240ED, You simply do not have enough information to make a statement like you did about ' not having to strip wheels '..... You could cause someone to have a big mess on their hands when they apply a paint which causes the other paint to lift or crinkle...
It may take several coats to cover a surface... it is the last one and a half coats which need to work as a tack coat and the last ' flow ' coat spray in order to make it look smooth....
Always test paint compatibility before painting over some other paint.... in some place where you can't see it or in a very small spot... or find what what is called a "sealer" to spray on the paint that is there to isolate it from the top paint... and you have to be sure those are compatible also.... Greg

Thanks Greg, you make a good point about paint compatibility.
I have repainted many wheels with urethane paint and it is apparently compatible with the OEM paint.

I have had problems with the clear coat though. I will get a yellow cast after a year, or it lifts off. Perhaps I used crummy clear coat. I have given up using it for now. Actually though, I don't think MBZ used a clear coat anyway.

I do stand by my recommendation of using aluminum color paint, instead of silver. But even here, one brands aluminum might be brighter than its silver, and another brand it is reversed. So I guess there are no absolutes as far as color. I followed the good thread about Griots paint being darker, etc. I was wondering if Griots had any comment-Have you heard?

Griots have very good products BTW, and I love the French tools they sell, FACOM tools. Their ratchet wrench is the best I have ever used!

Ed.

__________________
Ed
1981 300CD (Benzina)
1968 250 S (Gina) 266,000 miles!
1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 (Guido)
1976 Jaguar XJS-saved a V-12 from the chevy curse, what a great engine!
1988 Cadillac Eldorado (better car than you might think!)
1988 Yamaha Venture (better than a Wing!)
1977 Suzuki GS750B
1976 Yamaha XS 650 (sold)
1991 Suzuki GSX1100G (Shafty Gixser)
1981 Yamaha VX920RH (Euro "Virago")
Solex Moped
1975 Dodge P/U camper


"Time spent in the company of a cat, a beer, and this forum, is not time wasted!"

Greg,

The tack coat I am referring to is the first coat. Sometimes first time painters will try to cover everything on the first coat.
My advice is to apply a light "tack" coat to the surface first. This coat will look like hell, but allow the following coats to cling without falling. The trick is to let it set up enough to create a strong enough surface to support the next coat. I like to do a tack coat and a first coat-then let it set over night. The next coat will reactivate the chemical bond with the first coat which is now dry.
This seems to be a successful way to coat wheels without any runs.

There is a great temptation to put on too much paint all at once, and this must be resisted-Resistance is not Futile!

Ed

__________________
Ed
1981 300CD (Benzina)
1968 250 S (Gina) 266,000 miles!
1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 (Guido)
1976 Jaguar XJS-saved a V-12 from the chevy curse, what a great engine!
1988 Cadillac Eldorado (better car than you might think!)
1988 Yamaha Venture (better than a Wing!)
1977 Suzuki GS750B
1976 Yamaha XS 650 (sold)
1991 Suzuki GSX1100G (Shafty Gixser)
1981 Yamaha VX920RH (Euro "Virago")
Solex Moped
1975 Dodge P/U camper


"Time spent in the company of a cat, a beer, and this forum, is not time wasted!"

I have done some really beautiful paint jobs on a couple of cars.... but that is not what gives me credibility on this subject.. it is the times which I painted something and it crinkled or bled through,or did not stick to the layer underneath...... that taught me valuable lessons... Thankfully they were on smaller objects like motorcycle tanks which did not kill me to have to completely start over on...But they made me very careful about compatibility questions... and now I only go to my paint store...auto paint.. and use the same brand all the way up... and I am not the only person to suggest that... some brands will even help you out if something happens and you were using only their products... like pay for the repaint...One thing I learned to love is Catalysed Acrylic Enamel.. extremely hard but not as much problems as special paints like Emron...and you can color sand them typically four hours after spraying...then put a coat of the same in clear... and presto.... not much polishing needed....
It is well known that many steel or aluminum or chrome color paints are not as easy to work with as standard colors... as shown by MarkM saying that even with the same brand he had crinkling...just due to the amount of clear...
In this post some words were used which might be interpreted differently by paint counter people.. 'Prepping' is typically done to bare metal... like Phosphoric acid... ( Metalprep the brand name)..Then the wax and silicone remover ( Klix88) before painting to get any oils which your hands got on the surface....and all over these days since so many waxes have silicone in them...As to the thin coats... the last one needs to be heavy enough to 'flow out'... put a light on the other side from you and keep evenly applying it until it gets shiny... but quit then ! when dealing with wheels it is very useful to put them on something which will turn so you can hold the spray can upright... and be sure to follow instructions on how often to shake the spray can... Well, no one actually asked these questions... but what the heck.... Greg

I always use a silicone remover before painting. I use a round table for painting wheels, so I can move around it. And yes, the last coat is the pay off coat and for me is the trickiest to get right, without runs. It is very satisfying to do right.

FWIW dept., when I do wheels with good, balanced tires on the wheels already- here is what I do to cut corners on cost and hassle.

First, I wash the wheel as much as possible, getting it as clean as I can with soap and hose.
Let dry thoroughly.
I mark the tire with chalk at the valve stem.
If I am removing the weights for painting, I mark them also, with notes on how much each weighs.
Then I use a tire machine to break the bead.
Then clean the wheel with prep fluid.
Next, create a mask using cardboard or just newspaper and masking tape. It tucks under the wheel bead. This allows you to paint the edge of the bead as well.
Paint it!
When done and dry, put weights back on, make sure the tire hasn't moved from your reference point at the valve.
Take to your local gas station and air it up!

Hey presto!

The only snag is getting the tire bead broken, and here is where you need a sympathic tire store. Try the cheap independents, or used tire vendors. Offer $2 a piece! Worth a shot.

__________________
Ed
1981 300CD (Benzina)
1968 250 S (Gina) 266,000 miles!
1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 (Guido)
1976 Jaguar XJS-saved a V-12 from the chevy curse, what a great engine!
1988 Cadillac Eldorado (better car than you might think!)
1988 Yamaha Venture (better than a Wing!)
1977 Suzuki GS750B
1976 Yamaha XS 650 (sold)
1991 Suzuki GSX1100G (Shafty Gixser)
1981 Yamaha VX920RH (Euro "Virago")
Solex Moped
1975 Dodge P/U camper


"Time spent in the company of a cat, a beer, and this forum, is not time wasted!"