Could anyone recommend a shop for getting a set of wheels powder coated? I'm looking to do a satin black finish, perhaps a metallic black with silver flakes, and wanted to know if there are any places people here have used that do quality work. Thanks for any help!

 

http://www.go2pcsi.com/

Downtown Tacoma.
They have done 2 sets of wheels for me, perfect jobs. Even matched powders once.

 

Mukilteo Powdercoating does a great job.


John

 

I had a set done at Powdervision in Preston

 

I can highly recommend American Powder Coating in Kent ... http://www.americanpowdercoat.com/ ... they've done 2 sets of wheels, cage, and some other parts for me ... last set was a done 1 month ago... they are also used by several of the "speed shops" in town ... huge color options, good price, and fast turn around ... ask for Steve ...

BTW - no direct affiliation, just a happy customer ...

 

Thanks for the info guys! I will give some of those places a call, and hopefully be posting pictures of the final product in a couple weeks

 

I took my Mini to Les Schwab and they powder coated them Black for under a $100 bucks each including storing my car for the week with the tire take off and re-mount.

 

Mark, Do you know if any Les Schwab will do that?

 

I don't know that. I also don't know how cheap they go because I buy so much from them through my business. I am having another set done leaving Lakewood tomorrow right now and coming back next week.

Just call them. I'm sure they all do it. My store just sends them to middle of Oregon. If not call Cliff at Lakewood 253-584-2559 tell him I recommended you

 

It is generally not a good idea to have aluminum wheels powder coated.

 

why? I think it's much better than putting after markets on that weren't engineered for the car. These wheels affect the car and handling to a fault. Whether they say they fit or not Wheel manufactureres don't make them the same size and weight and these high performance cars aren't made for different.

The good news is 95% of the guys that put 20" rims on a car are 95% less likely to actually drive the car like it's meant to be driven and they park it on the street for all to admire only.

 

are you saying this because of the heat required to "bake"/"cure" the powdercoat?

I have PCd a set of alum wheel that have seen street and track use with no issues so far.

I did read a thread in which this topic was debated endlessly and basically they said that the heat required to "bake" the PC finish does something to the molecules in the alum wheels, thereby weakening the wheel... then that areument was countered and if i recall correctly, there was no real answer as many people posted that they PCd wheel and had no issues...

 

Typical powder coating process heats the wheels to over 400 deg F for about an hour. Typically wheels are cast or made from 6061 and the aluminum is heat treated to the T6 condition. Heating aluminum that has already been heat treated is referred to as overaging. Overaging will reduce the yield, ultimate and fatigue strength of the aluminum. The degree of this weakening is a function of the temperature and the time spent at this temperature. That is why I posted the warning. Overaging will weaken the aluminum and sadly that is not debatable.

Why doesn't every PCd wheel not fail ? Wheel failure is a function of the loads the wheel sees in service and how over designed it was by the manufacturer. If the wheel is heavily overdesigned and sees only light duty then a decrement in the material properties probably will not lead to a failure. A light wheel (made with a smaller margin of safety) operating in a severe environment , i.e. track duty, sticky tires, may be much closer to its failing load and a reduction in its material properties place it at a much greater risk of failure.

Without going in to more detail thats pretty much it. It is never a good idea to make technical decisions without the pertinient technical training (especially when the only response is anecdotal evidence to the contrary).

As to the I did it and nothing has happened yet approach. Well all you really know is that nothing hasn't happened yet. Inspect the wheels regularly and find out how to do this. It doesn't mean anything will happen, but you haven't a clue what loads the wheel's were designed for, how over designed they are and exactly how much they were weakened by the overaging. The smart thing is to check them periodically.

If the argument is "I am going to do something silly like buying a cheap wheel so powder coating my present wheel is the lessor of two evils". Thats just flawed thinking....... Although it might be human nature.

 

thanks for explaining -- I knew it had to do with heat...

Interesting that PCing wheels is so prevalent given your explanation.

 

It's also interesting that Les Schwab would Powder Coat any wheel without having the customer sign some kind of a waiver about the wheels possibly failing. They do it on a regular basis.

I could understand a typical powder coater doing anything the customer asks but a wheel and tire company as large as LS would most likely cover their Ars if it was such the problem....