Topic: Do I have to disassemble my wheels to have them powder coated?

[ChopperCharles]

I'd like to have my wheels powder coated before I replace my tires. The spokes are rusty and the chrome on the rims is scratched and has some surface rust here and there. Can they just be sandlbasted as-is and then powder coated? I don't care how they look close up, I just care from 3 or 4 feet back. The rust is really fugly. Thanks!

Charles.

[tsflstb]

If you're going to spend the money to powdercoat take them apart.  I don't think it will bond in all those nooks and crannies where the spokes meet the hubs.  You'll end up cracking the powder off in no time.  They won't put it in their oven with bearings and all that grease installed either.  You're better off just blasting it with some Krylon for a quick job.

[.RJ]

It can be done, you'll just have to take the bearings out.  Its not the best way to go and doing it correctly (new bearings, new spokes, powdercoat, assembly/truing) really adds up.

[Steve F]

The heat may have an effect on the spokes and you'll probably end up having to true up the wheel after it comes out of the oven.  Turning nipples after the powdercoating will mess it up.  Take it apart and install new spokes and nipples and have a first-rate job to be proud of.

[Patrick]

Powdercoat doesn't stick to chrome well. You will have to rough it up to give the powdercoat something to cling to. Otherwise it will come off in patches.

[sparty]

Any powder coater worth their weight will not guarantee their work if the parts are not disassembled and cleaned properly.  If you don't care how they look up close, just rough up the wheels and use a can of epoxy spray paint on them.

Sparty

[Tim.]

I think the conclusion is if you don't care how they look close up, do a nice prep job with some sanding etc. on the rims/spokes and spray them yourself with paint.  They'll probably look better than you expect if you take your time and prep well.

I went all out and had my alloy rims polished, hubs polished, new stainless spokes/nipples, laced, trued, new tires and balanced.  I could have bought another bike or two for what it cost.

[jalfonso]

Charles,

When I called one of the powder coaters here in town he said I would need to get the chrome stripped off the wheels before he powder coats them.  Might be over kill but that could be why he has such a good reputation. It's going to cost more to strip the rims than it is to powder coat them. 

John

[cafebob]

you can just have the rims sandblasted to remove the chrome...should cost 30 bucks at most.

[ChopperCharles]

Okay, that's what I'll do. I'll have the wheels sandblasted to remove the chrome, and then use the VHT brake caliper paint that I used on my TW200's rims...

Charles.