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I wouldn't put a penny into doing anything with the stock wheels. They are ugly and have weak offsets. The several hundred bucks for dismounting/powdercoating/remounting & balancing would be better spent towards aftermarket wheels that you like. I bet you'd be into them for $600ish all said and done. Waste of money on stock wheels in my humble opinion.
All I can tell you is that I fairly often see wheels with paint popping off / peeling when stopped by vehicles at stoplights. If I ever wanted to change a wheel color I'd get them power coated unless the vehicle was a beater.
I have had two sets of wheels powder-coated and have been very happy with the results. Obviously prices will vary, but mine were $500 for all four wheels each time (Saint Louis area).
I wouldn't put a penny into doing anything with the stock wheels. They are ugly and have weak offsets. The several hundred bucks for dismounting/powdercoating/remounting & balancing would be better spent towards aftermarket wheels that you like. I bet you'd be into them for $600ish all said and done. Waste of money on stock wheels in my humble opinion.
Don't laugh, but my wheels had significant damage on my C7 Z06. I used PlastiDip on them and they came out looking fantastic for a few dollars a can. If you don't like it, just peel it off.
$600 was inclusive of everything, plus they let me use their shop while the wheels were being worked to swap my brake pads, install grill screens, and to install paragon lowering collars and adjust the rear ride height. I did all the latter myself, but they let me work on my vehicle while it was on their lift. $600 was a deal if you ask me.
The aftermarket wheels I would purchase cost 3-4 times as much.
$600 was inclusive of everything, plus they let me use their shop while the wheels were being worked to swap my brake pads, install grill screens, and to install paragon lowering collars and adjust the rear ride height. I did all the latter myself, but they let me work on my vehicle while it was on their lift. $600 was a deal if you ask me.
The aftermarket wheels I would purchase cost 3-4 times as much.
Yeah , honestly that's not too bad, especially if you don't mind the look of your stock wheels to begin with .
And you're right about good aftermarket wheels - every time I see a set of wheels i really like, they are always at least a thousand dollars per wheel
Most factory wheels on just about every brand are painted and not powder coated. I've painted many wheels and it's all in the prep work as to the outcome. A painted wheel, when properly prepped will hold up just as well as powder coating and can be easily touched up. If you have to touch up a powder coated wheel, what do you use.....paint! But I do agree, powder coating is the way to go if cost isn't an issue.
Try the PlastiDip first. Only costs a few bucks.
see if you like it and how is lasts. If it chips or peels you can easily respray.
then Power coat for a permanent solution.
Most factory wheels on just about every brand are painted and not powder coated. I've painted many wheels and it's all in the prep work as to the outcome. A painted wheel, when properly prepped will hold up just as well as powder coating and can be easily touched up. If you have to touch up a powder coated wheel, what do you use.....paint! But I do agree, powder coating is the way to go if cost isn't an issue.
I have a buddy who worked in the metals industry for years. He told me it is a falicy is that powdercoat is more durable,etc. He noted that if a painted surface is prepped and applied properly it is every bit as durable. Powdercoat is basically dried paint chips that melts under heat for an even, smooth finish. In the end he told me there is no real advantage either way. Be careful in that there has been problems noted powdercoating wheels where the wheels were overheated via the process. The wheels were ruined as the high heat compromised the integrity of the metal. Make sure you use a powdercoater that has experience with wheels and/or blended alloys. There are a lot of amateurs powdercoating these days.
I have a buddy who worked in the metals industry for years. He told me it is a falicy is that powdercoat is more durable,etc. He noted that if a painted surface is prepped and applied properly it is every bit as durable. Powdercoat is basically dried paint chips that melts under heat for an even, smooth finish. In the end he told me there is no real advantage either way. Be careful in that there has been problems noted powdercoating wheels where the wheels were overheated via the process. The wheels were ruined as the high heat compromised the integrity of the metal. Make sure you use a powdercoater that has experience with wheels and/or blended alloys. There are a lot of amateurs powdercoating these days.
I am not arguing, but...
Powder coating provides better performance than wet paint—it is more resistant to chipping, scratching, and other wear because of the thermal bonding it undergoes during curing, and because it can be applied in much thicker layers.
Maybe true, maybe not, but the consensus sure seems to agree.
Perception or what you heard? My buddy applied it all, did it all for 35 years for industrial applications. It is simply different process to achieve a similar end result. If the paint/powder was epoxy vs an oil paint would make diff. I have another friend who worked for Rust Oleum as a chemical engineer who concurs that no big advantage of powder, other than it achieves a typically smoother, even finish...durability not any big advantage. I did many sets of valve covers over the years out of a rattle can. I had buddies who insisted powdercoat. Theirs didn't outlast mine and didn't look any nicer. The paid a few hundred....I paid about $7. Would I rattle can my wheels? No, but I would take them to a trusted body man to booth paint for much more reasonable. In fact most stock car wheels are not powdercoated, but painted.
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