Painting Alloys?
- Thread starter taylaz41
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Painting Alloys?
delays
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I repainted some Lancia Delta wheels recently to put on my Mk. 2 Punto, and am pleased with the results. The wheels needed more refurbishing rather than straight painting, but this is how I did them:
1) Clean each wheel to the point you could comfortably eat your dinner off them. This gets rid of all the gunge and grime that could show through the paint.
2) Only really necessary if you've got kerb damage you want to get rid of at the same time. Sand each wheel using 80 grit sand paper, to remove the laquer. This will allow the filler - I used some alloy wheel filler bought of eBay - to bond to the surface, and this should be sufficient to fill any nicks or scrapes in the surface. Then, sand down with 240 grit, removing excess filler and any deep scratches caused by using the 80 grit sandpaper previously. After all this, give each wheel a good clean with sugar soap.
3) Spray the clean wheels with primer. I used normal bodywork primer. Ensure you've got good, even, run-free coverage, and leave to dry overnight in a place where you've got little chance of dust settling in the drying paint.
4) Sand with 1000 wet and dry paper - giving the chance to remove any dust or runs.
5) Paint the wheels using your colour of choice. Again leave overnight.
6) Lacquer the wheels - I used clear lacquer, again intended for bodywork use, as it was easy to get, and does the job.
Handy hint - don't worry if you get dust in the drying paint. Don't remove it until it's dry, as then you can just easily sand it off.
Hope this is helpful to you!
1) Clean each wheel to the point you could comfortably eat your dinner off them. This gets rid of all the gunge and grime that could show through the paint.
2) Only really necessary if you've got kerb damage you want to get rid of at the same time. Sand each wheel using 80 grit sand paper, to remove the laquer. This will allow the filler - I used some alloy wheel filler bought of eBay - to bond to the surface, and this should be sufficient to fill any nicks or scrapes in the surface. Then, sand down with 240 grit, removing excess filler and any deep scratches caused by using the 80 grit sandpaper previously. After all this, give each wheel a good clean with sugar soap.
3) Spray the clean wheels with primer. I used normal bodywork primer. Ensure you've got good, even, run-free coverage, and leave to dry overnight in a place where you've got little chance of dust settling in the drying paint.
4) Sand with 1000 wet and dry paper - giving the chance to remove any dust or runs.
5) Paint the wheels using your colour of choice. Again leave overnight.
6) Lacquer the wheels - I used clear lacquer, again intended for bodywork use, as it was easy to get, and does the job.
Handy hint - don't worry if you get dust in the drying paint. Don't remove it until it's dry, as then you can just easily sand it off.
Hope this is helpful to you!
my in law did mine in a hour we some black spray just mask the tyres up good then mat black them 4 a under coat then gloss over use a hair dryer 2 help the paint a long 
my in law did mine in a hour we some black spray just mask the tyres up good then mat black them 4 a under coat then gloss over use a hair dryer 2 help the paint a long
I hope you rubbed them down 1st
Here is my guide,
When using a lacquer try and get hold of some 2k spray lacquer its much glossier and tougher. You will need to spray in a well ventilated area and wear a face mask.
To do yourself you will need to rub the alloys down.
You need to remove or flatten down the clear lacquer as it is like glass and the new paint will not stick to it.
use a wet n dry paper 400 first then 600 grit. Get a few sheets
You use it by dipping it in a bucket of clean water thats had a small squirt of fairy liquid in to it.
any chips on the alloys can be dealt with using small amounts of car body filler. When dry use a 120 - 300 grit dry sandpaper just on the filler. once shaped use 400 then 600 wet n dry on it to remove the scratches left by the rougher paper
mask tyres
Spray anywhere where you have rubbed through the paint or anywhere you have filled with a normal grey primer. Apply thin coats and let each dry before applying the next. Once dry-a few hours is needed. rub any primer lightly with a 600 grit.
wash/rinse wheels off, well.
let wheels dry.
re mask tyres
spray base coat (colour coat)
apply in thin coats and let each coat dry. you will need around 4 coats
The way you want to spray is imagine the wheel as a clock face.
starting at 6 o'clock and painting centre to rim around the wheel until you get back to where you started from. Its important that you paint quickly so that the paint blends in at the starting and finishing points.
let it dry
Now apply a clear lacquer. in exactly the same method as above
3-4 coats only.
