wheels

[Bjkearns]

Well I am gong to be getting my wheels refinished this week but have some questions

they are the DSI style of a 1995 BMW M3, from what the previous owner told me that have about 100k on them
they have nicks,dings,scratches,some curb rash, and coating failure but with some TLC they should look really good

I am going to be getting them powdercoated with as close as I can get to the OE color
I am going to be dropping them off at the shop tomorrow
this is the shop I am going to be using

http://www.americoatpowdercoating.com/HOME.html

the shop said they will be using one color and one clean coat

Here is a picture of the wheels


I have some questions related to powdercoating I was hoping MOL members could help me with
Does powdercoating need to "offgas"?
How long do I need to do I need to wait before I mount tires?
How long do I need to wait before I can prep and seal the wheels?

^^ Time is not really an issue because I have another set of wheels and tires but I know I will get anxious
I also need to order a minimum of two tires but Im thinking I should just buck up and get 4

I was thinking for the prep, I would clay them with Meguiar's blue clay with Last Touch 1:1, then Ultimate Polish
but then here is where I am not sure, what wax/sealant should I use?

Which Meguiar's product would be suggested?

I am kinda interested in this product...

http://www.detailing.com/store/wheel-wax-8-oz.html

I am doing this because I want them to look good and make future cleanups easier


Thank you for your help and suggestions
Joseph Kearns

[Marc08EX]

Re: wheels

I wouldn't bother buying a dedicated wheel wax. If you're going to wax it, use the wax that you already have or if you want maximum protection and durability then go with UW. Wax on wheels won't stay really long because it gets hit pretty hard. Debris, heat, iron particles all contribute to degrading that sacrificial barrier you're providing the wheels. I would suggest just waxing it as often as you can for maximum protection.

I myself use Meguiar's cleaner wax on my wheels.

[Bjkearns]

Re: wheels

I have a bottle of Cleaner wax and used that when I first got them, I gave them 2 heavy coats of that
yesterday I got them dismounted and was pleasantly surprised at how well they dust lifted up

I guess the thing Cleaner wax has going for it is how affordable it is
though I do also have Ultimate Liquid wax but this is quite a bit more expensive

Do you think Ultimate Polish would be too aggressive on the powdercoat?

[Marc08EX]

Re: wheels

I have a bottle of Cleaner wax and used that when I first got them, I gave them 2 heavy coats of that
yesterday I got them dismounted and was pleasantly surprised at how well they dust lifted up

I guess the thing Cleaner wax has going for it is how affordable it is
though I do also have Ultimate Liquid wax but this is quite a bit more expensive

Do you think Ultimate Polish would be too aggressive on the powdercoat?

The great thing about cleaner wax on wheels is that it has the ability to lightly clean the surface so there's no need for a dedicated mild cleaner polish like UP.

I'm sorry but I'm not very familiar with the chemical composition and layering of the powdercoat. I'm assuming that it's very strong because of the electrocharged bonding process to the metal.

[Bjkearns]

Re: wheels

Hmm that is a good point about the light cleaning ability of Cleaner wax

Though I think your right about Ultimate Liquid Wax, I can buck up and use that my first wax on the wheels and final misting of X-press Synthetic spray wax after I get the tires mounted

Im thinking 2 coats of ULW,then get tires mounted, then X-press spray wax to wipe up the grime and tire lube

[ethereal45]

Re: wheels

On the subject of cosmetic mods, have you ever thought about getting your side skirts painted to match the white body? I know that's a pretty popular mod among the drivers with the < '95 cars.

[Bjkearns]

Re: wheels

I have thought about it but since my grey is in pretty good condition I have left it alone
I also like how it is in its "trueskin" and a throw back to its routes
O ya and I would rather spend the money on the countless other things that need to get done

but Im thinking if they ever do need a repaint they will be going back to their OE coating routes

[gtrspeed]

Re: wheels

I'm also a fan of Cleaner Wax on wheels. I always seem to get some light staining around the edges of the wheels (tire dressing, probably). CW does a great job of removing those stains. I can't speak to its durability, as I wash my car often enough that even if my wheels weren't waxed, brake dust buildup wouldn't be an issue. I can say that my wheels bead water for at least a month, which is as long as I typically go between waxing.