Protecting recently powdercoated things

[Si]

Hey all :Wave:
I got my wheel centres back from the powdercoaters last week - it's going to be another moth or so before i can bolt them up to the rims and get them on the car. This gives me loads fo time to protect them, so, what do i need to do?

-I've heard it's good to leave them for a while to harden before fitting - is this correct?
-If so, then what's best? Warm room or cold shed?
-What products can i use to protect them further - I was going to put several coats of Natty's genius 'sets like concrete' wax on them - anything else i should be using to seal them?

Cheers
Si

[IKRAM]

I'd guess cold shed because powdercoating hardens by cooling. Did you get them laquered as well ?

[Wak]

I wouldn't have thought leaving them lying around in either a warm or cold envoironment would make any difference tbh. Powder coating is pretty tough if done properly and shouldn't need any special treatment to protect it.

[Jon]

I wouldn't have thought leaving them lying around in either a warm or cold envoironment would make any difference tbh. Powder coating is pretty tough if done properly and shouldn't need any special treatment to protect it.

^^^wot he said. Powdercoating is a layer of polyester plastic covering the metal to protect it. That was the reason for having it done in the first place.
No wax or polish is going to make any difference.

[Kiruji]

Did you make sure the powdercoaters baked the wheels at a lower temperature than normal? I'm sure I remember reading that powdercoating alloys can substantially weaken them.

[Si]

Did you make sure the powdercoaters baked the wheels at a lower temperature than normal? I'm sure I remember reading that powdercoating alloys can substantially weaken them.

:nod: it was done by a place that specialised in refurbs in Brum - top guys :nod:
Spoke at great length witha lot of people, and the weakening problem is only if they are done totally incorrectly :)

Chees for input all, i'll just layer them up with Natty's - wasn't sure about putting them out in the cold, as i know what that can do to freshly applied paint :)

And no, they weren't lacquered - i was recommended by a fair few peopel that it didn't need doing, and can actually lead to problems with the finish :)

[George]

The powder coat (polyester) becomes a full cross linked polymer when cured at around 180C for 10 minutes. That's it. If it's undercured it will be brittle and can chip and crack. Overcured just affects the pigment, i.e. it will start to yellow. Nothing you do to it after the cure will change its properties. It is just plastic though and polyester isn't as chemical resistant as epoxy based coatings (although UV light will chalk and degrade epoxy based coatings eventually).

Long story short, if you wax or polish your wheels to stop organic compounds (brake dust, salt etc...) eating the polyester they will last forever. Aternatively if you give them a rinse with some soapy water once a month or so it will do the same.

I have had my wheels on my car powdercoated for about 5 years and wash the car roughly twice a year and the coating is still as it was when it was done.:thumbs:

[Kiruji]

Si, if you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for them to be done? And what did you get done, just a straight powder coat or a refurb too? :)

[Si]

Kiruji - YHPM :thumbs:

George - cheers for that - looks liek the added hassle of polishing my lips every week may be balanced out by not having to wash the centres :wack:

[Paulsx]

[QUOTE=Midlands_si;3016955]:nod: it was done by a place that specialised in refurbs in Brum - top guys :nod:
Spoke at great length witha lot of people, and the weakening problem is only if they are done totally incorrectly :)

Not true unfortuantly!!

Most forged wheels are powder coated because they are strong enough to withstand the process without distorting. Cast alloy wheels are not very structually stable due to the stresses caused by the uneven cooling processes during casting.

The heating from the powder coating can cause a cast alloy rim to relax which pulls it out of shape.

Now saying that the wheel wont fail because it's been coated but it can distort and if the wheel is heated to over 200 deg the structure can change and make the wheel brittle.

If you have cast wheels you should way up the pro's and con's of having it done and then decide:nod: