Stock wheels powdercoated
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Stock wheels powdercoated
I'm running aftermarket brake pads...love the brake feels and bites but couldn't stand the dust...so I bought another set of stock rims and powdercoated gun metal metallic color.
For those who have painted or powdercoated their wheels to darker color, how did you guys deal with the center cap? Just spray paint them to sort of match (prob cant do exact match)?
For those who have painted or powdercoated their wheels to darker color, how did you guys deal with the center cap? Just spray paint them to sort of match (prob cant do exact match)?
#3
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Illnoise. WAY downtown, jerky.
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Find a vinyl wrap of a similar colour.
If you paint the caps, Im sure a normal "gunmetal" or "charcoal" wheel paint is very close. But you'll need to use a 2 part clear and a respirator for top coat.
If you paint the caps, Im sure a normal "gunmetal" or "charcoal" wheel paint is very close. But you'll need to use a 2 part clear and a respirator for top coat.
#5
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Thread Starter
Thanks....The caps are pretty bad shape so I didn't feel bad sanding it down and spray paint it with gun metal color paint & clear. Looks like match is good enough.
#6
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Foothills East of Sacramento
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Curious, did the powder coat process use a lower temp curing? I have heard the higher temp powder coating can weaken the wheels to the point of cracking and/or failure.
#7
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Thread Starter
I've heard of that but may be a myth (or perhaps only certain less strong wheels?). Tons of people are powdercoating for years and tracking their cars without issues. Also tons of people powdercoated this very wheels (S2k ap2v1 wheels) without ever having problem so I'm not too worry.
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#8
Registered User
I have heard this also. Someboy with knowledge here told me, that above 200°C / 392°F is the point where the wheels maybe start to get weak.
I asked him what happens to the wheels when i brake so hard that the brake disc is red glowing.... He was in trouble to answer me this.
However, i have mine podercoated by a specialized, approved company.
Regarding the cap, the original ones just have a thin aluminim sheet crimped on. You could remove it easily and then spray-paint the bare plastic in any colour you like.
I asked him what happens to the wheels when i brake so hard that the brake disc is red glowing.... He was in trouble to answer me this.
However, i have mine podercoated by a specialized, approved company.
Regarding the cap, the original ones just have a thin aluminim sheet crimped on. You could remove it easily and then spray-paint the bare plastic in any colour you like.
#9
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Illnoise. WAY downtown, jerky.
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I have heard this also. Someboy with knowledge here told me, that above 200°C / 392°F is the point where the wheels maybe start to get weak.
I asked him what happens to the wheels when i brake so hard that the brake disc is red glowing.... He was in trouble to answer me this.
However, i have mine podercoated by a specialized, approved company.
.
I asked him what happens to the wheels when i brake so hard that the brake disc is red glowing.... He was in trouble to answer me this.
However, i have mine podercoated by a specialized, approved company.
.
A glowing rotor during a braking event doesn't heat the entire wheel cross section of a wheel to 400F or higher.
Maybe it heats up the hub section close to that momentarily...but it cools quickly and the hub section is thick. Usually when wheels crack from fatigue, its at the spoke.
Think about it...
Your tires are directly attached to your wheel and would distort and soften up and start to melt if the wheel bead go to around 400F for 20mins straight. Right? That doesn't happen after a track day.
Powder coating aluminum wheels beyond their aging temp is not a safe practice. Wheel manufacturers control the oven temp carefully. The reputable ones also use batch testing to confirm.
I would not recommend post-manufacturing powder coat. It DOES weaken the wheel. But because wheel engineers practice factor of safety...a lot of people get away with post-manufacting PC without immediately having an issue.
Its like not wearing a seatbelt/condom for 1 day and going, "pff..what a useless thing". You're not exactly proving out anything....
The wheel IS weaker after PC though. It will be more likely to bend, even during street driving (pot holes, etc).
Just be aware that the "zero problems" approach only works until you have "more than zero problems".
People who approach it with "it should be fine" aren't typically engineers. They're not checking if the wheels stay straight. Even if the wheel bends a bit...they may never notice and still claim "zero problems".
If the wheel cracks over a pothole...they will just chalk it up to "oh well".
There are also a LOT of reports of people cracking PC'd wheels unexpectedly...even on the street. Google it.
If a factory-stock OEM wheel had a tendency to unexpectedly crack...even 1 or 2 reports of that nature would cause a massive recall.
Nobody's reading this...and y'all likely don't care either. But...fact is...post-manufacturing PC'ing of wheels degrades them.
And whomever is claiming "zero problems"....have u studied or read about aluminum heat aging processes? Hard to know the amount of problems you'll have if you have no idea what you're doing, right?
No offense...
There's a difference between calculated risk and ignorance...
If you're going to do something potentially dangerous, I'd recommend calculating it out a bit to see what potential risks exist. At least then you'll know.
Last edited by B serious; 09-16-2020 at 09:19 AM.
#10
Registered User
I know that its only the Hub that gets so hot, not the spokes.
Thanks for you explanation, it sounds much, much better and makes more sense compared to the more german "ITS FORBIDDEN TO DO THIS!" what the other guy told me....
However, i had my wheels powdercoated buy a reputable, TUV - ISO 9001 certified company that is specialized on wheels. Should be fine.
Technik ‹ Kottnig's Felgenklinik
Thanks for you explanation, it sounds much, much better and makes more sense compared to the more german "ITS FORBIDDEN TO DO THIS!" what the other guy told me....
However, i had my wheels powdercoated buy a reputable, TUV - ISO 9001 certified company that is specialized on wheels. Should be fine.
Technik ‹ Kottnig's Felgenklinik