Powdercoating wheel centers

[gsxrken]

I want to get away from the polished TT2 look by powdercoating the spokes charcoal. But when I contacted a local powdercoater, he said he no longer bothers attempting this. Whether it doesn’t come out good, or just takes to long, or something else he didn’t really say. My friend John mentioned that 2-3 piece wheels can have a silicone bead in between the sections, that might get hurt in the oven. (?)

Has anyone on the board had success with getting them done… how’d they come out, what’d it cost, and who did them? I’m in the NYC area so it would be a real plus of they were fairly local to there.

[4birdman]

It is just time consuming. You need to do a ton of taping and checking and crap like that. Powder will get everywhere that isn't taped so you have to be very careful.

I am not sure on the 2-3 piece wheel design, but I know you can do a 1 piece wheel with no problems, it is just the effort it takes to make it work.

I hate doing them, too. Takes forever to get them ready to spray powder and by that point you could have done three other parts that didn't need the level of prep.

[Chucks73]

What I was told is it very hard to tape the wheels off. American does sell them painted but I heard they paint them before assembly. I went ahead and taped off my own and painted them myself. You may want to scuff them up to help the paint stick. I got the paint at Pep Boys and it is for wheels. I think it was made by Dupli-Color.

[vanzuuk1]

Chuck, they look good.

[Chucks73]

Chuck, they look good.

Thanks. Just an up-date the paint was Dupli-Color.

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/wheel.html

[gsxrken]

Updating this thread. I didn't powdercoat the rims, but I did paint them. I scuffed them with red scotch-brite pads and then wiped them down good with a wax and grease remover. Then sprayed them with a two part self-etching primer that I thought came out a bit heavy, but that dried perfectly. Vanzuuk1 came over with some leftover flat charcoal metallic and shot the color without any drama.
Very happy with the results, but I'm snowed in so I don't have any outside shots to share. To anyone contemplating tossing their polished rims, I'd say try this first.
Here's on rim scuffed, one not:

[Benoit23]

Looks like it turned out good!
Can't wait to see some outside pics.