Restore fmtv rims paint or powder coat?

[serpico760]

While changing the blown out tire I noticed my wheel is a bit rusty and a bit rough looking. Is it recommended to paint it or to powder coat it? What kind of media blasting or stripping should be done first? Walnut shell, sand, etc...
And if one was like that I figured more would be. I was thinking of one by one stripping them apart inspecting the rim restoring it making sure the beadlock is mounted in the correct orientation relative to the ctis, doing like one every week or two until all 7 are done

 

[TomTime]

I had all 7 of mine sandblaster and powder coated.

 

[Keith Knight]

Powder is super nice looking especially after sand blasting, taking all the old paint off they look new. But powder coating is notorious for chipping from impact or just when you put the 20 nuts back on the split wheel. Obviously you can’t powder the studs so they’ll rust. And matching the color and sheen of the powder when you do get a scratch down to the metal you’re going to want to paint it with something. So there becomes the problem.
I’ve just use a high quality spray paint. Rust oleum professional in the tall silver cans semi gloss black.
flat holds the dirt to well. But after the tire is but back on with all the nuts is when I paint it coating the threads and everything of course masking off the tire. But and scratches or after the next tire removal just paint it again it’s always going to match and that paint in the sun I’ve seen it last 5 plus years without fading. Problem is it not a perfect paint job like the powder would be.
So just make the truck look so good nobody is looking at the wheels.

 

[serpico760]

I just happened to find this great article!

Refinishing Wheels the Right Way

Road salts damage steel and aluminum wheels, and there are proper ways to maintain and repair them.

www.truckinginfo.com

 

[Keith Knight]

Good luck finding any to do it for $25-30!
Just to blast and single stage powder from a company does all of our powder coating we do $150k with them annually and they would still charge me at least $250 per wheel and primer and the price goes up.

 

[chucky]

I had all 7 of mine sandblaster and powder coated.

That looks great ! Do you always leave it parked in your driveway ? Are there any cameras facing your truck ?

 

[TomTime]

I had all 7 of mine sandblaster and powder coated.

Well I guess I should clarify exactly what I did with my wheels.

I took my wheels to a powder coating company. They blasted the wheels down to the bare metal and prepped the wheels for coating. I had them powder coat them with the flat black.

Before assembling the wheel and tire, I scuffed up the face of the wheel with some Scotch Brite pads. After carefully assembling the tire and wheel together I cleaned the wheel face with some alcohol and painted the face with some flat black spray paint. After cleaning and rebuilding the CTIS valves and hoses, I painted the assembly with flat black spray paint and installed them onto the wheel.

After putting the wheel back on the truck I sprayed the wheel face along with everything on the wheel for another coat of paint on the wheel and to coat the threads and nuts.

If I have any issues with the finish I just get the raddle can out and spray a little flat black.

Overkill? Maybe. But It's been 2 years now and they still look great.

Well, I have to disagree with Keith, people look at the wheels...at least I do! They may not look close, but they look.

If no one looked at vehicles wheels, then that $4.62 billion aftermarket wheel industry would disappear.


BEFORE:





AFTER:




Well, I am a little OCD, though.

 

[TomTime]

That looks great ! Do you always leave it parked in your driveway ? Are there any cameras facing your truck ?

Thanks. Always in the driveway, no where else to put it, yet. Many camera's, three camera's looking at the truck.

Several antitheft devices and hidden cutoff switches. Also I'm kind of known as a big gun enthusiast and a little .

 

[serpico760]

Anyone with any brains should realize if you have military truck, you likely have a potent arsenal, and shouldn't be messed with!

 

[Keith Knight]

Haha I was kidding about no one looking at the wheels. And I think what you did is a perfect way at restoring them. Powder then spray bomb. After our 6 months traveling in it full time. When I get home I have a set of aluminum wheels going on.

 

[Keith Knight]

Anyone with any brains should realize if you have military truck, you likely have a potent arsenal, and shouldn't be messed with!

I get asked all the time, When are you putting a gun portal in?

 

[Third From Texas]

I get asked all the time, When are you putting a gun portal in?

You know....just for paintball.

 

[Keith Knight]

OMG, I seriously would mount one on the roof of the cab, if brandishing a weapon wasn’t illegal!
Even though it’s a paint ball, it wouldn’t stop people calling it in.

 

[serpico760]

I get asked all the time, When are you putting a gun portal in?

As soon as I find a good gun portal! Lol

 

[Keith Knight]

I have one I have designed and plan to make and install this winter.

 

[Reworked LMTV]

While changing the blown out tire I noticed my wheel is a bit rusty and a bit rough looking. Is it recommended to paint it or to powder coat it? What kind of media blasting or stripping should be done first? Walnut shell, sand, etc...
And if one was like that I figured more would be. I was thinking of one by one stripping them apart inspecting the rim restoring it making sure the beadlock is mounted in the correct orientation relative to the ctis, doing like one every week or two until all 7 are done

I used ultra Rustoleum Grill Paint. Works fine.

 

[chucky]

Thanks. Always in the driveway, no where else to put it, yet. Many camera's, three camera's looking at the truck.

Several antitheft devices and hidden cutoff switches. Also I'm kind of known as a big gun enthusiast and a little .

 

[Third From Texas]

I scratch the crap outta them in the brush, then I respray them with a Rustoleum rattle can.

Rinse/repeat

PC would be nice, but I've had a couple Baja cars with tube frames that were powder coated and when they chip and ding they're a bit harder to maintain the chips and touch up.

It's a mixed bag I suspect. Powder coat is more durable and pretty, but rims get dings (you'll have to change tires eventually, and there's not much chance it won't chip the coating when you do). But if I had the money and were building a mall-crawler for adventures at the KOA , I would certainly wantz teh shi-neez.

The cost factor rules it out for me, although it's not rocket science to DIY. A buddy of mine had an old stove in his backyard just to bake rims and small bits that he coated for his cars. You'll never be able to do anything else with the oven, though. Stinks to high heaven. I've pondered doing it for car parts, though. It's just a bit more work than paint when it comes to shooting. I have enough projects. LOL

 

[serpico760]

View attachment 908278

Chucky what brand and size of box do you have behind your battery compartment?

 

[chucky]

Chucky what brand and size of box do you have behind your battery compartment?

I think 30 wide it was a tight fit ! Let me look back on amazinger and see if i can find them and always shop the amazon warehouse for these boxes i got them for half price cause someone else sent them back new in the box