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joemama Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2006 Posts: 1636 Location: La Crescenta, California
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 5:43 pm Post subject: painting chromed wheels |
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I am going to paint some Mangels, 5 1/2 x 15 rims. They are chromed, but have some pitting. I thought about powder coating, but they wont do it unless I have the wheels chemically de-chromed, and that costs as much as the powder coating. So far I have cleaned them very well, and wet sanded very carefully with 220 wet and dry. You can certainly see the scratches in the chrome, so I know there is a tooth for the paint to adhere to. My plan is to next primer with a self etching primer, then regular primer. I need to look to see what wheel paint to use, or maybe just a rustoleum metallic. I plan to topcote that with a clear coat spray can that has the hardener added.
What do you guys think? Any suggestions? Any one have prior, good, or bad experience? Want to use the wheels on a class 11 style car. Thinking of using 215/75/15 all around. |
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Brian Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012 Posts: 8340 Location: Oceanside
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 5:51 pm Post subject: Re: painting chromed wheels |
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The self etching primer will work fine. _________________ Wash your hands
'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper
Only losers litter |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12846 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2016 11:46 am Post subject: Re: painting chromed wheels |
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Contact a local machine shop & see what they charge to shot blast them. _________________ Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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B Ramsey Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2006 Posts: 477 Location: Ramona ca.
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2016 7:33 pm Post subject: Re: painting chromed wheels |
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you can powder coat over chrome. Its amazing what people think cant be done. _________________ Go outside and do something. |
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joemama Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2006 Posts: 1636 Location: La Crescenta, California
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2016 7:52 pm Post subject: Re: painting chromed wheels |
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I have a powder coater 1/2 a block from work, and showed him my wheels. They would not powder coat them unless I had the chrome stripped off. I asked them if they could sand blast them, since they do that there, answer was no. Maybe I need to speak to a different powder coater. |
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joemama Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2006 Posts: 1636 Location: La Crescenta, California
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Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2016 8:07 am Post subject: Re: painting chromed wheels |
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So, I finished painting the wheels. They turned out good. Here is what I did, and what I learned along the way.
1. I removed the old tires, balancing weights, and air nozzle.
2. cleaned and degreased using a water based degreaser, a wire brush, and a 3m red scratch pad.
3. I had a couple of rough areas from hitting the curb at the lip of the rims. Dressed these up with a file and a dremel. Used the 3m pad over the entire rim again, specially concentrating on the seam between the wheel center, and the outer rim. I used a hacksaw blade to get in there to clean that out. If you kind of twist the blade, you can rough up areas you cant get the 3m pad or sand paper into.
4. Finally, I used 60 grit wet and dry with water over the entire rim, front and back to create a good tooth for the paint. Rinsed well after following up with the 3m pad and degreaser.
5. I primed using Rustoleum etching primer, followed with 3 or 4 coats of Rustoleum Wheel paint in silver.
I learned that if you are painting on a hot day, in direct sunlight, the chromed rims get very hot, and the paint flashes off too fast giving a rough
finish. On a couple of rims I had to wet sand and paint again. Best to paint in shade, and make sure both the paint can and the rims are not hot. I also used a heat gun to make sure all water was gone from any seams. Again make sure to let rim cool off before painting.
I may follow up with a clear coat (the kind that comes in a spray can with hardener you activate right before using, gives a 48 hour pot life), have not decided. I will wait several days for the paint to fully cure and harden before I decide. These wheels will be washed many times over the next years, and a hardened clear coat will help them keep their sheen longer.
I used a total of 2 cans of primer, 3 cans of wheel paint, 5 sheets of sand paper, 1 3m scrub pad, and the degreaser I already had. cost is about 45 to $50.00. Add 28.00 if you buy the clear coat with the hardener. (You can get it from Eastman if your local auto paint store doesnt carry it).
Hope this helps someone. |
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mr_bill Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2006 Posts: 1008 Location: City of Orange, CA
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Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:21 pm Post subject: Re: painting chromed wheels |
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Powdercoated, "VW Marathon" steel wheel with 215-75R-15 BFG ALL TERRAIN TA's _________________ see ya' on the trail........
"Mr Bill"
Dos Perros Motorsports
Orange, CA
1972 Class 11x/Stock Bug
'60's era "vintage" Tunnell-Buggy
"...no one here....get's out ALIVE...."
Motor = electric
Engine = internal combustion
www.facebook.com/groups/DosPerrosMotorsports
www.alrchapter132.org
www.DAV.org
Last edited by mr_bill on Mon Aug 29, 2016 4:00 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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joemama Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2006 Posts: 1636 Location: La Crescenta, California
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Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 9:47 pm Post subject: Re: painting chromed wheels |
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Bill. those wheels look awsome |
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