[MatP]

Originally Posted by Vicegrip

American Stripping in Mananas http://www.ascoweb.com/ has come with good recommendations. BUT.... Please be careful about powder coating wheels. Overheating wheels can make them weak depending on the alloys used. Weak as in the rims break out of the centers in the Chute. Seen it.

+1 on both. I've used American Stripping with good success.

[18T_BT]

I've never powdercoated wheels before, only valve covers and intake manifolds. I personally have not used these guys, but I've seen their work and the coatings they do are phenomenal. Pretty smart guys and I am sure they will concur that heating wheels isn't the end of the world. I would ask if they have a low temperature curing process. They are close to Summit Point. Mostly work on VAG vehicles.

Some of their work: https://www.facebook.com/VagwerksPer...ing?fref=photo

Their website: http://www.vagwerksperformanceandcoating.com/

Originally Posted by onboost

400F is what most powdercoating companies use to cure.

Considering most wheels are forged.. is 400F too hot for them?

Most wheels are cast not forged from my experience.

[MatP]

some interesting info to consider.

http://www.uniquefinish.com/coastingwheelsafely.htm

[smdubovsky]

Originally Posted by MatP

some interesting info to consider.

http://www.uniquefinish.com/coastingwheelsafely.htm

That data is misleading at best.

Statement: Most alloys do not anneal until 600F.
Fact: Its not annealing the wheels we are worried about. It 'overaging'. After heat treatment, you 'age' aluminum to increase ductility and other properties (similar to tempering w/ hardened steel.) This is done artificially w/ heat to speed up the process in the case of -T6 (6061) using an hour somewhere around 200C. Going beyond this time, the strength goes down on many (but not all) alloys.

Statement: BBS/HRE/jline powder coat their forged/cast wheels.
Fact: Well duh, they could do it as part of the original aging process. Simple example: If you need 15min at heat to flow the powdercoat, you could age them for 45min, powdercoat, then put back in the oven for 15min to get the cumulative hour you need. Aging is a cumulative effect.

[BlackTalon]

Originally Posted by smdubovsky

Aging is a cumulative effect.

I think TR would x2 that statement...

[Vicegrip]

I think the overall point is you most likely can safely powder coat or strip, re-coat and cure a wheel if you know what you are doing and do it right. This does show that you can also overheat or thermally mistreat a wheel and weaken it.

I strip them with metal safe stripper and paint with rattle cans. Its a track car...

[Eric S]

Originally Posted by smdubovsky

Anyone ever though of using cerakote? (the high temp - no bake version. Though the bake version is only 120C which is almost half of most powdercoats) Tough as nails, VERY thin, and prob uses an ounce to do all 4 wheels. I recently applied it for the first time and its insane how far a little goes.

My Finspeed wheels are coated with Cerakote (originally designed for firearms); it is their primary finish. Impervious to chemicals, look good and easy to keep clean. More durable than paint or powder coat, but it is a coating so not as durable as anodizing. Personally, I prefer the Fikse Race Satin clear anodized finish, but Finspeed didn't offer it.

[Vicegrip]

Originally Posted by Eric S

....Personally, I prefer the Fikse Race Satin clear anodized finish, but Finspeed didn't offer it.

How were you able to reconcile such a thing?

[Eric S]

Originally Posted by Vicegrip

How were you able to reconcile such a thing?

I figured "easy to clean" was the natural target...

All factors considered, it was the best option at the time. Finspeed may explore an anodized finish option, at least in the clear finish. They had issues with color consistency and concerns about the anodizing process making the metal surface more brittle and susceptible to cracking (no idea if there is truth to this, though I did have several Fikse Profil 13 centers crack before going to the 5s design that were trouble-free); they definitely wanted to stay away from black anodizing due to the propensity of black anodizing to fade to purple over time. If they do anodize, it will be done in-house; once Finspeed acquires forged aluminum blanks to their specifications, nothing is outsourced.

[onboost]

Originally Posted by 18T_BT

I've never powdercoated wheels before, only valve covers and intake manifolds. I personally have not used these guys, but I've seen their work and the coatings they do are phenomenal. Pretty smart guys and I am sure they will concur that heating wheels isn't the end of the world. I would ask if they have a low temperature curing process. They are close to Summit Point. Mostly work on VAG vehicles.

Some of their work: https://www.facebook.com/VagwerksPer...ing?fref=photo

Their website: http://www.vagwerksperformanceandcoating.com/


"Quote:
Originally Posted by onboost
400F is what most powdercoating companies use to cure.

Considering most wheels are forged.. is 400F too hot for them? "

Most wheels are cast not forged from my experience.

Yep.. either way my experience has been that powder coaters I've dealt with heat to roughly 400f. Not sure if this causes issues with cast or forged