Who in Raleligh paints wheels?

Vern Geddings · **Posted:** Fri Jun 03, 2005 7:18 pm

How much did it cost to powdercoat a set of wheels?

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:51 pm

I don't remember. I do know it varies depending on the amount of work needed to strip them to begin with. I think a set was about $200, but much of that was stripping.

--Donnie

Chuck Frank · **Posted:** Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:27 pm

the actual powdercoating is easy and cheap it's the preparation to be sure it holds that costs. Also expect to pay a significant premium if you want a specific color that they are not currently doing for equipment cleanup, any color cross contamination would be a nightmare for the applicator.

Mark Vitacco · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 2:53 pm

PowerCoating is probably a better option on rims than paint/clearcoat.
Raleigh Powercoat when out of business, so other than MeElheney on
hwy 70 (doing it out of his home on the side) we don't have a
pro power coating in the immediate Raleigh area that I'm aware of.

You can call CE at 596-8135 and get a quote or see if he can do
parts that big but I would recomend the place in Burlington.

Mark Vitacco · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 3:00 pm

Back when Raleigh Powercoat was around, he charged me $200 PER
set of large C5 Corvette RIms. He was asking more but came down
some becuase it was two complete sets of rims being done. I sold one of the sets to Graham Jagger. Most of the cost was for stripping & cleaning.

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

The tech that I've seen indicates that powdercoating wheels isn't the best idea ever. Especially when the car is tracked. Exhibits a, b and c of C5 wheels follow, please look at the non fuxored wheel too.

Rich Anderson · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 3:37 pm

Wes Eargle wrote:

The tech that I've seen indicates that powdercoating wheels isn't the best idea ever. Especially when the car is tracked. Exhibits a, b and c of C5 wheels follow, please look at the non fuxored wheel too.

Is there a causal relationship between powdercoating and cracking? I do not understand enough about the powdercoating process to know if that is a possibility.

Richard Casto · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 3:43 pm

I also don't know much about the process, but I wonder if maybe it can hide cracks. Basically they start and you don't see them until it is to late.?

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

Look at the tech on c-c. I wouldn't do it.

Rich Anderson · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 3:48 pm

Richard Casto wrote:

I also don't know much about the process, but I wonder if maybe it can hide cracks. Basically they start and you don't see them until it is to late.?

Could not the same be said of paint? Or does powdercoating go 'deeper' so a crack is less visible?

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 4:01 pm

Wes Eargle wrote:

The tech that I've seen indicates that powdercoating wheels isn't the best idea ever.

I don't see the relationship between the two. Powercoating is basically pellets of paint that are baked-on. When the pellets get up to temperature they flow together, harden, and look just like paint. The big difference is it's a much harder (durometer) finish thus a better durability.

MANY wheels get powdercoated. Even factory ones.

Rich Anderson · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 4:12 pm

From what I have read from what Wes referenced, powdercoating requires the piece to be heated to ~400° Fahrenheit. In order to recover the T6 hardness of treated 6061 after welding, heating to 390° is required. Unfortunately, just heating it does not harden it, but the way in which it is brought up to temperature and cooled. If the powdercoating does not do this right, it will weaken the aluminum.

Cast aluminum will lose approximately 5-% strength in a 15 minute bake at 400° according to the same source. (aka red it on the internet so all scepticism is due).

RobLupella · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 4:23 pm

Mark Vitacco wrote:

Back when Raleigh Powercoat was around, he charged me $200 PER
set of large C5 Corvette RIms. He was asking more but came down
some becuase it was two complete sets of rims being done. I sold one of the sets to Graham Jagger. Most of the cost was for stripping & cleaning.

Graham, see pictures above. Maybe you ought to sell your car fast :lol:

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 4:29 pm

Rich Anderson wrote:

From what I have read from what Wes referenced, powdercoating requires the piece to be heated to ~400° Fahrenheit. In order to recover the T6 hardness of treated 6061 after welding, heating to 390° is required. Unfortunately, just heating it does not harden it, but the way in which it is brought up to temperature and cooled. If the powdercoating does not do this right, it will weaken the aluminum.

Cast aluminum will lose approximately 5-% strength in a 15 minute bake at 400° according to the same source. (aka red it on the internet so all scepticism is due).

Since factory wheels are assumed not to be race-ready, I guess powercoating them isn't an issue. Interesting to know this data though. My wheels were painted so hopefully I'm safe! I check for cracks often on my race wheels just to be sure.

Diane Hall · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 5:30 pm

I haven't read the thread, so forgive me.

I wanted to report on an incident on track this past weekend at NHIS. Andy Bettencourt (who some of you may remember from autocrossing years ago) had his freshly painted (maybe powdercoated) wheels on his car (spec miata). On Sunday, when it was really warm and not wet, the paint behind the lug nuts melted, leaving at least one wheel loose.

Moral of the story: Don't have paint between your lug nuts and your wheel. This is something I wouldn't have thought of.

Diane

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