Wheel Painting Advice

[Eddie.]

Okay, so I'm giving my Mims a little home refurb, and I want to get a decent finish.

I did my 182 wheels using Halfords primer, paint and lacquer. I got a really good finish, mainly through fastidiously sanding each stage to keep things smooth.

Anyway, Halfords aren't cheap and I'm sure they're not the best either.

So is there anywhere good to buy primer, paint and lacquer, in aerosol form?

Also, for silver wheels do I need to use grey, or white primer?

I know the finish won't be as good as powdercoat or whatever, but for £20 a wheel or so, I can't complain.

Cheers

 

[Rob]

Re your question, if you use grey primer you will (unless you apply a monumental amount of colour) end up with a slightly darker finish when the lacquer bonds with the colour.

As for what to buy, I think they do quite good sets on eBay? I've always used simonez stuff and had good results (well, for colour and lacquer).

As for getting a good finish you've answered your own question TBH, the only way to get a good finish is sand, a lot.

Personally, I'd go for a big initial sand, coat of primer, some 500, coat of primer, take a look, if all is good, another coat, then some 800 before the colour.

 

[Eddie.]

Yeah, with the wheels on the RB I worked all the way to 2000 W&D on the colour stage, so I'm happy to put in the hours.

​So white primer would be better then?

 

[Rob]

IME yes. Only thing is, white primer does tend to be thinner, so a little harder to apply properly and you seem to get more runs. I've only ever used cheap cheap white primer, so it may not be the case with expensive primer.

Good work on the sanding with the RB, if you do the same again I'm sure you'll get nice results. IME if you're using metallic paint, sanding the colour can take a bit of the fleck out, personally I'd use up to 1500 or 2k or whatever, but then I'd do one last coat of colour before the lacquer and not sand it, to try and pick up the fleck in the paint. (if you choose a metallic paint)..

Wet sanding the lacquer after the final coat seems to really finish it off, even with a 2500, you can really see the difference when done, but make sure you REALLY let it dry before touching it.

 

[Eddie.]

Yeah, I was going to leave the lacquer a week or so before final wetsanding.

eBay primer seems cheap enough, and I don't mind the odd blemish as I can sand it out/put up with it.

I presume you mean wetsand the final coat of lacquer, then machine polish it back up?

 

[Rob]

Indeed I do. Just be wary of where you're leaving the wheels for that week,without a decent level of temperature, even after a week the lacquer may not be truly hard.

 

[Eddie.]

In the house, so average room temperature? Could leave them for longer tbf, there's zero rush on them.

Just totted it up on eBay and it's looking at around £80 delivered for the lot, that's 12 x 500ml of primer, 6 x 500ml colour & 6 x 500ml lacquer.

​Happy enough with that, £20 per wheel.

 

[Brookie.]

What size are your wheels? There's a place just outside Leeds that does a full refurb & powdercoat for £1 per inch (e.g a 16" wheel would be £16).

I had my Turinis done on my Inferno for £64 all round and know lots of others that have too on here. The quality is great! Might be worth considering?

Cheeky photo:

 

[Rob]

I was about to say the same. As much as you like doing things yourself, some powdercoaters offer such a cheap service now it might not even be worth it. £20 a wheel for you and using all your time, or £20 a wheel for someone else and use your time doing more on the car itself

How's the paint issue? Or don't we talk about that?

 

[Brookie.]

Well that's it. I'd much rather have someone else do the work for the same amount and have a better finish. It'll no doubt save you 2 or more days of hassle.

 

[Eddie.]

I was about to say the same. As much as you like doing things yourself, some powdercoaters offer such a cheap service now it might not even be worth it. £20 a wheel for you and using all your time, or £20 a wheel for someone else and use your time doing more on the car itself

How's the paint issue? Or don't we talk about that?

Hmmmm I suppose for an extra fiver or so, powdercoat would be decent.

I might give a local place a ring, see what he'll charge.

The painter is due to come this week, I'll see what he says, then I'll decide how sensitive a subject it is!

 

[Brookie.]

Hmmmm I suppose for an extra fiver or so, powdercoat would be decent.

I might give a local place a ring, see what he'll charge.

The painter is due to come this week, I'll see what he says, then I'll decide how sensitive a subject it is!

It'll be a lot harder wearing also mate.

If you need the details of the company near Leeds just give me a shout!

 

[Eddie.]

It'll be a lot harder wearing also mate.

If you need the details of the company near Leeds just give me a shout!

Yeah, drop me a PM if you would?

Daft question, but the wheels have valves in them. How would that work with regards to powdercoating? Would they not get blasted off?!

 

[Brookie.]

Yeah, drop me a PM if you would?

Daft question, but the wheels have valves in them. How would that work with regards to powdercoating? Would they not get blasted off?!

What material are the valves? I'll PM you now.

 

[Eddie.]

Metal with a rubber seal on them.

 

[Brookie.]

The rubber would be an issue I imagine mate. As part of the process of Powdercoating they bake the wheels to get the finish really solid.

 

[Eddie.]

The rubber would be an issue I imagine mate. As part of the process of Powdercoating they bake the wheels to get the finish really solid.

Exactly, hence my initial worry.

​I'm not too bothered by painting them, I do like to do things myself

 

[Brookie.]

Unless there's a way you could remove the rubber seals before they go in? I haven't seen your wheels obviously so I don't know.

 

[Darren S]

Unless there's a way you could remove the rubber seals before they go in? I haven't seen your wheels obviously so I don't know.

Do you have to supply the alloys alone? Or do they take the tyres off too?

I'd be interested if you could me the place too - Leeds is only a quick blat on the M62 for me.

Cheers,
​D.

 

[Brookie.]

Do you have to supply the alloys alone? Or do they take the tyres off too?

I'd be interested if you could me the place too - Leeds is only a quick blat on the M62 for me.

Cheers,
​D.

You have to supply the wheels alone, however the garage on the same industrial estate have a bit of a deal on with them to remove/replace tyres for you for a small fee.

I might aswell post the website here to save people having to PM me.

http://www.cascoatings.com/

 

[Darren S]

You have to supply the wheels alone, however the garage on the same industrial estate have a bit of a deal on with them to remove/replace tyres for you for a small fee.

I might aswell post the website here to save people having to PM me.

http://www.cascoatings.com/

Cheers! Just dropped them an email enquiry

​D.

 

[timps]

What size are your wheels? There's a place just outside Leeds that does a full refurb & powdercoat for £1 per inch (e.g a 16" wheel would be £16).

I had my Turinis done on my Inferno for £64 all round and know lots of others that have too on here. The quality is great! Might be worth considering?

I will second this, had my wheels done here and they have been on the car 2 years now and still come up like new when washed.

It takes 3 days from dropping them off to ready for pick up. Cant fault them