I have a set of 10" Cleveland wheels I have just blasted to get all the old paint off of which there was about 3 coats.
So what is the best way to coat and protect them?
I have a doityourself powder coating and an oven that will work. Would that be a way to go or what are my options?
Thanks in advance

I just clean my front wheel and rattle canned it semi-gloss white. Came out great and still looks nice after 4 years or so.

Real Zinc Chromate or epoxy primer followed with real automotive paint. Mixed with hardener and sprayed through a gun.
Rattle can will look ok but just doesn't have the strength of regular acrylic enamel.

Don't know about powder coat but, if you do it be sure to mask off mating surfaces of the wheels.

If you have already invested in a powder coating system it seems it would make sense do go with that. Modern Powder coatings are extremely durable. Prep surface with a acid or strong based metal prep. Sodium hydroxide (Lye) works well for this. After treatment, rinse well, wipe dry, then air dry under heat. Then shoot powder and bake. Forget epoxies. Proper breathing air filtering is needed as well as spray painting takes a bit of experience. Youtube has loads of how to home powder coating videos.

Sidewinder wrote:Prep surface with a acid or strong based metal prep. Sodium hydroxide (Lye) works well for this.

Don't do this!!!!
Your wheels are probably magnesium.

Just bead blast them.

Are they 3 bolt or 6 bolt.
DENNY

There's no way I'd powder coat wheels. Too much potential for missing a crack and/or corrosion, covered by the coating. Good paint is best.

MTV

If you want to go the rattle can route - hit your local marine supply and get some paint for outboard - I/O lower ends. Zinc-phosphate primer and a topcoat. Holds up well on the inside of alloy car wheels here in Michigan - should do fine on an aircraft wheel.

How hot is the powder coating process? I'm not saying it's necessarily a problem but I'd just like to know?

Thanks All, Have done a little more investigating with all the answers from here!!
It appears that you can powder coat Mag. But also Mag outgasses a lot and even pre heating for an hour does not guarantee they wont when cured.
Also big issues with even 400 degrees making wheels and landing gear brittle!!??
So much for that idea, sounds like primer n paint to me!!

SE6601KF wrote:

Sidewinder wrote:Prep surface with a acid or strong based metal prep. Sodium hydroxide (Lye) works well for this.

Don't do this!!!!
Your wheels are probably magnesium.

Just bead blast them.

This is what I'd do ^^

I would give them a good clearcoat afterward though to protect the magnesium from the elements. They'll look nice.

M6RV6,
Here what Parker has to say about painting wheels.

http://www.parker.com/literature/Aircra ... 0001-8.pdf

Dave

Dogsbody wrote:M6RV6,
Here what Parker has to say about painting wheels.

http://www.parker.com/literature/Aircra ... 0001-8.pdf

Dave

Dave, Thanks, I was trying to find something like this but my search intelligence was not up to it.

SE6601KF wrote:

Sidewinder wrote:Prep surface with a acid or strong based metal prep. Sodium hydroxide (Lye) works well for this.

Don't do this!!!!
Your wheels are probably magnesium.

Just bead blast them.

Yes You can do this!!!
Magnesium alloys are resistant to alkali solutions. NaoH ( hydroxide) hot bathes are used for cleaning
Here is a comprehensive guide to surface treatments for Magnesium alloy components for the aerospace industries.
It also cover bead blasting media types.

http://www.magnesium-elektron.com/data/ ... 256su0.pdf

If one is concerned about crack inspection.. umm (Tempting, i won't go there.)
Anodizing would be the way to go and many colors are available.

Sidewinder wrote:

SE6601KF wrote:

Sidewinder wrote:Prep surface with a acid or strong based metal prep. Sodium hydroxide (Lye) works well for this.

Don't do this!!!!
Your wheels are probably magnesium.

Just bead blast them.

Yes You can do this!!!
Magnesium alloys are resistant to alkali solutions. NaoH ( hydroxide) hot bathes are used for cleaning
Here is a comprehensive guide to surface treatments for Magnesium alloy components for the aerospace industries.
It also cover bead blasting media types.

http://www.magnesium-elektron.com/data/ ... 256su0.pdf

If one is concerned about crack inspection.. umm (i won't go there.)
Anodizing would be the way to go and many colors are available.

No you can't!!!
Alkali is not acid!!! read the entire quote "Prep Surface with Acid"

Point is.

Why risk dicking up your expensive aircraft wheels with some chemicals?

You can bead blast in about 5 minutes.
No chemicals to try to get rid of.
Clean up with an air hose.

Prime then paint.

SE6601KF wrote:Point is.

Why risk dicking up your expensive aircraft wheels with some chemicals?

You can bead blast in about 5 minutes.
No chemicals to try to get rid of.
Clean up with an air hose.

Prime then paint.

Some Chemicals?? It looks like your from Alaska, not California
Alkali cleaning solutions are not deleterious to Magnesium alloys, and not to the environment either, and won't cause cancer in unborn mice.
but they can't be beat for removing ground in organic material in the nooks and crannies that could be worked into the surface if not removed before or after bead blasting.
As for etching. reading the above pdf file states that nitric and hydrofluoric are some of the preferred acids and you don't have to be from California to appreciate that hydrofluoric acid is very nasty stuff to work with.

Edit: Aluminum can be one of the more difficult materials to coat. Just because it looks good just after painting doesn't mean its gonna stay that way. Preparation is the key. Clean clean clean. No moisture, finger grease, dirt or oxidation. Items should be handled with a fresh pair of disposable gloves after cleaning. and then coated asap.

Zzz wrote:

SE6601KF wrote:

Sidewinder wrote:Prep surface with a acid or strong based metal prep. Sodium hydroxide (Lye) works well for this.

Don't do this!!!!
Your wheels are probably magnesium.

Just bead blast them.

This is what I'd do ^^

I would give them a good clearcoat afterward though to protect the magnesium from the elements. They'll look nice.

+1 George. This is exactly what I did for a spare set of used 6" wheels I bought that are looking for a bushwheel accent.....turned out looking great with the rattle can polyurethane clear coat on the exposed surfaces after a trip through the bead blast cabinet. That inspired me to clean up my other 6 inchers I have with 8.50's on them and they look good in service.

Sidewinder wrote:

SE6601KF wrote:Point is.

Why risk dicking up your expensive aircraft wheels with some chemicals?

You can bead blast in about 5 minutes.
No chemicals to try to get rid of.
Clean up with an air hose.

Prime then paint.

Some Chemicals?? It looks like your from Alaska, not California
Alkali cleaning solutions are not deleterious to Magnesium alloys, and not to the environment either, and won't cause cancer in unborn mice.
but they can't be beat for removing ground in organic material in the nooks and crannies that could be worked into the surface if not removed before or after bead blasting.
As for etching. reading the above pdf file states that nitric and hydrofluoric are some of the preferred acids and you don't have to be from California to appreciate that hydrofluoric acid is very nasty stuff to work with.

If you put the wrong strength or kind of acid on your magnesium wheels they will start foaming up and dissolving.

As for the California eye roll comment ?????