# powdercoating or painting for wheels
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [February 19, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723 "2008-02-19T18:49:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Deathproof](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Deathproof)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/1 "2008-02-19T18:49:47Z")
want to know what anybody here would want for powdercoating 4 wheels in gold similar to subaru gold or a little lighter, or possibly what a good spray paint would be with a nice gold like that, or even if someone wants to paint them with a gun.
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### Author:  [@Violator](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Violator)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/2 "2008-02-19T18:53:07Z")
Paint them.
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### Author:  [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/3 "2008-02-19T19:02:31Z")
powdercoating will be the most durable, so I’ll suggest that.
If you want these to stay this color for a long time, don’t spraycan them. Spraygun will help, but won’t be as tough as powdercoat.
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### Author:  [@Deathproof](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Deathproof)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/4 "2008-02-19T19:12:26Z")
the only thing is, our powdercoating(derrick/we don’t have gold) chips easy, not that great for wheels, but would like to have them powdercoated from somewhere that would be better for wheels, also i think clearing the wheels if canned would help fight the fade quite a bit.
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### Author:  [@02NismoSpecV](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/02NismoSpecV)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/5 "2008-02-19T19:46:31Z")
i painted mine with a gun last summer and then cleared them and they were the same color all summer. didnt chip or anything
heres a pic its gold too lol got the paint from napa
[](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/naaby2687/centralterminal035.jpg)
[](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/naaby2687/rims001.jpg)
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### Author:  [@jt76](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jt76)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/6 "2008-02-19T20:00:35Z")
who powercoats around here, i was thinking about having my calipers done
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### Author:  [@00Audi00](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/00Audi00)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/7 "2008-02-19T20:19:56Z")
jkucz28 used to go to someone that was more than reasonable…pm him
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### Author:  [@Pauly](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Pauly)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2008, 5:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/8 "2008-02-20T05:05:18Z")
I need a set of traction bars done. I’m split on por-15 or powder coating them
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### Author:  [@chino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/chino)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2008, 5:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/9 "2008-02-20T05:22:39Z")
paint them… i’ve painted the last 3 sets of wheels i’ve had and they all held up perfectly fine.
I didn’t even get great paint really, walked into home depot and/or valu depending on the paint I needed… the duplicolor clearcoat is actually really durable.
You do need to spend time prepping them though, sand it down, smooth it out, prime it, paint it, clear it you will be good to go.
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### Author:  [@bing](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/bing)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2008, 5:40am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/10 "2008-02-20T05:40:48Z")
word,
i have a fair amount of experience powdercoating things. It chips easily and then you have to re powder everything…
you are better off painting it. be just about as chip resistant, maybe more depending on how you do it, and it’s way easier to refinish… cheaper overall too.
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### Author:  [@Zer0DazE](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Zer0DazE)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2008, 5:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/11 "2008-02-20T05:49:33Z")
dupli-color makes a rattle can primer/paint/clear system for wheels.
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### Author:  [@chino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/chino)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2008, 5:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/12 "2008-02-20T05:53:43Z")
> [@Zer0DazE](#):
>
> dupli-color makes a rattle can primer/paint/clear system for wheels.
yea, that is what I have used… hit it with 2 or 3 coats of each and it is rock solid.
and worst case even if you have to redo them every year it costs you like $30.
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### Author:  [@ieatpaint](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ieatpaint)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/13 "2008-02-20T06:01:58Z")
i did my bike wheels with great success. sanded them with a scoth brite pad, wiped with lacquer thinner, sprayed 2 light coats of etching primer. Let them dry 2 days, scuff with scotch brite and wipe with thinner then 3 coats of wheel paint with 10 min between coats. waited 2 days and scuffed then 3 coats of clear designed for wheels. i even had tires mounter a week after paint and they didnt chip them. i also clean the brake dust and chain lube off them with wd40 on a rag and they shine like new. i did red caliper paint because there was no red wheel paint but im sure its the same shit.
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### Author:  [@jt76](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jt76)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2008, 10:42am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/14 "2008-02-20T10:42:38Z")
> [@bing](#):
>
> word,
>
> i have a fair amount of experience powdercoating things. It chips easily and then you have to re powder everything…
>
> you are better off painting it. be just about as chip resistant, maybe more depending on how you do it, and it’s way easier to refinish… cheaper overall too.
Ehh might just paint the calipers now that you said that. Less hassle, cheaper and i can always touch them up. Although on my mustang, i had Cobra brakes which were powdercoat and i had no problems with chipping or anything.
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### Author:  [@99\_civic\_si](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/99_civic_si)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2008, 11:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/15 "2008-02-20T11:38:02Z")
> [@bing](#):
>
> word,
>
> i have a fair amount of experience powdercoating things. It chips easily and then you have to re powder everything…
>
> you are better off painting it. be just about as chip resistant, maybe more depending on how you do it, and it’s way easier to refinish… cheaper overall too.
You really must be doing something wrong then. All my powdercoated pieces have held up excellent as in like 10X harder to chip or scratch than paint. I’ve had wheels powder coated white for over 5 years and whenever they got dirty you could hit em with a light scotchbrite pad and it would take off anything and not fuck up the finish.
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### Author:  [@MaximaSE98](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MaximaSE98)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2008, 11:42am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/16 "2008-02-20T11:42:35Z")
the pieces i powdercoated on my brothers miata look like the day we did them…brake calipers with pretty open wheels
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### Author:  [@Superium](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Superium)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2008, 12:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/17 "2008-02-20T12:12:51Z")
I would just use high temp engine enamel. Its ceramic, more durable and the fact that you dont have to use primer is a plus.
Heres a photo of one of my rims:
Only takes 2 cans to do all 4 rims as well.
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### Author:  [@RLB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RLB)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2008, 12:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/18 "2008-02-20T12:34:37Z")
Powdercoating looks great but can get a little pricey. if you are on a budget, just paint them or if you can get a good deal definitely powdercoat them.
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### Author:  [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2008, 12:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/powdercoating-or-painting-for-wheels/43723/19 "2008-02-20T12:38:03Z")
I would suggest using actual wheel paint, just google for brands etc… wheels see a lot of temp change and brake dust so it’s best to use something that can take the abuse.
I’ve also heard not to powder coat for track wheels because the wheel can crack but it might not be visible with the powder coat on top. but this is probably an extremely rare scenario.