What's the general consensus on getting cast wheels refurbished, paint or powder coat? I have some corrosion bubbles appearing and the wheels need to be done before the winter.
Wheel refurbishment
- Thread starter Rusty Bolts
- Start date
Wheel refurb
I have had some fantastic results with powder coating. Often disappointed with spraying.
I have had some fantastic results with powder coating. Often disappointed with spraying.
I got mine chemically stripped and then powder coated satin black. Look brilliant, but I am biased of course.
Bendy toy
Registered user
I got my alloys chemical dipped and shiny black powder coated they also look fab.
From what I can see, BMW used the same paint on everything so anything that has to be stripped needs to be done properly. Caustic will eat the aluminium alloy. Shot blasting chews the metal faster than the paint, so it needs to be a company that knows what they are doing.
The stove enamellers (coaters) tried to shot blast the paint, but it is at least as hard as the metal so they stopped before the metal got gouged away. These folks charged £14 per wheel. http://www.envirostripukltd.com/ and did a great job.
Then Chris Ward in Burton on Trent charged £25 per wheel to do the coating. He does a lot of work for bike restorations. I asked him to not mask the tyre valve holes and to coat over the whole of the back wheel including the wheel bolt holes and mounting boss. The valves fitted fine and the wheel fitted perfectly onto the hub. The continuous coating gives less opportunity for corrosion to creep into the metal.
The front needed the internal diameter left bare metal where the wheel bearings fit. This was painted before the seals were fitted, after I put the bearings in.
C J Ward
Dallow House
Dallow Street
Burton on Trent
Staffordshire DE14 2PQ
01283 536135
Next job is to strip the wire wheels and have the hubs powder coated. I'm undecided about the rims. They seem to be the real problem area - bare alloy against stainless spokes = alloy corrosion. (Re)Anodising might work but the protective layer is very thin.
From what I can see, BMW used the same paint on everything so anything that has to be stripped needs to be done properly. Caustic will eat the aluminium alloy. Shot blasting chews the metal faster than the paint, so it needs to be a company that knows what they are doing.
The stove enamellers (coaters) tried to shot blast the paint, but it is at least as hard as the metal so they stopped before the metal got gouged away. These folks charged £14 per wheel. http://www.envirostripukltd.com/ and did a great job.
Then Chris Ward in Burton on Trent charged £25 per wheel to do the coating. He does a lot of work for bike restorations. I asked him to not mask the tyre valve holes and to coat over the whole of the back wheel including the wheel bolt holes and mounting boss. The valves fitted fine and the wheel fitted perfectly onto the hub. The continuous coating gives less opportunity for corrosion to creep into the metal.
The front needed the internal diameter left bare metal where the wheel bearings fit. This was painted before the seals were fitted, after I put the bearings in.
C J Ward
Dallow House
Dallow Street
Burton on Trent
Staffordshire DE14 2PQ
01283 536135
Next job is to strip the wire wheels and have the hubs powder coated. I'm undecided about the rims. They seem to be the real problem area - bare alloy against stainless spokes = alloy corrosion. (Re)Anodising might work but the protective layer is very thin.
Thanks for the replies. It seems split with each method having its merits. Having had some VFR wheels powder coated in the past with good success I may opt for that route.
Now I have decide on a wheel refurbisher I need to strip the wheels of their tyre and valves and tyre pressure monitors. Any tips on removing the valves and TPM as I have heard the valve stems are made of chocolate.
Bendy toy
Registered user
For the valve, unscrew the retaining ring nut and dont bend the valve stems. Soak them in WD40 to make sure the nut comes off easily.
Paint is OK if you can be sure all corrosion has gone from under the paint. In reality that's just not possible. Worse, the original paint is so tough you'll not knows there is any corrosion until its well established.
Get the wheels (correctly) chemical stripped, lightly shot blasted and powder coated. That way all corrosion is stopped and you'll have a good coat over the whole wheel. Apart from the wheel bearing bores get the wheels coated over all surfaces. That way, there's no route for corrosion to creep under the edges.
Paint is OK if you can be sure all corrosion has gone from under the paint. In reality that's just not possible. Worse, the original paint is so tough you'll not knows there is any corrosion until its well established.
Get the wheels (correctly) chemical stripped, lightly shot blasted and powder coated. That way all corrosion is stopped and you'll have a good coat over the whole wheel. Apart from the wheel bearing bores get the wheels coated over all surfaces. That way, there's no route for corrosion to creep under the edges.
After I have stripped them down the wheels are going to be chemically stripped and then media blasted with some fine jollop. Then powder coated and then wet painted and finally lacquered. This is the standard process for the car wheels they do and these chaps were at pains to point out they deal with all the main prestige dealers in Exeter (Porsche, Ferrari, Bentley but strangely didn't mention BMW).
They charge £70 a wheel which isn't bad and have a 3 day turn around.
The corrosion on the wheels is in the usual places, around the disc mounting pillars and the centre hole on the rear.
I suppose the next question is what colour? I currently have the lighter silver colour that matches the frame. I though about going darker similar to the silver/grey on the newer TC. Gloss black might be a bit too much. The bike is an 07 in AA yellow.
They charge £70 a wheel which isn't bad and have a 3 day turn around.
The corrosion on the wheels is in the usual places, around the disc mounting pillars and the centre hole on the rear.
I suppose the next question is what colour? I currently have the lighter silver colour that matches the frame. I though about going darker similar to the silver/grey on the newer TC. Gloss black might be a bit too much. The bike is an 07 in AA yellow.
Bendy toy
Registered user
My wheels are shiny black powder coat and I think they look fab. If I later want to get them painted a lightly media blast will soon flat the shine.
Cost was £14 for stripping and £25 for coating per wheel but I did have to run them out to the strippers. So £70 for all that plus paint sounds fair.
IMO, powder coat looks great in plain colours, but the metallics look like cheap plastic metal-flake from the 1970s. Low temperature stove enamel (under 200 degs C) looks a lot better but isn't so durable against stone chips.
Cost was £14 for stripping and £25 for coating per wheel but I did have to run them out to the strippers. So £70 for all that plus paint sounds fair.
IMO, powder coat looks great in plain colours, but the metallics look like cheap plastic metal-flake from the 1970s. Low temperature stove enamel (under 200 degs C) looks a lot better but isn't so durable against stone chips.
Yellow Peril
Registered user
You using Devon Rim company or some one else? Having my wires done this winter tidy up the rims and the hubs refurbed and probably going with the same gloss black as the rims.
I'm planning on using South West Wheel Repairs in Marsh Barton.
Bendy toy
Registered user
Kevin Blurton wheel builder in Derby 01332 369085 is one of the few in the country who will touch the BMW GS wire spoke wheels. He mentioned there is another in the South West but I cant remember who they were.
Yellow Peril
Registered user
Probably Devon rim company
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