Wheel rim refurbishment - anyone powder coating ?

[Grewth]

I've just scrounged a couple of spare roadster wheels.
As you can see from the photo the spokes are too rusted for comfort.
New stainless spokes required
I don't know if the rims will polish up, believe it or not, they are much better than the ones I've already got.
If the corrosion is too ugly to polish right out, I'm thinking about having a pair of rims powder coated, but I'm not sure what the durability will be like.
Especially as tightening up the spoke nipples when building the wheel is going to damage the coating to some point.
Worth doing or would I be better getting them painted with etch primer then 2K paint ?
I've never really been keen on the "dog pee catchers" anyway but new rims are getting expensive these days

 

[Mailman]

I've just scrounged a couple of spare roadster wheels.
As you can see from the photo the spokes are too rusted for comfort.
New stainless spokes required
I don't know if the rims will polish up, believe it or not, they are much better than the ones I've already got.
If the corrosion is too ugly to polish right out, I'm thinking about having a pair of rims powder coated, but I'm not sure what the durability will be like.
Especially as tightening up the spoke nipples when building the wheel is going to damage the coating to some point.
Worth doing or would I be better getting them painted with etch primer then 2K paint ?
I've never really been keen on the "dog pee catchers" anyway but new rims are getting expensive these days

I think you’re just gonna have to get ‘em good and cleaned up first. They might surprise you and be alright. Provided they’re not too pitted.

 

[willis]

I had my 75 wheels powder coated. The only issues I ran into, or the powder coater ran into rather, was they had a bad case of off-gassing that would cause bubbles to come to the surface. They blasted them 3 times before they turned out decent. Not sure if it was chemicals embedded in the surface or what, but I am very pleased with the results. If you paint them, it would make for easier touch ups, but at the sacrifice of less durability I would think. If you go with paint, just be sure to use a good 2k clear as I understand that hardens pretty nice.

 

[Mailman]

I had my 75 wheels powder coated. The only issues I ran into, or the powder coater ran into rather, was they had a bad case of off-gassing that would cause bubbles to come to the surface. They blasted them 3 times before they turned out decent. Not sure if it was chemicals embedded in the surface or what, but I am very pleased with the results. If you paint them, it would make for easier touch ups, but at the sacrifice of less durability I would think. If you go with paint, just be sure to use a good 2k clear as I understand that hardens pretty nice.

Rob, when you went to assemble your powder coated rims, did you have to drill the powder coat out of the spoke holes? I know the powder coating on my frame was pretty thick.

 

[Grewth]

Rob, when you went to assemble your powder coated rims, did you have to drill the powder coat out of the spoke holes? I know the powder coating on my frame was pretty thick.

This is what I'm thinking of.
If you have to drill out the spoke holes, you'll be piercing the powder coat through to the base metal.
And in the UK they use rock salt on the roads during the winter, excellent for corroding aluminium alloys.
Maybe a good coating of grease would help ?
I've seen bikes where people have had the whole wheel powder coated, hub, rim, spokes and all.
A cheap way to disguise a really rough wheel I suppose, but I'm not that desperate

 

[46th Georgia]

This is what I'm thinking of.
If you have to drill out the spoke holes, you'll be piercing the powder coat through to the base metal.
And in the UK they use rock salt on the roads during the winter, excellent for corroding aluminium alloys.
Maybe a good coating of grease would help ?
I've seen bikes where people have had the whole wheel powder coated, hub, rim, spokes and all.
A cheap way to disguise a really rough wheel I suppose, but I'm not that desperate

If your powdercoater either masks or plug the spoke holes, that would eliminate that problem.

 

[WideAWAKE]

Rob, when you went to assemble your powder coated rims, did you have to drill the powder coat out of the spoke holes? I know the powder coating on my frame was pretty thick.

I had a few sets done - one set in particular was done at a company that I’m sure was in the running for worst powder coat company on the planet award, still no need to drill em out and no problems with cracking/chipping.

The set I painted on my Knockoff build has been off road and through the water crossing at the beach, no issues to report (aside for the tarnish on the cheap spokes but that’s another story haha)

 

[jpdevol]

On rims and hubs, if a coating is desired, I do think Cerakote is worth considering. It's perhaps harder and thinner than powder or paint, I prefer the Elite or H Series:
https://www.cerakote.com/shop/cerakote-coating?finishes=cera_elite

 

[willis]

No I did not have to drill out the spoke holes. Some were a little snug but not enough to create any issues.