Suspension/Wheels/Tires/Brakes

Powder coating my enki racing rims . Want advice.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-22-10, 10:36 AM
  #1  
Put it in the microwave!

Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
 
kensin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: CA
Posts: 1,556
Received 35 Likes on 29 Posts
Powder coating my enki racing rims . Want advice.

I want to powder coat them a different color . The original white is chipping off and it's real easy to get them dirty.

Now I got a few ideas. Dark purple . Bronze or some typ of gun metal black or super shine black.


The rims on in my sig. Thanks everyone.


Dave
Old 07-22-10, 10:37 AM
  #2  
Lives on the Forum

iTrader: (9)
 
ptrhahn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 9,023
Received 498 Likes on 272 Posts
I think i've heard it's better to paint than powder your wheels, so they aren't exposed to heat like that.
Old 07-22-10, 10:38 AM
  #3  
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary

iTrader: (19)
 
Natey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 4,455
Received 1,421 Likes on 735 Posts
Silver. With a polished lip.
Old 07-22-10, 01:06 PM
  #4  
Put it in the microwave!

Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
 
kensin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: CA
Posts: 1,556
Received 35 Likes on 29 Posts
i thought powder coating are strong for heat resistince and chiping lol
thos rims are not ment for be lip typ rims so if i polish the lip it will look weird.
although i do like the silver idea, that was one of the original color for thos rims.
Old 07-22-10, 01:12 PM
  #5  
Space cadet

iTrader: (78)
 
Battle Cat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: LOS ANGELES
Posts: 10,308
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
i would go with bronze, or a gun metal
Old 07-22-10, 01:49 PM
  #6  
Wastegate John

iTrader: (13)
 
RENESISFD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Long Island NY 11746
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 9 Posts
My vote is for bronze.


John
Old 07-22-10, 05:14 PM
  #7  
Rotary Freak

iTrader: (3)
 
Josh18_2k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Gresham, OR
Posts: 2,024
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
id check with enkei before you do that... ive heard that powdercoating can damage certain alloys. not the powedercoating itself, but the baking process.

anyway, red is like the worst color car for painted wheels lol... i would say gloss black.
Old 07-22-10, 06:14 PM
  #8  
GET OFF MY LAWN

iTrader: (1)
 
jgrewe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Fla.
Posts: 2,837
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
The temps used for powder coating are low enough to not hurt the alumium. Most powders cure at 400F for about 10 min, some cure as low as 375F. Normal powders will handle 600F all day long once cured high temp powders will get into the 1200F range. The normal powders are more durable than the high temps when it comes to abrasion etc. The high gloss black will show scratches from cleaning but it sure looks nice.

If you can spend the extra money get them powder clear coated after you put choose a color. It should come in around 50% more per wheel but it makes the stuff incredibly tough. I was doing a set of my own wheels for my RX2 restoration and had an issue with uneven temps in my oven. The clear yellowed a little so I had to re-do a wheel. I hadn't bought the special stripper for powder coating yet and I figured I would media blast(aluminum oxide) the stuff off and start over. It took me 3 1/2 hrs to blast the outer face of one 13" steel wheel. My time to blast that same face when the rims were first done; 15minutes. (I ordered the stripper the next day!)

I vote gun metal with a high gloss clear. Can I ask what you are going to pay for each wheel?

Last edited by jgrewe; 07-22-10 at 06:16 PM.
Old 07-22-10, 06:43 PM
  #9  
Corn-to-Noise Converter


iTrader: (6)
 
Carlos Iglesias's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: The Elysian Fields (Texas)
Posts: 1,527
Received 386 Likes on 154 Posts
Thanks for the thread Kensin, I've been interested because I've been planning to PC my brand spankin new PF-01's this weekend. Unfortunately, I'm still not completely convinced on whether I'll PC or paint the wheels.

For you own decision, below is by far the best thread I've found on the subject.
"Aluminum Wheel Failure After Powder Coating?"

One thing that is very clear is that HOW the powder coating process is conducted could be critical to the metallurgical effects on the wheel. You decide, cause I sure can't... though I am leaning towards doing it after confirm the shop's procedures.
Old 07-22-10, 07:13 PM
  #10  
GET OFF MY LAWN

iTrader: (1)
 
jgrewe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Fla.
Posts: 2,837
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Good thread there. The biggest thing I can see is the estimated time the guys are talking about for the wheel to be hot. It takes my oven about 12 minutes to get to 400F. Thin stuff follows the oven temp pretty closely. Steel wheels will lag the oven temp about 25F by the time the oven air is 400. It takes about 3 minutes more for the wheel to hit 400. Aluminum wheels take a few minutes longer.

So, for an aluminum wheel the temp ramp goes from about 95F to 400F in 19-20 minutes. Once the part reaches 400F the timer starts for the 10 min cure. They can be taken out of the oven right then, or, I usually just open door and let them cool down to about 120 so I can grab them. Total time for the whole process is about 40 minutes, time above 350F is probably about 25 minutes or less if you can pull them out at the end of the cure time.
Old 07-23-10, 03:53 AM
  #11  
Bubblicious DEF.

iTrader: (36)
 
muibubbles's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: 732
Posts: 4,265
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
bronze ftw or a black and bronze combo
Old 07-23-10, 06:05 AM
  #12  
Put it in the microwave!

Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
 
kensin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: CA
Posts: 1,556
Received 35 Likes on 29 Posts
Thanks for everyones advice!
I'm now thinking of Bronze or gunmetal black with clear finish . One of my girlfriend got a red s2000 with bronze vs wheel and it looks pimp.

Jgrewe, I'm paying 120$ each wheel. The shop that's doing it for me is the best pc shop in palmsprings.
Old 07-24-10, 03:24 PM
  #13  
Corn-to-Noise Converter


iTrader: (6)
 
Carlos Iglesias's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: The Elysian Fields (Texas)
Posts: 1,527
Received 386 Likes on 154 Posts
Spoke with both a reputable paint shop and a powder coater this morning. I thoroughly inquired about the entire PC process with the latter. The owner had all the right answers about outgassing and annealing times, so the PF01s are at Extreme Powder Coating. The wheels will be done in matte black and ready for pickup in about a week. It's going to be ~$125 per wheel. The range has to do with the complexity of the stripping process.

I'll post pictures once I have them back.
Old 07-25-10, 01:57 AM
  #14  
Put it in the microwave!

Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
 
kensin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: CA
Posts: 1,556
Received 35 Likes on 29 Posts
nice to know !
show some pics when the wheels are ready .
what are the original color ?
Old 07-28-10, 07:43 AM
  #15  
Classy

iTrader: (17)
 
evot23's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 6,900
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
Good thread and good link Carlos. Kensin, I think I have the same wheels and was also considering PC. I have the same dilemma...bronze or gunmetal. I think I will ultimately go with bronze though
Old 07-28-10, 08:06 AM
  #16  
Lives on the Forum

iTrader: (9)
 
ptrhahn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 9,023
Received 498 Likes on 272 Posts
Carlos,
I wonder if you could do the Technos that way too? (I'd wonder with them being magnesium and all).


Originally Posted by Carlos Iglesias
Spoke with both a reputable paint shop and a powder coater this morning. I thoroughly inquired about the entire PC process with the latter. The owner had all the right answers about outgassing and annealing times, so the PF01s are at Extreme Powder Coating. The wheels will be done in matte black and ready for pickup in about a week. It's going to be ~$125 per wheel. The range has to do with the complexity of the stripping process.

I'll post pictures once I have them back.
Old 07-28-10, 01:00 PM
  #17  
Living the dream...

iTrader: (7)
 
93silverbullet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Posts: 1,342
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
I went with a semi-gloss black powder coating on my Enkei NT03+M rims. I also added a red "time attack" stripe. IMO it looks great, however you can see the brake dust pretty quickly on any type of semi-gloss or gloss black.


Sorry about the poor quality of the pic (and yes the car is up on jacks ).
Old 07-28-10, 01:15 PM
  #18  
Corn-to-Noise Converter


iTrader: (6)
 
Carlos Iglesias's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: The Elysian Fields (Texas)
Posts: 1,527
Received 386 Likes on 154 Posts
That's a good questions, Peter. I assume the manufacturer took the annealing effect of PC'ing into consideration when they originally coated the magnesium wheels at the factory. Anyways, I'll need to figure it out, since i have a rim with a chipped lip that I'll need to eventually fix.

Originally Posted by ptrhahn
Carlos,
I wonder if you could do the Technos that way too? (I'd wonder with them being magnesium and all).
Old 07-28-10, 01:49 PM
  #19  
Classy

iTrader: (17)
 
evot23's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 6,900
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
Originally Posted by 93silverbullet
I went with a semi-gloss black powder coating on my Enkei NT03+M rims. I also added a red "time attack" stripe. IMO it looks great, however you can see the brake dust pretty quickly on any type of semi-gloss or gloss black.


Sorry about the poor quality of the pic (and yes the car is up on jacks ).

That looks REALLY good. I may have to reevaluate bronze...
Old 08-02-10, 11:23 PM
  #20  
Put it in the microwave!

Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
 
kensin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: CA
Posts: 1,556
Received 35 Likes on 29 Posts
going full bronze !
and nice looking rims silverbullet ! need some full car shots
Old 08-03-10, 02:28 PM
  #21  
Trackstar motorsport

iTrader: (8)
 
97SupraTwinTurbo's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: glendale, ca
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by jgrewe
The temps used for powder coating are low enough to not hurt the alumium. Most powders cure at 400F for about 10 min, some cure as low as 375F. Normal powders will handle 600F all day long once cured high temp powders will get into the 1200F range. The normal powders are more durable than the high temps when it comes to abrasion etc. The high gloss black will show scratches from cleaning but it sure looks nice.

If you can spend the extra money get them powder clear coated after you put choose a color. It should come in around 50% more per wheel but it makes the stuff incredibly tough. I was doing a set of my own wheels for my RX2 restoration and had an issue with uneven temps in my oven. The clear yellowed a little so I had to re-do a wheel. I hadn't bought the special stripper for powder coating yet and I figured I would media blast(aluminum oxide) the stuff off and start over. It took me 3 1/2 hrs to blast the outer face of one 13" steel wheel. My time to blast that same face when the rims were first done; 15minutes. (I ordered the stripper the next day!)

I vote gun metal with a high gloss clear. Can I ask what you are going to pay for each wheel?

+1 Also try to blast off the previous color and then powder the new color on.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
tiger18
3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002)
9
09-03-15 08:27 PM



Quick Reply: Powder coating my enki racing rims . Want advice.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:33 AM.