Rim jobs...paint or powder coat?

[DMNTD]

I'm about to give one of my bikes a rim job.
Paint or power coat...and why?

[one fast tl1ooo]

power coat, if done rite it will not chip.. and find a good bike shop to put you'r tyres on the rims..
Have seen paint jobs done on rims, then the tyres go on, and o dear paint chips .

[DMNTD]

Have seen paint jobs done on rims, then the tyres go on, and o dear paint chips .

lol...I'd fire their arse if they chipped my rims!

[boman]

power coat, if done rite it will not chip.. and find a good bike shop to put you'r tyres on the rims..
Have seen paint jobs done on rims, then the tyres go on, and o dear paint chips .

I agree. Paint stays soft for too long, and is easily marked, especially when fitting tyres.

[Flip]

lol...I'd fire their arse if they chipped my rims!

This is what I got back from a certan well known tyre shop recently. It took them 3 weeks to get it back from the repairer and it came back the wrong colour it was bronze and came back a bright silver colour. In the end and after a brief conversation with the GM they paid for a new wheel.

Depends what sort of wheel it is. Alloy powder coat, spoke paint.

[DMNTD]

I agree. Paint stays soft for too long, and is easily marked, especially when fitting tyres.
Have considered painting the centres and polishing the edges which surely would negate any issues there.



This is what I got back from a certain well known tyre shop recently. It took them 3 weeks to get it back from the repairer and it came back the wrong colour it was bronze and came back a bright silver colour. In the end and after a brief conversation with the GM they paid for a new wheel.

Depends what sort of wheel it is. Alloy powder coat, spoke paint.

Jebus! I'd be slightly grumpy

[Laava]

I have a question regarding this as I am about to do the same. If you polish the edges, should you apply a good coat of clear or just get out the brasso every 2 weeks or so? I love the look of polished but am a lazy coooont when it comes to cleaning time.
BTW I can't believe no-one has made a joke about DMNTD wanting a rim job! Bahahahahahahahaha!

[froggyfrenchman]

Powdercoat is cured as soon as it cools down. While if done right it can be much stronger than paint there are some catches to look out for....
1. Just like paint, powder comes in many different grades for different uses. Make sure that the company doing your rims has powder that will stand up to UV, water, stone chips, cleaning products.
Most of the bright colours that many PC shops have are decorative powders, designed for indoor use on door handles and coffee tables.
2. While you can repaint with just a quick sand, PC requires a dead clean surface with no trace amounts of paint left. IE: Sandblasting rims is a must before powdercoating. That can add some huge cost to your tart up, with blasting often costing more than the powdercoating.
3. Sometimes your powder will just fall off. This is a sad fact of powdercoat. If there was any contamination on the rim before coating. The powder will not grip the rim. It will still look mint because the powder grips onto itself, but at the first chip, it will start to peel off in big flakes.

My overall opinion on powdercoating rims...
We have a PC plant at work, and I still paid a car painter to do my rims.

[Howie]

Personally I'd go for a two pot paint system, as it is likely to be tougher than powder coating which is hard but not tough and well chip easier.

or you could go for getting them anodised.

[Laava]

I like the idea of the anodising. Is it do-able? Sounds like it might be a bit spensy?

[John_H]

Hmmmm, google rim job and you might be surprised the results you get!

[Howie]

I like the idea of the anodising. Is it do-able? Sounds like it might be a bit spensy?

This Company ( http://www.anodizing.co.nz/motorbike-rims ) does rims, and hubs. Not sure if they can do cast wheeels though, you could always contact them.

[Stylo]

Hmmmm, google rim job and you might be surprised the results you get!

Just googled Rim Jobs and you're right, did'nt seem to be too much Bike stuff going on ...interesting though

[Pussy]

Personally I'd go for a two pot paint system, as it is likely to be tougher than powder coating which is hard but not tough and well chip easier.

or you could go for getting them anodised.

Agree 100%.
A properly applied two pack beats powder coating any day. A LOT less prone to chipping

[CookMySock]

Powdercoat yellows and it does chip. It's not bloody cheap either.

Next rims I'll do will be paint, and I doubt if I'll powdercoat again. At least I can easily re-do them without all the expense and hoopla associated with powdercoat.

Steve

[Owl]

I painted my old FZR rims using 2K, with no chipping issues in the 4 1/2 years I had it. Chipping was my main concern, so I also used a 2K adhesion promotor prior to top-coating. It sticks like shit to a blanket!

What colour are you planning to use i.e. solid, metallic?

[boman]

Have considered painting the centres and polishing the edges which surely would negate any issues there.




Jebus! I'd be slightly grumpy


Yes, this would be an answer. Polished alloy is reasonably easy to look after, in small amounts. Just a quick polish with Autosol, and you are good to go.

And I too would be pissed if a rim of mine got marked like that. Thats why I do my own. I do not trust anybody else to do it.

[Laava]

This Company ( http://www.anodizing.co.nz/motorbike-rims ) does rims, and hubs. Not sure if they can do cast wheeels though, you could always contact them.

They can only do cast rims in black apparently!
So is there a good clear coat finish for polished ali?

[Paul in NZ]

I vote two pack paint cos with powder coating you would surely have to strip the whole wheel and remove bearings etc etc?? The heat would make grease melt and ruin the job..

Paint - just mask it off...

[reemit]

They can only do cast rims in black apparently!
So is there a good clear coat finish for polished ali?

Have a look at what this lot produces, Bud. Looks good and I will be using it on me FZR streetfyter. Theres some clear cote specifically for polished ally.http://www.por15.co.nz

[imdying]

I vote two pack paint cos with powder coating you would surely have to strip the whole wheel and remove bearings etc etc?? The heat would make grease melt and ruin the job..

Paint - just mask it off...I wouldn't bother going to the trouble of painting or powder coating a set of wheels that weren't worth a set of bearings. Even new bikes come with some pretty average spec bearings (shielded instead of sealed, sealed one side, etc etc).

[Swoop]

If you polish the edges, should you apply a good coat of clear or just get out the brasso every 2 weeks or so? I love the look of polished but am a lazy coooont when it comes to cleaning time.
Regular polishing of metal is reserved for crusiers with vast amounts of chrome, or for people who like to rub lots and ride on rare occasions.

[Babelfish]

Regular polishing of metal is reserved for crusiers with vast amounts of chrome, or for people who like to rub lots and ride on rare occasions.

I think this is topical...DMUNTED loves polishing his rim...he polished mine once and I haven't quite walked right since. :drool:

When I do mine I am going for the 2 pot. I reckon it'll chip less.

[DMNTD]

Interesting reading...cheers

[Laava]

I think we've all learnt something kiddies!

[Grumph]

I won't use powder for rims now - always baked enamel.

I have a Dymag which was powdercoated and after being on a raceike for a busy season was quite badly chipped from tyre machines
I'm real reluctant to get it stripped as the stripping chemicals are known to be death to Magnesium.

For a racebike the painted centers/polished edges works really well.

[sidecar bob]

Heres a short & well explained clip to help people to understand rim jobs a little better. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nro-xZ7GgA

[bucket boy]

Regular polishing of metal is reserved for crusiers with vast amounts of chrome, or for people who like to rub lots and ride on rare occasions.

sounds like you dumpty.

[98tls]

Dont piss about DM,just go the whole hog.:shutup:

[DEATH_INC.]

I'd use 2k Enamel over a GOOD etch primer. Tough as f*ck.
As for a clear to go over polish, this IS the shit! http://www.por15.co.nz/POR15Prod/glistenpc.htm

[pete376403]

Paint makes it a lot easier to get effects like this...
(CBR600 wheels on DRZ400)

[98tls]

Paint makes it a lot easier to get effects like this...
(CBR600 wheels on DRZ400)

What colour does that become when in motion Pete?

[BIG DOUG]

okay I have a set of indian wheels painted in 2k by a painter who said these won't chip ,what a lot of shit they have more chips's and scratches on them and the bike hasn't even hit the road yet my wheels on my harley shovel are powdercoated and no chip's shit hd frames a e powercoated and was looking at a 97hd the other day and the powdercoating was still in pretty good nick for it's age

[pete376403]

What colour does that become when in motion Pete?

Don't recall, it's been a while since I've been out riding with him, (and then I couldn't keep up)