Rim paint and powder coaters

[AUZJDM]

Hey all, at the moment i'am starting too prep and repaint my wheels, i'am stripping them right back and then send them too the paint shop to get them finished up, i'am after a matte black finish tho so not sure weather to get it painted or powdercoated, any ideas? also if anyone has experience with paint shops in brisbane and if they can recommend any please?

[Aussie Stig]

Not the BBS.

[Mr Morlock]

probably a bit of research is worth doing about powder coating but importantly go and get some quotes. The shape of the wheels is going to be an issue for powder coating. No point getting them done say powder if the subby cannot guarantee a good coverage ie surfaces not coated. Wheels may have to be treated before painting eg some sort of blasting medium etc. So wheel in back of car - knock on some doors - ask differences between spray versus powder and of course what will it cost. As a guess a spray painter will cover the rims in paint as he has can paint what he sees but a powder coater does have some other restrictions- and I do no know what is best for an alloy wheel.
I did get some aluminum holders powder coated- well pleased with appearance and cost but these items are judged quite differently to car wheels.

[Muzdaman]

Some wheels shouldn't be powdercoated, depending on how they were made. 6UL's for example.

Something to do with the heat treating of the wheel during manufacture.

[Black_Penguin]

I seem to remember something about either stock 350Z or S2000 wheels shattering after being powdercoated.

[hks_kansei]

Correct, apparently (I say apparently because I've never seen it happen, only read)

Anyway, apparently, the heating used in powdercoating can change the temper of the alloy, making it more brittle and succeptible to cracking/breaking.

[Suspense]

That fits with Emilio's recommendations when he was asked about powder coating 6ULs, being the change in temperature required for powder coating adversely affecting the rim's integrity.