Powder coating whole wheel

[R0vers]

I am looking into powder coating my rims complete - (after taking disks and tyres off etc..)

are there any disadvantages of doing this?

the rims are good inside and there is no sign of rot,but cant justify getting them stripped,rebuilt and put back together again....

obviously i will need to fit new bearings etc... but for the cost of getting it doen it seems a good idea.... any thoughts??

[Paul-S]

I am looking into powder coating my rims complete - (after taking disks and tyres off etc..)

are there any disadvantages of doing this?

the rims are good inside and there is no sign of rot,but cant justify getting them stripped,rebuilt and put back together again....

obviously i will need to fit new bearings etc... but for the cost of getting it doen it seems a good idea.... any thoughts??

How much are you talking cost wise?

Do you mean the whole remaining wheel as in hubs and spokes as well?

The only disadvantage I can see would be that the would all be the same colour and if the wheel needed trueing (which I would get checked and done before coating) afterwards the paint is likely to crack at the spoke / nipple joints

[R0vers]

How much are you talking cost wise?

Do you mean the whole remaining wheel as in hubs and spokes as well?

The only disadvantage I can see would be that the would all be the same colour and if the wheel needed trueing (which I would get checked and done before coating) afterwards the paint is likely to crack at the spoke / nipple joints

hello paul!!

yes the whole wheel with the spokes and hub as one...

im looking at about £15 per wheel...for blasting and coating.(silver)

i agree with the cracking around the spoke heads, but i could live with that if it meant that the rim was protected from the honda rot bug..

[Paul-S]

hello paul!!

yes the whole wheel with the spokes and hub as one...

im looking at about £15 per wheel...for blasting and coating.(silver)

i agree with the cracking around the spoke heads, but i could live with that if it meant that the rim was protected from the honda rot bug..

That's a good price and would look good too

[Shox Dr]

That's a good price, I was quoted £35 for the rear and thought that was a good price, I would want to see the blasted wheel before they powder coated for that cost though, just to make sure they didn't just tickle it

[sixtring74]

Doesn't sound wise to me. How are you going to check and adjust spoke tension. The rims should be stripped from the hub and then coated then built agian with new spokes. Don't do it.

[AIRWOLF]

Seen it done before and looks good. a bloke does his classic MX bikes like that and reports no problems.
Has them blasted then coated in clear powder coat.
Dont forget any rot will carry on rotting away under the coating, just like it does under the anodising.

[magwa]

As the man above says:-
NOT A WISE IDEA, it will all crack and peel at the base of the spokes, it will look VERY messy where the spokes meet the hub.

You will really have to remove the bearings, make plugs
( exact fit wooden) to block off the hub holes, to keep grit out.
You must also get ALL grease out before you have them done or it will boil and run out all over the silver powder coat in the ovens and mess the finish
If they need doing again (which they will after the cracks from flexing spokes) wheel bulders will not be happy with baked in powder coat all around the wheelhubs( spoke bases) when they respoke and the hubs so they will need shotblasting and cleaning / repainting before respoking ( about £60 per wheel just for spokes)

I started my project RD07A about 3 months ago.
The rims were painted matt black, as were all the spokes
It was a bloomin MESS.
So Nitromors, Autosol, elbow grease,rubbed down each spoke
( 1000 grade wet and dry), checked and tightenen ( which you can never do again if you powder coat) sprayed the spokes with an 'airbrush' VHT silver

see these pictures to compare the results.

Cost me NOTHING but a little time and the rims came up very well
I spent the saved money on new wheel bearings

Just look at the mess of wheels I started with below

I do suggest you have the three part bash plate powder coatd silver if you can get it done that cheap





look at the difference a bit of your effort can make.

I even replaced the bearings as a matter of course and the back wheel was the worst for alloy discolouration



So just an idea

[Shox Dr]

don't get me wrong it IS a bodge. But as a stop gap 30quid for a pair of wheels is not bad. When the Rims/Spokes finally need replacing it is not hard to cut the spokes out shotblast the hub and start again.

What you have to bear in mind is that the rim and spokes DO need to be in a reasonable condition before you do this, as Airwolf pointed out if not done correctly, or corrosion is left behind Powder coating is only going to hide it.

For example my front is to far gone to even think about, but my rear has been rebuilt within the last few yrs and would hold up to been coated.

As for spoke tension I ride Enduro and in the last 6 yrs have only ever touched my rear once. Road bike never.

Food for thought

[magwa]

don't get me wrong it IS a bodge. But as a stop gap 30quid for a pair of wheels is not bad. When the Rims/Spokes finally need replacing it is not hard to cut the spokes out shotblast the hub and start again.

What you have to bear in mind is that the rim and spokes DO need to be in a reasonable condition before you do this, as Airwolf pointed out if not done correctly, or corrosion is left behind Powder coating is only going to hide it.

For example my front is to far gone to even think about, but my rear has been rebuilt within the last few yrs and would hold up to been coated.

As for spoke tension I ride Enduro and in the last 6 yrs have only ever touched my rear once. Road bike never.

Food for thought

Agreed