Thread: Wheel Painting advise needed

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

I'm in the anti-powdercoat brigade.

Wheels flex as they roll and transfer loads and this can lead to cracking of the plastic coating. Once the powder coat is cracked there is nothing you can do to prevent moisture penetrating underneath the plastic and rusting the steel. It also has to be removed to re-finish where paints (of whatever type) can be touched up.

Not if you prep the wheels properly...

After you shot blast them, get them etch primed. That way, they are more resistant to rust and even if you get a stone chip the coating stays intact.

M

Has anyone had steel rims hot dip galvanised and are there any disadvantages. Probably too rough looking for Discoverys and RR's, but practical for many Defenders and series LR's.

When I acquired my Defender, the bolt together steel frame around the wooden tray had chipped and scratched paint and spots of surface rust. So I got this all off, did some minor improvements /tidying up and got it galvanised. Negligible deterioration in appearance since.

Mick

Originally Posted by camel_landy

Not if you prep the wheels properly...

After you shot blast them, get them etch primed. That way, they are more resistant to rust and even if you get a stone chip the coating stays intact.

I agree, however the main reason that I get wheels powdercoated is because I'm too lazy to sandblast them and I know they will be stripped properly prior to sandblasting.

Chipped powdercoating can be filled an touched up with paint just as a painted wheel can.