Wheel Paint

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Hawaiis0
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Wheel Paint

Post by Hawaiis0 »

What is the expected life of wheel paint?

I had mine redone 5 years ago and now they are flaking in chunks.

Is that a sign of a poor job?
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barker_001
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Re: Wheel Paint

Post by barker_001 »

I think it is a case of YMMV, but I would have expected more than 5 years. Mine were professionally painted and lasted about 8 years before corrosion started to get under the paint. The tyre valves and the hubs were the worst affected area, and once it started the deterioration was rapid. I've now had them powder coated after a full strip back to bare metal, so I'm hoping for at least the same again. The guy that powder coated them (Tony at Perfectadent in Bridgend) said that apart from kerbing damage (of which there was none in my case), damage to the hubs was the most common and is caused by careless tyre fitters when they slide the hubs on and off the balancing machine.

So I will only ever be having tyres fitted and balanced by Tony. I was sure that I had picked up a buckle in one or more of the wheels because I had a wheel wobble that, despite several attempts at balancing, wouldn't go away. However when he refurbed the wheels he checked them for trueness, and said the worst was less than 1mm out. He followed the Lotus balancing instructions and as a result I have zero wobble. And of course he was careful fitting them onto the balancing machine...
Bryan

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KevW
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Re: Wheel Paint

Post by KevW »

Were your wheels painted or power coated ?

Personal experience has led me to be no fan of powder coating. I'm sure it's used only because it's a lot easier and cheaper to apply than actual paint.
Last edited by KevW on Tue Nov 10, 2020 10:55, edited 1 time in total.
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Pete Boole
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Re: Wheel Paint

Post by Pete Boole »

I prefer paint to powder coating as well. Once there is the tiniest chip in the powder coat water seems to get under it very quickly. This can happen without you notice it at first and suddenly you've got a lot of corrosion.

Pete

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Hawaiis0
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Re: Wheel Paint

Post by Hawaiis0 »

Powder coated.

It was a rushed job at the time as the spray machine broke down during my visit and I dont know if that led to a poorer finish.

So paint is better than powder? What is the OEM process used?
Nothing is fool proof. Fools are clever!

Pete Boole
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Re: Wheel Paint

Post by Pete Boole »

What is vital is that an etch primer is used on aluminium - but they should know that. Given the smoothness of the OEM finish I would think it would be paint. Powder coating leaves a slightly more irregular surface finish. Don't paint the hub-mounting area!

Pete

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CID
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Re: Wheel Paint

Post by CID »

I'm also in the process of painting my rims.
Will be by paint.
Does somebody know the official paintcode for the wheels?

Thanks....

Regards Curt

KevW
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Re: Wheel Paint

Post by KevW »

Four years ago I repainted my Excel's OZ wheels using an Etech paint kit
See this link viewtopic.php?f=17&t=9333&p=69617&hilit=wheel#p69617
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mudmover
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Re: Wheel Paint

Post by mudmover »

I used an Etech kit 18 months ago, - highly recommended, - had enough left to refinish the coolant tank!

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