Powdercoat wheels

[uscmas412]

I bought these wheels as a spare set, with the intent to powdercoat my originals. Are these too far gone to properly powdercoat? It'd be much easier if I can get these done!


https://goo.gl/photos/VhS8QSgHFfRLwWD58

https://goo.gl/photos/AzdMBbK1hwY6BSux8

 

[Steve D]

I just had wheels powdercoated that looked a lot like that. They are on my trailer and the finish is holding up well after a couple thousand miles so far.

For others' convenience, here are the photos.

 

[bajaphile]

Most powdercoat places will media blast them prior anyways...

 

[Kernal]

SteveD: can you post up close up images of your wheels after powdercoating?

 

[Notch]

I bought 5, blasted them and had them coated in a bright metallic silver. They came out pretty nice. A few little pits show if you look close but it's fine for me. I think having them all one color looks a little tougher than the machined face on the stock ones too. Less fancy, I guess.

 

[Kernal]

Notch: what brand and color powdercoat powder did you use, and did you have them clear coated also? Cost per wheel?

In my search for the "perfect" color I've found that there are dozens of different silver colors available.

 

[Notch]

I had a local coating shop do the powder for me. Yes, they have a UV stable clear on them. I think it was around $60 a wheel. There are a million silvers, for sure. I had them special order the lightest, most metallic one in the book. It still looks a little gray compared to bright metallic wheel paint like most factory alloys have.

 

[Kernal]

The stock factory FZJ80 alloys had no paint AFAIK, just the rough casting surface in the cutouts, a milled aluminum surface for the spokes, then all of it clear coated. That's one reason, IMO, it is so hard to duplicate the OEM look for the standard FZJ80 alloys. The 40th Anniversary alloy wheels however were painted in the cutouts, a graphite color similar to the bumpers, same milled aluminum spokes, then clear coated.

 

[Phildoh]

Yes, a good shop will blast them first to prep for powder. My buddy bought my stock wheels for his 4runner. Local shop here in CA media blasted them, coated, baked, and back in hand in 24hrs. The hardest oart was my indecisive buddy not making the final call on what finish he wanted. He went with a gloss gunmetal gray, and they turned out pretty nice. I'm looking at stock FJC steelies now and doing the same with them. My dilemma is that I got away from wheel spacers and I don't wanna go back!

 

[Notch]

The stock factory FZJ80 alloys had no paint AFAIK, just the rough casting surface in the cutouts, a milled aluminum surface for the spokes, then all of it clear coated. That's one reason, IMO, it is so hard to duplicate the OEM look for the standard FZJ80 alloys. The 40th Anniversary alloy wheels however were painted in the cutouts, a graphite color similar to the bumpers, same milled aluminum spokes, then clear coated.

That's correct. I was referring to alloy wheels in general when I referenced a bright silver. Nearly every vehicle manufacturer uses silver paint on the majority of their wheels.

There is a wheel repair guy that comes to my shop and he can recut the milled part so it looks good again. I'm sure those guys are all over the country if someone wanted that done. Also you can buy remanufactured 80 series wheels from Keystone with the machined face.

 

[IronCladLou]

As another example taking nasty wheels and making them nice again... My LX450 wheels were in bad shape. The spare, especially. I had them blasted and powder coated for about $60/wheel. A couple of pictures below show the before and after...

 

[Notch]

I dont normally like the lexus wheels, but those look sweet in that color.





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[96Cruiser]

I bought 5, blasted them and had them coated in a bright metallic silver. They came out pretty nice. A few little pits show if you look close but it's fine for me. I think having them all one color looks a little tougher than the machined face on the stock ones too. Less fancy, I guess.

View attachment 1334263

View attachment 1334264

View attachment 1334266

mine came out almost exactly as yours, in the shade they are kind of flat, but they are silver in the sunlight.....my powdercoat guy used prismatic Porsche silver and a uv rated clear, profile is when I had just picked them up from the powder guy and had the 315 MTR's mounted and running around in the middle of February snow

 

[DARKNESS]

Maybe a dumb question, but how are you guys supporting the truck to get all the wheels off at the same time?

 

[bajaphile]

Maybe a dumb question, but how are you guys supporting the truck to get all the wheels off at the same time?

Harbor Freight jackstands are pretty cheap I've got 8 in total ranging in all sizes now!

 

[pengfinn]

Maybe a dumb question, but how are you guys supporting the truck to get all the wheels off at the same time?

I'd use jack stands, some folks may have a more proper lift, though.

 

[Corbet]

Mine were in similar condition to IronCladLou's and came out like this.
Now 5 years later are covered in rock rash but are otherwise holding up great.

 

[96Cruiser]

Maybe a dumb question, but how are you guys supporting the truck to get all the wheels off at the same time?

yep, jackstands in my driveway....mine was on 4 stands the whole month of February 2015 while I was in NY working, returned at end of February to the finished wheels and mounted up new MTR 315's

 

[FloridaFJ80]

Here are mine. Love how they turned out.

 

[uscmas412]

They turned out pretty well, even though I could have bought new wheels for what I paid for the whole deal!