Painting over chrome

[ATEYSIXED]

Just got a quick question for you guy with a lot of painting expirience.
(I'm not a complete noob to painting, Ive worked with my pop who is a painting contractor for 10 years off and on so I'm really good at preping and spaying metallic surfaces.) I recently decided I want to customize my bike to look like the old school bobbers/rat rods. Think sucker Punch Sally bikes, I want to paint the rim of my wheels red to set off the white wall tires I'm getting on Friday. my plan was to wet sands the shit out of them with a med grit sand paper, go over the surface with a liqiud deglosser/sanding sealer, tape off the spokes, and shoot a layer of self etching primer. I'm just wondering if this will be enough to ensure my paintjob adheres to the wheels? (btw, I realize that it would be best to have the wheels broken down and powder coated, but I really cant afford that right now so this will have to do.) I don't want to have something that looks good for about a month then starts to peel off. Finally, does anyone know of a good strong clear that comes in a rattle can that would protect the finish to add even more resistance to road elements?? Thank in advance for the help fellas.

[YO MUDA]

I dont think the paint will stick to the rims very long. Powdercoat.

[airbrush addict]

You might want to try some of the suggestions in this thread.

http://www.shadowriders.net/forums/showthread.php?t=10690

Alsa corp makes a good 2 part urethane clear in a can. www.alsacorp.com (http://www.alsacorp.com)

Good luck, let us know how it works out....

[mcvierh]

I've seen it done, i.e. just paint over chrome rims....at first it looks ok, like immediately after it's done, but real quick it isn't a pretty sight.....I'd do just what AirBrush says in this instance, because as far as I know, AirBrush is indeed the sites bona fide paint expert., and if it's advice that comes from him, you can take it to the bank.,
When I say I've seen it done, there wasn't any serious prep work, just blow and go.....and sure as shit within a month, looked like shit on a white rag....

[dirtwarrior]

I've seen it done, i.e. just paint over chrome rims....at first it looks ok, like immediately after it's done, but real quick it isn't a pretty sight.....I'd do just what AirBrush says in this instance, because as far as I know, AirBrush is indeed the sites bona fide paint expert., and if it's advice that comes from him, you can take it to the bank.

How did the paint come out?

[mcvierh]

Finally, does anyone know of a good strong clear that comes in a rattle can that would protect the finish to add even more resistance to road elements?? Thank in advance for the help fellas

Look at Dupli Color Engine Enamel Clear...you can find it at AutoZone,Napa,Advance....it's a High Temp Clear thats oil and gas resistant., has excellent adhesion properties over any paint, comes in a rattle can with a fan tip applicator for professional rattle can shade tree painters.....

[ATEYSIXED]

Thanks for the replies guys. Here's the deal, I called around and found out I could get the wheels powder coated in red for about $100 total. I need new tires really bad and the whitewalls I found online are about $100 less than at the shops here. I figure I can pull the wheels off the bike, shred the old rubber off, get the wheels coated, and take the coated wheels with tires to a shop here in phoenix for mounting and balancing. I just have a feeling these shops are gonna try to rape me since I'm not buying the tires from them. It's like I was telling Airbrush, I know I could get the paint to look good and adhere with the right prep work, but I'm not sure how it would hold up in the long haul. So, powder coat it is. This also means I'm in the market for a floor jack. Anybody got a good deal for me??

[dirtwarrior]

Finally, does anyone know of a good strong clear that comes in a rattle can that would protect the finish to add even more resistance to road elements?? Thank in advance for the help fellas

Look at Dupli Color Engine Enamel Clear...you can find it at AutoZone,Napa,Advance....it's a High Temp Clear thats oil and gas resistant., has excellent adhesion properties over any paint, comes in a rattle can with a fan tip applicator for professional rattle can shade tree painters.....
we need pictures

[quam]

hey ateysixed, any news on this project?

[ATEYSIXED]

hey ateysixed, any news on this project?

Naw brother, I'm having the same setback as YO MUDA. I have the new rubber, found a great price on the powder; but it's the breakdown, relace, and true situation that has me stuck saving some more cash. Theres only a hand full of places that will even touch bike wheels out here besides the dealer, and the best price I could get was $250 on a relace and true job. After taxes that puts me around $450 for the whole project (breakdown, powder, rebuild, true, mont and balance, etc) which means it's pushed back about a month. I saw that you told MUDA to just do it himself. I don't mind taking the time bro, but I wouldn't have any idea where to start. I've never messed with a spoke wheel before. Suggestions??

[samurai-kitty]

Naw brother, I'm having the same setback as YO MUDA. I have the new rubber, found a great price on the powder; but it's the breakdown, relace, and true situation that has me stuck saving some more cash. Theres only a hand full of places that will even touch bike wheels out here besides the dealer, and the best price I could get was $250 on a relace and true job. After taxes that puts me around $450 for the whole project (breakdown, powder, rebuild, true, mont and balance, etc) which means it's pushed back about a month. I saw that you told MUDA to just do it himself. I don't mind taking the time bro, but I wouldn't have any idea where to start. I've never messed with a spoke wheel before. Suggestions??

I was under the impression that you needed a truing stand to do that correctly. My ex went ahead and bought one since the price for the equipment was the same as having it done (about $300), and he could use it again. Didn't take him very long to figure out how to do it right, but then again he's one of those computer geniuses. I'll have to find someone since I DO NOT want to go to him for that (or anything else).

To add to ATEYSIXED question, is decroming plastic possible? I've heard marinating the part with Easy-Off in a plastic baggie.

[YO MUDA]

Naw brother, I'm having the same setback as YO MUDA. I have the new rubber, found a great price on the powder; but it's the breakdown, relace, and true situation that has me stuck saving some more cash. Theres only a hand full of places that will even touch bike wheels out here besides the dealer, and the best price I could get was $250 on a relace and true job. After taxes that puts me around $450 for the whole project (breakdown, powder, rebuild, true, mont and balance, etc) which means it's pushed back about a month. I saw that you told MUDA to just do it himself. I don't mind taking the time bro, but I wouldn't have any idea where to start. I've never messed with a spoke wheel before. Suggestions??Im just too damn lazy these days. I got everything powdercoated ordere the new bearing and seals. 3 Honda stealerships around here, and they had to order them. Put them in and laced it all up. Now gotta true it get new tires, install my belt drive and my new Z bars from Cowboy and I'll be set. I posted it on craigslist just to see what I could get. Lots of people wanna trade but havent found nothin I would give it up for.

[YO MUDA]

To add to ATEYSIXED question, is decroming plastic possible? I've heard marinating the part with Easy-Off in a plastic baggie. I just wet sanded the shit outa my plastic chrome parts and painted them with flat black hi temp paint. They,ve held up really good.

[ATEYSIXED]

I was under the impression that you needed a truing stand to do that correctly. My ex went ahead and bought one since the price for the equipment was the same as having it done (about $300), and he could use it again. Didn't take him very long to figure out how to do it right, but then again he's one of those computer geniuses. I'll have to find someone since I DO NOT want to go to him for that (or anything else).

To add to ATEYSIXED question, is decroming plastic possible? I've heard marinating the part with Easy-Off in a plastic baggie.
You are correct, you do need a truing wheel to properly relace and true spoke wheels. One thing you will notice about this forum is that there are a lot of resourceful mofo's that can make things work with stuff you have sitting around. I saw a thread here once where someone explained how to make a truing stand. It was pretty resourceful to say the least.

As far as the the painting over plastic goes, I learned a long time ago that you can get good adhesion to almost any surface provided you prep your surfaces properly. It's 80% of painting and for some reason that's where everyone wants to cut corners. I've never painted any plastic on my bike but for actual chrome I degloss with muratic acid, sand, and use a self etching primer. With plastic I would use a fine/medium grit wet sand and follow up with a liquid deglosser before primer.

When I originally started this thread I knew I could get adhesion. I've always been into rodding, and the OG's in the 50's/60's actually used to use house paint often enough believe it or not. I was just wondering if anyone knew how well modern rattle finishes (caliper or engine enamels) would hold up to road elements. I don't want to have to repaint every 6 months.

BTW, welcome to the ride kitty.

[ATEYSIXED]

Im just too damn lazy these days. I got everything powdercoated ordere the new bearing and seals. 3 Honda stealerships around here, and they had to order them. Put them in and laced it all up. Now gotta true it get new tires, install my belt drive and my new Z bars from Cowboy and I'll be set. I posted it on craigslist just to see what I could get. Lots of people wanna trade but havent found nothin I would give it up for.
I hear that bro, I just had a vision for this project of doing everything I can do myself. It's not even really about the cash but just the old school builder spirit before all the aftermarket stuff came out.

Are you sayin you put you bike on Ebay to see what you could get for it bro? I'd pay more for your bike than that shit stain sporty on the other thread. :grin:
How absolutely necessary is it to replace the bearings and seals when you pull the wheels off? I checked mine and they looked good. I don't want to replace something that doesn't need it.

[YO MUDA]

I replaced mine because I had used wheels I picked up and thought while I had everything apart......

[samurai-kitty]

Another question...do I need to have my wheels trued every time I get a tire replaced? Or only if there is a problem?

*hope it's okay to jack this thread a bit, ATEYSIXED!

[ATEYSIXED]

Another question...do I need to have my wheels trued every time I get a tire replaced? Or only if there is a problem?

*hope it's okay to jack this thread a bit, ATEYSIXED!
No problem. The trueing thing is only done if you take your spoke wheels apart for any reason. Muda and I were referring to breaking the wheels down to have specific parts powder coated. If you aren't pulling the actual rims apart you don't have to true them. However if you do a re-lace, you should check them again after a few miles to make sure everything has been tightened down properly, and everything is still in balance. If you are just getting new tires then the mount and balance is all you need. You don't have to mess with the rims at all.

[samurai-kitty]

No problem. The trueing thing is only done if you take your spoke wheels apart for any reason. Muda and I were referring to breaking the wheels down to have specific parts powder coated. If you aren't pulling the actual rims apart you don't have to true them. However if you do a re-lace, you should check them again after a few miles to make sure everything has been tightened down properly, and everything is still in balance. If you are just getting new tires then the mount and balance is all you need. You don't have to mess with the rims at all.

Awesome, thank you!