How should I prep wheels for repaint?

[Cenick]

I bought an alloy wheel paint kit on eBay for about £20. Upol I think.

It came with an etch primer which promoted adhesion to aluminium or existing lacquer. The paint was quick dry and the lacquer was super fast setting too.

I can check the make if you don’t already have all the paint.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I’ve got some etch primer and a couple of different tins of paint to see which I like on the wheels
I’m sure others would like to know which paint you bought though!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Darpod14]

I bought an alloy wheel paint kit on eBay for about £20. Upol I think.

It came with an etch primer which promoted adhesion to aluminium or existing lacquer. The paint was quick dry and the lacquer was super fast setting too.

I can check the make if you don’t already have all the paint.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

They’re not too bad those ?

 

[greywolfhound]

Do you have photos so I can compare Paul? I’m leaning toward the shiny chrome look on the black. Yes, my car then nods and then mine againI know of Phoenix and where they are, might give them a call later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry I have been fishing just got back Sally’s car picture ? I had my amg 55 sl wheels done there and my Porsche turbo wheels for the money you can’t best them ..yes you can have a bespoke job done over double + but you can mark a wheel anytime so I don’t see the point of throwing big money on this ..it’s a really nice job ..

 

[Cenick]

Thanks Paul, to me that looks so much better than the black. My wife, on the other hand thinks they are “lovely”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[A2Z]

I have the same don’t really want to go to the cost of a professional referb but feel they maybe past a DIY job

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, ideally they would need to be fully stripped as they have suffered a fair bit of corrosion.

You could still go the DIY route though but it will be a fair amount of work sanding back.

A good tip is to fully deflate the tyre (wheel removed from the car first obviously) and push and wedge the sidewall of the tyre away from the edge of the rim. That makes it far easier to sand and prep the rim without damaging the tyre and it also makes it much easier to mask the tyre to avoid overspray and ultimately will give you a much longer lasting, more professional result as you will be able to prep, paint and lacquer behind the lip of the rim where the tyre seals to it.

Because the wheels aren't being subject to heat in an oven you will be able to use an aluminium body filler to fill in the chips and deep kurb marks and then sand it to restore the original shape of the wheel. In an oven it would melt hence why good refurbishers don't use filler and would have any deep damage aluminium welded to restore the shape whilst bad refinishers would grind away at the rim, 'removing' the damage and totally mis-shape and ruin the wheel in the process!

Good luck if you do have a go yourself ?

 

[Pinkythelabrat]

I did mine diy and used that aluminium filler two part component filler. Worked a treat and there really were some chunks out.

Slightly deflating and sticking a pack of cards down the sidewall made it easier for me - but I did find later that the inside of my rim was also corroded so I ended up getting the tyres off to do it properly. For a nice outside finish though the playing cards were ideal.

I checked the brand on the kit I used. It was e-tech. Price seems to have gone up a bit but it was really easy.

Have a go. Worst case get it redone properly later. Also, I felt much better when one of mine got a little scratch since I knew I had the right colour to patch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pinkythelabrat]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cenick]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Playing cards, what a novel idea!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[A2Z]

I did mine diy and used that aluminium filler two part component filler. Worked a treat and there really were some chunks out.

Slightly deflating and sticking a pack of cards down the sidewall made it easier for me - but I did find later that the inside of my rim was also corroded so I ended up getting the tyres off to do it properly. For a nice outside finish though the playing cards were ideal.

I checked the brand on the kit I used. It was e-tech. Price seems to have gone up a bit but it was really easy.

Have a go. Worst case get it redone properly later. Also, I felt much better when one of mine got a little scratch since I knew I had the right colour to patch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Perfect ?

The corrosion around the bead is normally what causes tyres to lose pressure slightly too and a lot of people struggle to find it. They end up thinking there's something wrong with the tyre and replace it.

Ideally remove the corrosion but tyre bead sealant normally does the job, the gooey black stuff ?

 

[Pinkythelabrat]

Totally. My wheels looked like they’d been in a pond for a while when I got them! Corrosion and chunks missing - but they were SUPER cheap and from a member who was really local so I didn’t mind at all.

I fancied a go at DIY refurb after a previous professional powdercoat on my SE wheels left me really disappointed. A tiny scrape opened up the coat and the coating was barely adhered to the oxidised aluminium underneath. Peeled off in chunks. Hideous. (Also, opened a route for air to cross the bead seal so they kept going flat).

The bead sealant was fine for a while but some more reputable places don’t use it because it pulls more of the alloy off next time you strip the tyre and I was fed up of going to the ‘dodgy’ tyre guy up a back alley!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[spike]

Don't think it's been mentioned but where the original paint is sound and just needs 'keying' then Scotchbrite pads do a good job. They are especially handy on tricky areas like the wheel bolt recesses where it's so easy to go through to bare metal when using wet n' dry. There are professional paint prep pad versions in various grades / colours but the green household ones work fine

Cheers Spike

 

[Cenick]

I gave an old set of SE wheels a quick rub and paint, Center caps chrome part painted as well, I can now look at stripping the black from the lightweights

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stevec]

Personally, I would try to sell on those grey 15's as the paint job looks good or keep as winter wheels(always look clean) . And buy another set of 15's that need refurbing. This paint is a good colour match.

There's a guy local refurbed my bbs rx's (17 incj) charged £170 did a complete powdercoat of all 4 wheels(without tyres) Good luck

 

[66Beetle]

Took mine to Top Wheels Lancaster. Greg does a great job. Back to bare metal then Powder Coated. Not painted.