Painting Wheels

[APP_Racing]

Does anyone have any good recommendations on a process for painting my wheels.  I had heard that they should be sand blasted first.  But wondered about the bearings and such.  Even with taping them off that sand gets everywhere.

Recommendations?

[Jeff]

You can use just about anything to get the factory paint/coating off of wheels (unless you find a mfr that powder coats them).  Simple paint stripper, a green scrubbie & some elbow grease will take them down.  It's just a hell of a lot more work than sandblasting...

[APP_Racing]

Thanks, if I can blast them what is the best way to seal off the bearings?  Or should they be removed, which I have never done.

[Jeff]

i've never done it personally, but I'd probably be likely to try a LOT of duct tape.

[cb186]

remove the bearings and have the rims beadblasted. when you paint them, DO NOT paint the bead area. also, tape of the rotor mounting surfaces and the bearing bores.
BTW, basecoat/clearcoat works great, and makes cleaning the wheels much easier. i use PPG and lay down a light coat of DP(sealer) first.

[Suzy]

Don't know a dang thing about fixin a bike, hehe, but doing some browsing over the weekend I found this site, BTW, who is on the picture, is that him?

Repairs

[SliderPhoto]

You can use just about anything to get the factory paint/coating off of wheels (unless you find a mfr that powder coats them).  Simple paint stripper, a green scrubbie & some elbow grease will take them down.  It's just a hell of a lot more work than sandblasting...

You painting at all this season JeF4y?

[Thingy]

Jack, is that yours?

[SliderPhoto]

Jack, is that yours?

Yep. And it must be RED! :)

I got a little carried away cleaning it a couple weeks ago. Took only a few hours to totally tear it down, but I'm afraid a few more weeks to get it back together. :)

[Jeff]

I doubt that I am.  I have my bodywork out to a guy who is going to paint it for me.  

I have all the stuff, and the place to set up a nice booth (ventilation already installed).

Jack, if I were you, I'd send that out to have it powder coated.  Don't dick around with paint.  It'll just scratch.

[SliderPhoto]

I doubt that I am.  I have my bodywork out to a guy who is going to paint it for me.  

I have all the stuff, and the place to set up a nice booth (ventilation already installed).

Jack, if I were you, I'd send that out to have it powder coated.  Don't dick around with paint.  It'll just scratch.

I know, I've been on the fence about it. I've visited a powder coater and got a color that is close. The problem is I want to do the wheels too, but just the center--I plan on polishing everything but the center. That's kind of tough with powder coating I guess.

I'd like the wheels to match my other bike that already has a red frame--which is painted from the factory. If it turns out like crap, I'll redo it next year and get it powder coated.

I know it sounds like a lot of work and silly to some extent, but it's more of a project and a hobby I'm having fun with for a change. It would be great if I could use your place to do some painting. I don't have much for ventilation and I think the smells would send my wife into a migraine.

Things are busy as usual. Making some progress on the new Web site, which is great. It would be nice to have it going by Road America time.

I'm probabluy going to buy my brother's 600RR and keep this bike as a project and backup so I can put it back together when I have time to play with it.

[Jeff]

Jack, give me a ring one of these days and we'll get together.  You can use my place 24x7 at your leisure.  It's in my back garage.

I'd need to move some stuff and hang some plastic, but in about 2 hours you'd be set.  I have the compressor, gun, yadda yadda yadda...