Is there a less expensive alternative to powder coating W123 aluminum rims?

Carrameow · #1 05-02-2006, 01:29 PM

Is there a less expensive alternative to powder coating W123 aluminum rims?
I don't want to break the budget because this year I've put in a whole new interior, AC and am about to get new paint. I'm guessing Powder Coating runs $400 bucks. Can I just get them air/glassbead cleaned and then what should I do? Leave them bare, apply industrial strength clear coat?

Hatterasguy · #2 05-02-2006, 01:32 PM

You can paint them. I know Griots sells wheel paint, actualy they even show a MB wheel getting painted in the mag.

You could probably go that route for under $100.

Personaly I wouldn't spend $100 each to have them powder coated, you can buy brand new wheels for $100. I think Tirerack.com sells brand new Bundt's for like $100 each.

aklim · #3 05-02-2006, 01:38 PM

www.fixrim.com can actually strip your rim and paint it for about $130 I think. So, with that, if your rim is slightly out of round and you like them painted or even just clearcoated, it is not too bad.

redassag00 · #4 05-02-2006, 02:19 PM

I did mine by myself, washed the rims, sanded own the face well, and cleaned it with mineral spirits, put about 5 or 6 coats of duplicolor wheel paint on and then applied 4-5 coats of clear to the finish, and let it sit. The rims dont look brand new, but better than yellowed and etched from years of wheel brite at the car wash.

I will probably do this exercise every time I replace the tires, or unless I can afford to have Wheels America redo the wheels. I had my moms rims redone at WA and I was satisfied with the service. Of course for that price, you can get new aftermarkets from Tirerack.

aklim · #5 05-02-2006, 02:23 PM

Mine looked brand new. For that price, the replace gouges and what not that have been chipped. Other than the color, you cannot tell it wasn't an OEM rim from the shop

Pete Burton · #6 05-02-2006, 04:55 PM

Scrub with dishsoap and scotchbrite, dry, spray with decent aerosol grey metallic followed by clearcoat. $20, 2 hours. That's my 90/10 solution.

Pete Burton · #7 05-02-2006, 04:58 PM

Forgot 1 thing. Use painting tape against the tire in the slot created by tire and rim. You can get color to within 1/32" of the rubber.

kmaysob · #8 05-02-2006, 05:12 PM

what do you guys think about a differnent color? like say, black?

Hatterasguy · #9 05-02-2006, 06:19 PM

Not with the stock wheels. With a set of say AMG Penta's body matching the spokes can look good. Provided your car is the right color. White would look kind of 80's. But a dark color would look nice.

Especialy if you left the lip polished.

tangofox007 · #10 05-02-2006, 08:53 PM

Take a look at www.eastwood.com. They sell a DIY powder coat kit. Plus lot's of other finishing and bodywork supplies.

kmaysob · #11 05-03-2006, 01:41 AM

im thinking i might try it with my spare set of rims. they need refinishing anyways. if i dont like it i will mount my tires back on my old rims

Samuel M. Ross · #12 05-03-2006, 02:40 AM

is at www.**************.Com.
The kit is enough for 5 wheels and the price = $38.50 + S&H.
The easiest way to find this kit on this unusal WebSite is to go to their
" Search " box in the upper right and then input " wheel paint kit " [ENTER] and this will eventually get you to a detailed description of the kit's components. I ordered a kit but have not yet tried it.
Sam

SD Blue · #13 05-03-2006, 12:12 PM

A pretty good DIY kit and if you do a few powder coating jobs for cash, you could probably pay for it pretty quickly. They have some pretty nice pictures of results. http://www.eastwoodco.com/images/email_images/ST_silvers.jpg
http://www.eastwoodco.com/text/content/st_hotcoat.html

It appears that you would need:
Powder Coating Gun
Powder
10 psi air source
Infrared heat lamp or oven (don't tell the wife)

Sure you could get by a little cheaper but look at the results you could get for not a whole lot more and you would be set up to make it pay for itself.

Has anyone done/attempted to do their own powdercoating?