Here
is my first How 2 on How to Repaint your Rims. These are
the Katana Concept 6 rims that have been discontinued. I like them because they are not the basic 5 or 7 spoke
rims that are out on the market. So what's the next best thing
to do other than getting new Rims or having them Powdercoated...Repaint them! We all know that Powdercoating is best, but for the price of the entire project you won't even be able to get one wheel done. If you follow
these simple steps, you too can make your rims like new again.
Here I am totally changing the color on all 4 rims, from White to Silver. But the same
process can be applied, with a little variation in steps,
if you are staying with the same color.
Please
make sure to read the Disclaimer at the end of this tutorial.
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Rims Before: Here is a pic of the rims when they were white. They have a bit of curb rash that needs to be fixed before painting. The key to that will be sanding and using spot putty to fill in the damaged areas.
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Rim Ready For Sanding: First I sanded the rim with 320 grit paper, followed by 1500 for a smooth look. There are still traces of the scratches, but the spot putty will take care of that problem.
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Rim After Sanding Putty:
The final coating of spot putty has dried and the repair area has been sanded with 320 grit and 1500. You may or may not wet sand. I decided to dry sanded my work . YOU MUST follow this next step: Sand/Scuff the ENTIRE rim with 320 grit or a Red Scuff pad. Scuff until the paint looks dull to the eye. This is so the paint will stick properly to the wheel.
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Up-Close of Damaged Wheel: Here is the close up of the wheel that needs to be repaired. Lucky for us, the scratches are not deep.We will use 320 grip sandpaper and follow up with 1500 to smooth it out.
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Rim With Spot Putty: With your latex gloves on apply the spot putty, as thin as possible over top of the areas to be filled in, DO NOT cake this stuff on! If you do, it will crack and you'll have to start over again.
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Applying Primer: The wheels are now COMPLETELY sanded and have been cleaned again. Shake the can for 1 minute and then place the Spray Can Attachment on top. I will apply 2 medium coats of Krylon Primer(You can do 3-4 light coats, but I've been using this stuff for a while). Make sure to shake the can throughout the process. This keeps the consistency and color even.
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Applying Color Coat: Now that the primer is dry, I will be applying Dupli-Color High Performance Wheel Coating in Silver. I sprayed 3 medium coats(again because I am familiar with the product), waiting 15 minutes in between each coat. Once evenly coated, allow to dry to touch. Note that not only did I paint the front of the wheel, but I also painted the back of the wheel. If you are changing the color of the wheel, then you should paint the entire wheel because you will see the whole wheel. If you are just fixing or doing a touch up, it is not necessary.
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Done, Part1: Here is a close up of the wheel where I repaired the damage. Can you tell where I fixed the damage? No? Good! That is how the end result is supposed to turn out... like it was never repaired in the first place. Can you believe that these were once white? Neither can I.
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Clear Coat Application: Now that the 2 coats of primer and 3 coats of color are dry, I wll apply the Clear Coat. Dupli-Color High Performance Clear Wheel Coating requires that you apply the Clear Coat within 1 hour of the final color coat. I waited about 20 minutes and began applying the Clear Coat. This can be applied as often as you need to within an hour. After one hour, you will have to wait 7 days. If you don't, the paint will lift and look like junk. Then you will have to redo the ENTIRE painting process again... and you don't want that!
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Done, Part 2:
The centeraps have been placed back on the rims and here they are on Project GSRT right after they were done. Myr first How2 project(2nd time around that is)
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Materials Used:
- Sand
Paper(60,320 & 1500)
- Bondo®
Glazing and Spot Putty
- Krylon Primer
- Dupli-Color®
High Performance Wheel Coating(Silver)
- Dupli-Color®
High Performance Wheel Coating(Clear)
- Latex
Gloves
- Painters Tarp
- Basic Dust Mask/Respirator
- Soap and Water Solution
- Sponges/Cleaning Rags
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Here are picturs of the Spraypaint Can Attachment and actual Primer, Color Coat and Clear Coat used during the painting process. |
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PowderCoating vs Painting :
We all know that Powder Coating is the best way to go. But when you can't, Painting or Re-Painting is the next best thing to do for a refreshed or completely new look. Eventhough we know which process is better, we still decided to list the Pros and Cons of each one. Here we go:
PowderCoating Pros:
- Extremely Durable
- Professional Look
PowderCoating Cons:
- Expensive
- Usually have to ship or leave items to be PowderCoated
- Need proper equipment which can be costly as well
Painting Pros:
- Do-It-Yourself
- Easy access to materials
- Cost efficient
Painting Cons:
- Not as durable
- Wears with time
- Can turn out not as professional looking(not in this How2!)
We feel good about our first How 2 and if you decide to follow this tutorial, completely or in variation, Email us some Before and After pics and we'll post them here.
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Click HERE to see the results on the Dupli-Color website 'Success Stories' section!
If you would like a detailed write-up of this how to, send me an Email, Subject: Wheel Re-Paint Write Up, and I will send it to you. If you want it mailed out to you, you must send your name and mailing address so I can send it out to you, first class mail.(I won't even ask for the cost of the stamp!) |
