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To Powder Coat or Spray Paint Aluminum Wheels

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by hexnutter, Oct 27, 2021.

  1. Oct 28, 2021 at 11:23 AM
    #21
    hexnutter

    hexnutter [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Oh oh buying some TRD wheels of CL can be only 500 bucks sometimes. Non of the 2nd or 3rd gen appeal to me, a Tacoma has rounded lines and they have square ones, although that blue taco looks slick with them. I had to go the hard route but Im keeping it kinda old school and these rims are very similar to the stock metal ones, with out the rust lines.

    Well I'v just put down 2 coats of SEM self etching primer front, back and rim. The media blast did wondered, its just how much trouble do you want to go sanding out imperfections. Pictures to follow.
     
    Juisebocks likes this.
  2. Oct 28, 2021 at 12:42 PM
    #22
    hexnutter

    hexnutter [OP] Well-Known Member

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    So in the close up you can see the imperfections, its easy to sand out, I may go around again then give it a few coats of primer or not. I'm to cheep to paint the whole wheel but wondering if I should clear the whole back of it.

    20211028_142930.jpg
    20211028_142922.jpg
     
    2001 4x4, deanosaurus and Juisebocks like this.
  3. Oct 28, 2021 at 12:54 PM
    #23
    Juisebocks

    Juisebocks Commander of the Inglorious Badger

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    If they media blasted the whole wheel, I'd do a clear coat on any exposed metal that you didn't paint. It'll keep the metal from oxidizing and looking yucky. If you live in the salt belt states, I'd definitely make sure everything has something on it.

    Don't paint the mating surface on the back of the wheel though, that's no bueno.
     
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  4. Oct 28, 2021 at 1:07 PM
    #24
    deanosaurus

    deanosaurus Caveman

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    Looking pretty good, man. I think you realize that prep is key. I'd definitely go back over any yuckies you find now, give the primer plenty of time to cure (24h if you can afford it) then a good wipedown. Go slow and light with plenty of layers of your chosen paint and then clearcoat. An area to take extra care with since you're doing this tires/TPMS off is the edges and inside of the outer lip.

    I think a clearcoat on the backside wouldn't hurt either, especially if you live in a salty area - just knock down any bad bubbling or imperfections.
     
  5. Oct 28, 2021 at 1:14 PM
    #25
    Northern Taco

    Northern Taco Well-Known Member

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    My wheels were $110 each to get powder coated.

    I used plastic paint on the centres and it’s the only part that hasn’t held up perfectly. Have re painted them once in 4.5 years. My truck gets used off road daily for work in forestry.

    it also depends on where you live, buying second hand wheels around here results in them all being corroded
     
  6. Oct 28, 2021 at 1:59 PM
    #26
    Danner488

    Danner488 Well-Known Member

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    I purchased a set of aluminum 4-Runner wheels and center caps off Craigslist for $125. Clear coat had failed.



    I used a Jasco gel stripper and let it sit for about 20-30 minutes and scrapped the clear coat off with a plastic putty knife. The clear coat came off like butter. After doing so twice almost all of the clear coat was gone. I had to sand a couple spots in the corners / creases, but it all came off with little effort. Also some scuffing or scratching of the coating helped the gel penetrate the areas where the coating seemed to be more intact. I would think that the stripper would work on other wheel coatings beside clear coat.

    I washed the rims well and cleaned them with rubbing alcohol.
    Rattle can painted just the fronts of the wheels and center caps.
    Rustoleum self etching primer
    Couple coats of VHT semi-gloss black wheel paint
    Couple of VHT clear coat.

    $175 total cost.
    Came out surprisingly good and has held up to one New England winter. Wheels / tires will be put on again in a few weeks for second winter.

    upload_2021-10-28_16-54-3.jpg

     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Oct 28, 2021
  7. Oct 28, 2021 at 2:00 PM
    #27
    Danner488

    Danner488 Well-Known Member

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    Sorry for the duplicate picks. Fist post
     
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  8. Oct 28, 2021 at 2:12 PM
    #28
    Mudsock

    Mudsock Well-Known Member

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    My wheels look like poo. I’d rather have plain steel wheels than the alum rims I currently have.

    In Indiana it’s only a matter of time before the bead area of the wheel is corroded and will start to leak air.
     
  9. Oct 28, 2021 at 2:30 PM
    #29
    dtaco10

    dtaco10 Well-Known Member

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    This is why I went with steel wheels. Paid $100 for 4 almost new steel wheels from Craigslist and I scrapped the aluminum ones out for $47.
     
  10. Oct 28, 2021 at 2:55 PM
    #30
    gregzz

    gregzz Well-Known Member

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    Looks great!! Good job!! Yeah a lot of people (for some unknown reason) LOVE to use those over the counter wheel cleaners and they SUCK!!! Literally if you spray your wheels when their even warm it’ll rip your clear coat too shreds!! I learned the hard way when I came home from work and my wife decided it’s be a GREAT idea to wash her car (MERCEDES) and she sprayed the wheel cleaner I think it was Crap’Guirs and it was in the summer and it destroyed her wheels and streaked the hell out of her clear coat, No matter how much scrubbing and polishing and even re-spraying the wheels with that garbage to atleast try to mske em look even or presentable was a lost cause so just a friendly warning DONT EVER use the spray wheel cleaners thinking you’re doing yourself a favor because believe it or not good old Soap @ Water cleans alllllll the brake dust off and if it doesn’t thsn a pressure washer with JUST WATER will do the trick. Not sure if that’s what the Person used on those wheels you bought or not but it looks like it could be. Trust me on the wheel spray garbage though and don’t use it PLEASE or you’ll regret it
     
    eherlihy likes this.
  11. Oct 28, 2021 at 3:00 PM
    #31
    PzTank

    PzTank Stuck in the Well

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  12. Oct 28, 2021 at 3:05 PM
    #32
    PzTank

    PzTank Stuck in the Well

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    Welcome to TW :thumbsup:

    You can easily edit the post to remove the dup pics. Just hit ‘edit’ on the post and look for duplicate numbers in the photo list- remove what you want
     
  13. Oct 28, 2021 at 3:13 PM
    #33
    Juisebocks

    Juisebocks Commander of the Inglorious Badger

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    We still love you.
     
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  14. Nov 1, 2021 at 1:29 PM
    #34
    hexnutter

    hexnutter [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Ok went back and sanded some rough spots then gave a good coat of primer. Ended up doing 4 coats today.
    Im looking for recommendations for clear coat, trying to avoid acrylic. Poly is expensive but I did see Min wax had a poly can for 8 bucks!

    20211101_155254.jpg
    20211101_155308.jpg

    Edit, the particle looking things are just light hitting the metallic flake they are pretty smooth but need a mat clear.
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2021
  15. Nov 7, 2021 at 7:52 PM
    #35
    Charged Tacoma

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    I agree with the rest. It really depends on what your long term goal for the wheels is going to be. (To determine the costs you’re willing to invest into it) Like anything else, prep is the biggest part. If you prep correctly you could probably make paint last for longer than you’d think. But going back to what your end goal is- if you’re looking for more of a “long term” result, would probably be ahead to step up and spend the extra $ to have them professionally powder coated. Good luck!
     
  16. Nov 10, 2021 at 5:23 PM
    #36
    hexnutter

    hexnutter [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Yea Im glad I did it my self, the matte clear will make it look nice. End goal really just having something that isnt rusted and looks kinda stock.
     
  17. Nov 10, 2021 at 5:48 PM
    #37
    Knute

    Knute Well-Known Member

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    The MinWax Polyurethane in the can for $8 is a product for wood working. I have serious doubts if polyurethane will survive the environment a wheel is exposed. Polyurethane will have a yellow hue to it. This will alter the look of your wheel color.

    Use a 2K Urethane Automotive Clear Coat product. Please verify the paint and clear coat are compatible.

    This grade of clear coat is not low cost. This will come as the clear and a hardener which need to be mixed in specific ratios. Typically, this product is a gloss finish, if you want something like satin, eggshell or flat, then you will need a flatener to be mixed with clear and hardener.

    Good Luck.
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2021
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  18. Nov 19, 2021 at 4:10 PM
    #38
    hexnutter

    hexnutter [OP] Well-Known Member

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    So almost complete. The rest have 4 coats of clear matte. This one the clear dribbled from the can but I'v sanded it and waiting 7 days for it to cure, then one coat top, then 4 coats clear all within hour. The combination clear coat matte and graphite paint is amazing. You dont see the clear coat and it dulls the paint to make it look like metal. Plus any repair pretty easy with this metallic color. I'v also been painting over the clear coat with the VHT wheel paint too, they are all poly. I also was toying with the idea of baking this one in the oven at 200 for a half hour. My concern is vapor is trapped.

    20211119_182530.jpg
    20211119_182553.jpg
     
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