Powder coating or spraying - alloy refurbishment?

ScoobyDoo69 · 28 Sep 2010 at 13:36

Hey all,

I'm about to pick up some replacement wheels - the same as mine, mainly for the tyres.

This creates the perfect opportunity to have a set refurbished, so I can have great condition shiney wheels! So do I powder coat or do I have them sprayed? Based on your answer.. why?

Also, should I go for a different colour or stick with gold? Heart and head is saying stick with gold for me..

The only problem I see, is that the golds I've seen that are powder coated, don't seem very bright?

Pics of my car and said wheels:

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

Kosta

ScoobyDoo69 · 28 Sep 2010 at 14:03

Is my car white, Andy???

Have no idea if it's prone to flaking etc? Hence asking on here to see what peoples opinions are on the matter?

PS added pics of car to first post..

ScoobyDoo69 · 28 Sep 2010 at 22:25

Well you see the one benefit for me, is that my family friend is a powdercoater, so the powercoating process would be very cheap. Would it be a good idea to powdercoat and then have them sprayed - even by me?

ScoobyDoo69 · 28 Sep 2010 at 22:32

I can see the arguement with that, but I know plenty of people who have had their wheels done by him (including two sets for my brother) and they've been fine.

Has there even been a case of the aluminium being softened so much that it's lead to wheel damage or anything?

Thanks

ScoobyDoo69 · 22 Oct 2010 at 14:57

Had them done, VERY VERY happy!!

ScoobyDoo69 · 22 Oct 2010 at 17:31

I ended up using my mate, who made this mix for me. The photo doesn't show it (camera phone), but they're quite sparkly, and in the light look awesome.

ScoobyDoo69 · 22 Oct 2010 at 17:38

Nope, powdercoated. Here's another pic. Will get a proper camera pic at some stage before they're fitted!

ScoobyDoo69 · 22 Oct 2010 at 17:45

The Subaru wheels are far from a gold as standard..

ScoobyDoo69 · 26 Oct 2010 at 21:06

Hey guys,

Sorry to bump this thread again, but after some opinions.

What should I do with the centre caps? They're now slightly the wrong colour. Should I spray them black, or maybe wrap them in some carbon fibre effect vinyl?

Thanks.

ScoobyDoo69 · 26 Oct 2010 at 22:40

MrLOL said:
thats one side effect with powder coating, you cant paint the plastic centre caps to match.

Not a fan of black or carbon fibre caps tbh.

Unfortunately that's true. But I'm sure I can create something to match it.. or at least try!

I did email the companies you sent me, and all of them for "Subaru gold" was just powdercoated, and quite a dark gold at that which I didn't like.

ScoobyDoo69 · 26 Oct 2010 at 22:55

That's why I had my gold made

I decided to wax to seal them this evening, and I really am stupidly happy with them. When I had the wheels in my hall before the refurb I kept thinking what a crap colour they really were. Now I keep picking them up to look at them

Don't halfrauds make paint ?

ScoobyDoo69 · 29 Oct 2010 at 15:43

Some semi decent pics of them. The flash still makes them look too yellow, but you can at least see the colour a bit better along with the flake.

ScoobyDoo69 · 6 Nov 2010 at 16:46

Newly refurbished wheels fitted, sans the caps at the moment as I'm yet to paint them. I'm very pleased with them.

PS please ignore the off roader look, it hadn't settled yet, hence the look of "I'm fighting gravity"

ScoobyDoo69 · 6 Nov 2010 at 18:48

Thanks. It's sat a bit lower now that I've took it for a drive. It was fresh off the jacks when I took the pics.