Respraying alloys skill level?

[Alex5]

I want to spray my wheels back to anthracite ,don't fancy paying £50 a wheel professionally so is it easy to do myself? Bearing in mind i don't really have any experience with doing anything hands on apart from driving?
I don't want to mess up and have to go pro!
Also I found anthracite spray cans in halfords..is that correct stuff?

Thanks guys

 

[Revels]

If you pay the membership, there's a guide for it all.

Super easy if you have a brain and common sense. Although you posted this in the wrong section, so maybe you don't

 

[obcuz]

There's so much help on here!

Revels, I think your last comment is uncalled for, this Forum section does state "Suspension, Brakes, WHEELS & tyres"

 

[Revels]

Yeah. I put it in here. Lol.

 

[Alex5]

yea I'm going to be member just waiting for pay day baby, what about the anthracite halfords stuff?

 

[Revels]

There's a Rover paint, not sure of it's actual name but that seems to be the closest to the Renault anthracite that comes as standard.

But as you're going to be doing all 4 and changing the colour, a few shades darker/lighter won't make any difference.

The key is in the prep. I did my wheels and the first wheel is fine. Sanded down perfectly. But by the 3rd/4th wheel I was getting bored of doing it and it shows. Loads of sanding. Clean. Sand. Clean. Sand. Primer. Sand. Clean. Paint. Paint. Paint. Paint. Laquer. Laquer.

Easy really!

 

[ManBearPigMARC]

I sprayed my wheels myself, first thing I ever sprayed and they turned out all right. Just follow the guides and dont rush it. Preparation is the key.

 

[Alex5]

okay thanks, does it change anything that they are black at the moment?

 

[fletch8]

i did mine with halfords paint on vts wheels a year back (i didnt have a vts though)

wet/dry sand paper, paints, lacquers, sanding in between really easy to be honest, just make sure you let them dry off properly and everywhere is masked off

 

[Arctic_182]

im looking a doing mine also back to anthracite & have been looking ford mecury grey but not sure

 

[Alex5]

I don't have a spare wheel and only 1 jack so could only do 1 wheel at a time, that would take ages if I had to leave them to dry?

 

[Revels]

DIY will take you a weekend probably.

Just get some axle stands.

 

[theduck]

How long it takes will all depend on the quality of finish you want. I've prepped, primerd, painted and lacquered parts in under an hour before (renault diamond) and the finish was fine for what was needed. I just did each stage and used a hair dryer in between to make sure it was dry enough for the next step, however doing it like this it wont be dry enough to sand inbetween coats.

When I did my wheels, I did the four over about 3 weeks, mainly working on them in the evenings. I did them in stages giving wach stage plenty of time to thoroughly dry before doing the next and got a cracking finish, even if I do say so myself. Although 3 weeks was massively excessive, I would say the same finish could be done with 24 hours between completing each stage so:

day 1: prep and clean
day 2: Primer
Day 3: sand back and clean
day 4: paint
day 5: lacquer
day 6: fit to car

 

[Adamm.]

get some decent laquer halfords crap will chip within a few miles

 

[Jordi17]

i have done mine myself, and they have come up spot on, I am really impressed with them. just get a good key with the sanding, then thin layers of primer, paint etc and build up the layers, took me two full days to do all four, as i was driving with a spare wheel on whilst i did one wheel at a time. easy stuff and im usually useless at these things

 

[Jordi17]

get some decent laquer halfords crap will chip within a few miles

not neccesarily it wont, i used halfords laquer on mine

 

[Kane.]

Halfords do a stronger lacquer for alloys IIRC.

 

[Adamm.]

over time mine chipped to f**k and i was always touching them up. i personally wouldnt risk it unless there is a stronger laquer they sell.

 

[Jordi17]

depends how good a job you do, i done mine in october last year so just before the crap weather with grit on the roads and salt etc, chipped a few times but nothing major, so in april (approaching spring) i sanded them down and sprayed few layers of paint and laquer again and now they look fresh again

 

[Adamm.]

but it will chip over time as you just said you had chips in yours over winter. i spent ages doing mine took it right down to bare metal and spent a fair amount on paint and alot of time preping i didnt half do it and it still chipped. imo its worth paying 50 pound a wheel to get them powdercoated as the finish will be spot on aswell as long lasting and durable. im just going from my experience im not knocking anyone who does it or wants to do it as it is cheaper.