12 replies to this topic

[htvette]

Please recommend a powder coating shop in the Austin area. I would like to powder coat (clear) my CCW aluminum polish wheels. I'm getting tired of cleaning it. Thanks.

[c5aig]

If you're just wanting to clearcoat the wheels you would do that with a painter and not a powdercoater.

[htvette]

If you're just wanting to clearcoat the wheels you would do that with a painter and not a powdercoater.

I think powdercoating is more durable and resistant than clearcoat.

[c5aig]

I think powdercoating is more durable and resistant than clearcoat.

Pardon my ignorance, but can you powdercoat clear onto wheels? I suppose I typically associated powdercoating as being done with colors.

[kewl_blades]

I personally do not know these companies but I found them thru a website that I trust.

Brooks Industrial Coatings,Inc
1902 Bench Mark Drive
Austin, TX 78728
Phone: (512) 990-5333
Fax: (512) 990-1007

Petty Industrial Coaters
8000 Daffane Lane
Austin, TX 78724
Phone: (512) 272-4507
Fax: (512) 272-4973

And a little more on clear powder coating
http://www.pfonline....es/99sum02.html
http://www.google.co...r coating clear

[y5e06]

you might do some thorough research of powder coating aluminum wheels. There has been a number of instances where powder coated wheels fatigued early in life. Some attributed the failures to weakening the aluminum from the anneal due to the bake process of powder coating. Thats why many people recommend painting vs. powder coating the wheels.

[Devilmonkey]

lol isnt cleaning a big part of getting big ass chrome wheels. i mean i accepted it when i got my rims

[c5aig]

lol isnt cleaning a big part of getting big ass chrome wheels. i mean i accepted it when i got my rims

There's a big difference between cleaning chrome and polished wheels.

Polished require a lot more work to keep the shine looking as shiny as chrome.

[TrentG8GT]

The shop I used to work for, one of the bigger Supra tuners in the US, we NEVER powdercoated clear on ANYTHING. Reason being is they would inevitably come back a few months later having turned yellow. Clear powdercoat is generally, not always, but generally designed to be used on top of existing powdercoat. Not on top of polished aluminum or anything else. This is what causes the yellowing or cracking or fading over time. If someone wanted CCW or Volk or HRE or any other kind of high end wheel cleared, it was off to the paint shop with them. Nothing worked better than that.

There is even a clear coat designed especially for wheel paints and wheel coatings. When my wheels were painted just a month or two ago, I had them cleared at the same time. This will hopefully prolong the base coats that are on them and will also allow me to polish the wheels with regular car polish as well. Win/win if you ask me

[htvette]

Thanks for the advices. I guess the wheels will have to be chromed then. Any shops you guys know in the Austin area?

[kewl_blades]

From what I heard, there are no traditional style chroming done in any other states besides California. Something to do with EPA guidelines or something of that nature. All of the shops in Texas that I contacted, ship their chome jobs off to somewhere in Cali. The average cost to chome was $250 to $350 a wheel (included shipping back to you). Remember when you ask what type of chome process is done, that it's the type you want.
If you really want to know, google or use your favorite search engine to look up any questions you might have in this field. We are not chomers or powdercoaters so our knowledge is gained from experience and alot of research. Do the research and gain the experience....the benefits are more rewarding.

[c5aig]

I've heard of people using Wheel technologies for wheel repair and they do chroming. Not sure what type, and not sure if they outsource it or not....

http://www.wheeltech...com/chrome.html

Might be a good place to start though?

Even though they're Dallas not Austin, I believe some Discount Tire places will still allow you to drop off the wheels there to be sent to Wheel Technologies.... but I'm not 100% certain of that.

[kewl_blades]

Discount Tire does have contracts with WheelsAmerica ( http://www.fixrim.com/ )because they are the ones that tried to fix my rim the first 2 times...both times sent to Cali for chroming (4 weeks for shipping both ways...each time...for 1 rim) and the quality got worse each time. I do not recommend WheelsAmerica.
Talk with someone at WheelTech before shipping it out to them. See if they do the chroming here in Texas or if it is shipped to Cali.