Powder coating a rim

[Detroit Bill]

Has anyone had experience powder coating a rim? I want to powder coat a dull black. The questions are:

1.) I am guessing the area under the spinner has to be kept bare.
2.) I am guessing where the rim sits on the rotor and the pin holes also need to be bare?
3.) Having very little experience with powder coating I assume you can "tape off" areas like this?

Any information is appreciated, I am in the initial stages or researching this.

[Fast289]

I powder coated the entire wheel. I did not tape anything and I haven't had any problems.

[DanEC]

I have heard of cautions about powder coating wheels due to the heat affecting them. But, it's obviously done fairly often. Not sure if this is a valid caution or not.

[frdfver]

I have powdered coated lots of items using a cheap harbor freight gun and a leftover electric oven I picked up for 25 dollars. I personally would tape off where the spinner nut goes and where the wheel sits against the rotor. Powder coating can add more thickness than paint. You would probably have to clean the coating out of the pin holes to get the wheel on if not taped off. Be sure and remove the tape before baking unless you use tape for powder coating. I just use regular masking tape and remove it before baking or carefully wipe –clean the powder off. I plan on doing the centers my wheels with Eastwoods blasted aluminum.

[vatdevil]

Mine our plasti dip black
Plasti Dip Wheel Kit

[Mark IV]

A good powder coater has silicone tape and plugs that they use to mask off areas, this will take the heat of the oven. It is difficult to mask and strip the masking off before the oven as the coating will "flow" a little and not give a sharp line.

You do not want to coa the knock-off interface, the drive pin pockets and the wheel/hub interface to avoid possible issues.

[joyridin']

Originally Posted by DanEC

I have heard of cautions about powder coating wheels due to the heat affecting them. But, it's obviously done fairly often. Not sure if this is a valid caution or not.

I powder coated my rotors and calipers. I taped off the surface where the pad hits the rotor to avoid having to clean it later, but no problems with melting powder coat at all.

My sidepipes are also powder coated with high temp black powder. No problems whatsoever.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by joyridin'

I powder coated my rotors and calipers. I taped off the surface where the pad hits the rotor to avoid having to clean it later, but no problems with melting powder coat at all.

My sidepipes are also powder coated with high temp black powder. No problems whatsoever.

The caution I remember on aluminum wheels had to do with affecting their physical strength properties from ovens that were set too high - again not sure how valid it is. Wouldn't be an issue with steel or gray iron parts.

Didn't realize they had a powder coating now that would stand up to header heat.

Edit: easier to Google than speculate.

Cautions: http://www.uniquefinish.com/coastingwheelsafely.htm

[lovehamr]

Dan, I had mine powder coated by the same guys who ceramic coated my headers and pipes. They coated the whole wheel and I've had zero issues. Their only caution to me was to have the tire installer use actual grease when spooning on the new tires. They said it probably really wouldn't matter much but to be safe anyway. The guys who did mine are:
Atlantic Powder Coating - Jacksonville, FL