Styling Wheel recon advice

[Lozzy08]

Hey guys, just looking for a little advice toward reconditioning my new alloy wheels

I purchased some alloys for my car today, and there a wee bit scratched and battered. Now I'm planning on re-painting them, so here's what I'm planning to do to each wheel:
Use rough sandpaper/wet and dry paper to rub down to bear metal.
Use finer grade paper to smooth up.
Tape off tyre and prime with a few coats
Spray with a few coats of colour.
Spray with a few coats of laqure
Whala!

Is there anything else you guys suggest I do/amend?
Thanks

 

[Dayjw]

Try this guide out mate, it's for satin black wheels but shouldn't make too much difference when it comes to colour
https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-guides/202540-how-respray-your-wheels-satin-black.html

 

[bredsticz]

Yeah I recently did this with mine but in white, I used epoxy resin to fill the dents/cracks etc.

3 coats primer (20 min in between coats, slightly thicker top coat and leave 24 hours to harden)
Same with colour then same with lacquar

Epoxy resin takes longest to set but do it properly and you get a great finish! Not a job you want to rush
Heres what mine look like now (this one does have a chunk out still where the idiotic tyre fitter knocked the epoxy resin out! :bang

 

[DaveMcT]

Epoxy doesn't stick very well to alloy. Body filler might be better. Or take it to a good stovers and get them to prime it and fill it with their heat proof filler before a final stove finish.

 

[Lozzy08]

Thanks for the advice guys, that wheel's looking good bred. I shall be reconing them as soon as I have cash to get supplies.

 

[DaveMcT]

Check out the cost of stove enamel usually less than you'd expect. Paint wont last very long and its not especially cheap.

 

[Lozzy08]

Hey I don't need to stove them, the wheels aren't badly damaged. It was just the paint that was scratched up.

I've started work on one wheel. We sanded the top layers of paint off and smoothed it down with a finer grade paper, then primed and sprayed it gloss black! It's looking sexy atm, but still needs another coat or two. With post a picture of the other wheels and the completed wheel when I get a chance :slayer:

 

[bredsticz]

Stove enamel is the paint. It makes the paint much harder and a better finish

 

[Fiatpuntomk2b]

get a pic up i want to see how they have turned out

 

[DaveMcT]

Hey I don't need to stove them, the wheels aren't badly damaged. It was just the paint that was scratched up.

I've started work on one wheel. We sanded the top layers of paint off and smoothed it down with a finer grade paper, then primed and sprayed it gloss black! It's looking sexy atm, but still needs another coat or two. With post a picture of the other wheels and the completed wheel when I get a chance :slayer:

Lots of work and cost and it wont look great for very long. Stove enamel is MUCH tougher and you'll be surprised how little it costs. It has to be done professionally, because the paint is baked in an oven.

 

[bredsticz]

Mine's still going strong! Even curbed it a couple of times! Paint is still good

 

[Lozzy08]

Ah I misunderstood what you meant by stove them. I'm assuming the tyres must be taken off them if there to be heated. That's leaves me with one final question, how much does stoving usual cost? Thank Ya!

 

[Lozzy08]

Well here's the pictures I took of my wheels the other day.
The first is the alloy as it was, you can't see it very well but it was pretty scratched up:

And here's what I've done to it. The wheel was wet when I took the photo as I'd just washed it:

I've sanded it down all over with rough grade, then smoothed it with a lower grade paper, then gave it a few coats of primer and then the gloss enamel on top. Any suggestions? All input is welcome

 

[DaveMcT]

They look good. The issue is that most primers dont work on aluminium. Hopefully its stuck ok.

 

[DaveMcT]

Ah I misunderstood what you meant by stove them. I'm assuming the tyres must be taken off them if there to be heated. That's leaves me with one final question, how much does stoving usually cost? Thank Ya!

I use CJ Ward from Burton on Trent. They charge £25 for a 17 inch motorcycle wheel so some car wheels maybe a little more - more spokes to shot blast. One like above I'd guess at the lower cost. The tyres have to come off. But that's not a bad idea - old wheels can be pitted with corrosion in the tyre bead area.

They say that stove enamel is tougher than powder coat but they do both. If there are any deep scratches talk to them about filling the groove. Normal fillers wont handle the baking oven.

At their prices I'd not be wanting to waste the costs of spray paints not to mention the time and the chance the paint wont stick.

 

[Lozzy08]

Cool, Burt-on-Trent isn't far from me, I'm near Derby. Thanks for the advice Sei

 

[DaveMcT]

CJ Ward 01285 536135

 

[Lozzy08]

Small update, I'm hoping to finish most of the wheels on sunday, so will post some pictures of how they look when complete

 

[DaveMcT]

Hope they last longer without chipping/flaking than when I tried to paint my wheels.