then again who knows looks like we will find out! i def want the wheels black though

[kellys~hotrods]

On the topic of powder coating vs. paint:

I have had things powder coated before. It is a tough coating. Bullet proof? no, not hardly. I have gotten chips on pieces that have a high quality two stage powder coat finish.

Paint is easier to repair, and can be fairly durable if done correctly. Seeing as you are wanting black, this could be a more affordable option and if you have to repair the finish paint is much easier and less expensive than re-doing a powder coat job.

This is just my $0.02

Kelly

[bokeasmowl]

Good point Kelly.

[pier252]

ive been leaning towards just painting them lately...what are the proper steps to take before painting? ive never painted metal before...

[kellys~hotrods]

Originally Posted by pier252

ive been leaning towards just painting them lately...what are the proper steps to take before painting? ive never painted metal before...

If the metal is bare, like mild steel, you can clean any oil or dust residue with acetone and a lint free shop towel. If the surface is smooth, like polished aluminum, it may be helpful to lightly scuff with sand paper to enable the primer to better adhere to the surface (not necessary with raw steel) but be sure to remove dust prior to priming. Next apply a couple light coats of primer, then several coats of you choice of paint.

If the metal surface is painted you can scuff the paint with a scotch bright pad to allow the new paint to bite in to the existing paint. Next clean the surface of any dust or residue. It is important to mention that your skin will leave oils. I wear nitrile gloves to avoid fingerprints which can affect the paint's ability to adhere to the part's surface. Since the part has been painted before there is no need to apply primer, simply apply several coats of paint.

Allow the proper curing time for the paint, and be careful when mounting or removing tires from painted wheels to avoid damaging the finish. Masking tape can aid in protecting the wheels around the lip when installing tires. Hope some of this helps (for the record, I am not a professional, just a gifted amateur )

Kelly

[TheNewGuy]

Originally Posted by kellys~hotrods

If the metal is bare, like mild steel, you can clean any oil or dust residue with acetone and a lint free shop towel. If the surface is smooth, like polished aluminum, it may be helpful to lightly scuff with sand paper to enable the primer to better adhere to the surface (not necessary with raw steel) but be sure to remove dust prior to priming. Next apply a couple light coats of primer, then several coats of you choice of paint.

If the metal surface is painted you can scuff the paint with a scotch bright pad to allow the new paint to bite in to the existing paint. Next clean the surface of any dust or residue. It is important to mention that your skin will leave oils. I wear nitrile gloves to avoid fingerprints which can affect the paint's ability to adhere to the part's surface. Since the part has been painted before there is no need to apply primer, simply apply several coats of paint.

Allow the proper curing time for the paint, and be careful when mounting or removing tires from painted wheels to avoid damaging the finish. Masking tape can aid in protecting the wheels around the lip when installing tires. Hope some of this helps (for the record, I am not a professional, just a gifted amateur )

Kelly

I agree, but I would use self etching primer on aluminum.

[kellys~hotrods]

Originally Posted by TheNewGuy

I agree, but I would use self etching primer on aluminum.

Hence the disclaimer at the end lol. Good call with the self etching primer on aluminum

[pachanga90]

I'd like to add,If the wheels are clear-coated it must be removed or the paint will flake,reguardless of what you do before painting.When priming,use Zinc-Chromate etching primer(its' a olive-green color)It is the best for Aluminum.The AllTrails are a good all-around tire for mild off-road use and mostly street-use since they have a very stiff casing and a hard tread-compound.The downfall is that they are very,very stiff.Even at 5psi they ride awful offroad and the traction is marginal if not pathetic in mud,wet-sand type conditions.My Dad has a set on his cart and kept telling me my trails were too rough for a cart,until he rode mine,and a good portion of our trails are not much rougher than my back-yard!!Its' your call and your machine but do your homework so that you arent' dropping a ton of money to find out its not what you want.If you decide to powder-coat,check the local coaters and also Heavy-Truck tire suppliers(some of them do wheel-refinishing in Black,White and Grey.I know of one place that charges very little to coat black since they run it daily so they don't charge a set-up fee.This may be the case elsewhere also.They also told us that if we weren't in a hurry,we could leave the parts until they had a run going with the color we wanted and they would do it then,again without set-up fees.Hope this helps.