Powder coating a no go...

[PR5Matt]

Well i tried to sand blast the factory finish off my crappy MP3 rims and how that dude skinned them up as much as he did I do not know! It was going to cost me too much to have the powder coater do it all (it would require long hours of baking to get it all off) so I pinted them. Let me know what you think.

 

[RaiderMS3]

That looks a lot better than before! How did you repair the gouges and stuff? Good job, BTW.

 

[azeli73]

That'll look tight on your white MP5 (thumb)

 

[Boost-Or-Lose]

first have the tire removed from the rim and use a medium grit (I recommend 70/120) to strip away the exsisting coating. Once it's stripped completely use a medium glass bead to start a shine process and finish with a fine glass bead for a polished look. For scuff marks use an angle grinder with a "brillo-wheel" as I call them to lightly even up the edges. It won't remove the grooves but it'll close the gaps between them and make them harder to see. Once you grinded and beadblasted you would be ready to clearcoat them...if you want to color them you should use a fine grit instead of the bead to prep the surface for good powder adhesion. pm me with anymore questions.

 

[PR5Matt]

first have the tire removed from the rim and use a medium grit (I recommend 70/120) to strip away the exsisting coating. Once it's stripped completely use a medium glass bead to start a shine process and finish with a fine glass bead for a polished look. For scuff marks use an angle grinder with a "brillo-wheel" as I call them to lightly even up the edges. It won't remove the grooves but it'll close the gaps between them and make them harder to see. Once you grinded and beadblasted you would be ready to clearcoat them...if you want to color them you should use a fine grit instead of the bead to prep the surface for good powder adhesion. pm me with anymore questions.

I knew it would probably take all of those steps, but I don't have much time to do it myself (I seem to always be working, and I need to get my 'Stang ready for shows), and I don't have a very good sand blaster. I could get the outside coating off pretty easily, but the gray undercoat was a b****. My poweder coating guy said that he would do it for me, but it would double the cost. I already got ripped off with the wheels, and I don't want to spend much more money on them.

 

[Boost-Or-Lose]

wheels look good to me...just take your time and do it one at a time...you'll be surprised how good they look the longer you take.

 

[TRexPro5]

Edit: You did say it was still the factory finish on the mp3 wheels, right? Thats not a powder coat thats a urethane (I think) and will come off using the steps below.

Dont use a sand blaster, use paint stripper! Ive got my mp3 wheels *almost* down to the bare aluminum using that stuff. It works GREAT!

I painted on the stripper, waited about 8-9 hours or until dry, then using a high grit steel wool sanded the remnants off. I haven't finished yet but its taken me about 3 or 4 coats of stripper to get it down to the point its at. I'll post some pics of the process tonight when I get home if you want.

 

[Boost-Or-Lose]

there is a product called "black magic" that is crushed up volcanic ashe....it's a very porus gritty sand that works wonders on aluminum. I use it for stripping years of paint or laquer

 

[PR5Matt]

wheels look good to me...just take your time and do it one at a time...you'll be surprised how good they look the longer you take.

I AM DOING ONE DAY. ABOUT 3 HOURS EACH.

 

[PR5Matt]

Edit: You did say it was still the factory finish on the mp3 wheels, right? Thats not a powder coat thats a urethane (I think) and will come off using the steps below.

Dont use a sand blaster, use paint stripper! Ive got my mp3 wheels *almost* down to the bare aluminum using that stuff. It works GREAT!

I painted on the stripper, waited about 8-9 hours or until dry, then using a high grit steel wool sanded the remnants off. I haven't finished yet but its taken me about 3 or 4 coats of stripper to get it down to the point its at. I'll post some pics of the process tonight when I get home if you want.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I MAY PAINT THEM NOW, AND THEN HAVE THEM COATED THIS WINTER WHEN I TAKE THEM OFF, OR WHEN I GET NEW TIRES.

I'LL TRY THIS ON THE ONE THAT IS NOT MOUNTED.

 

[PR5Matt]

That looks a lot better than before! How did you repair the gouges and stuff? Good job, BTW.

I used a Dremel on the gouges+180 grit sandpaprer followed by 400 grit.

 

[PR5Matt]

That'll look tight on your white MP5 (thumb)

Hopefully by the end of next week they will be on the car along with the springs, and I can then take pics.

 

[EVADE]

so whats the steps you have to take to get the rims powder coated?i didn t know you got have it bare metal to powder coat?

 

[mypfizzle]

dood.. what color did u want to powdercoat the wheels?

 

[mp5jeff]

are you going to just spray paint them? mine are spray painted and came out pretty good for a few dollars and a days work(few pics in my sig if you want to get an idea)

 

[mypfizzle]

if u spraypaint them.. (this si where i was going too matt.. we really thing alike)
high temp paint works well and is low gloss.. or u can use rustoleum hardhat paint -=)

 

[mp5jeff]

i used a flat black, i love how it came out, looks like the rims were supposed to be like that =) i didn't use gloss or clearcoat because i don't prefer the shiny look.

 

[mypfizzle]

flats work better.. an will last longs.. and hide imperfections better. -=)

 

[mp5jeff]

yea, it hasn't chipped at all and its been on there for about 3 weeks now.

 

[EVADE]

i was going to go with hyper black