Hello all,
I can’t find any info on painting mag rims.
I am thinking of just givIng them a coat to cover up some of the big scratches from tire changing. They are black and Imjust keeping them the same. Any suggestions on what paint to use?
Do you have a paint sprayer or do you plan on using a rattle can? Your options will be different depending on what method you use.
I refinished some Freeline wheels a few years ago that turned out pretty nice. First step was to use aircraft paint stripper to get them to bare metal. You may need to invest in some wire drill attachments to make your life easier. The more you do in this stage the better they will look and the longer they’ll last. Then a nice scuff with a red scotch brite pad. Clean and wipe down with some paint degreaser (like Prep All). Then a light dusting coat of engine enamel. Let dry and do two more slightly heavier coats. If the finish is glossy then you’re done. If it’s not glossy then do a heavier coat but try not to make it run. Then you’ll have to run a drill bit through the wheel stud holes and a tap through the beadlock holes to clean them out.
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Just looking at rattle cans.
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If you are using rattle can, honestly, use whatever you want. They are gonna get scratched, beat up, marked up while mounting, etc.
I use rattle can on my aluminum wheels. Any time I want them to look nice, I just throw another coat on them.
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I would recommend some light scuffing with 200 grit sandpaper followed by a self etching primer. Beyond that, use what ever paint you’d like. Don’t apply a clear coat so you can touch them up as you go along like Derek sugguested.
Will do, thank you for the tips
There is no info on painting wheels because it is not a thing. If they are any sort of quality mag wheels they will have come with a finish from the factory. That finish is designed to dissipate heat. Altering that finish in any way will basically make them not work the way they are supposed to, which will negate the added expense of using mags. So if it is a racing kart you are using these on, leave the factory finish no matter what it looks like.
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Hm interesting. Never thought about that.
Mine get scratched up on the Outer Rim. I just clean them up with sandpaper spray a little black spray paint on a foam brush and wipe it on. They get scratched up again it’s a piece of cake to touch him up. A few chips I spray paint on a Q-tip and dab it.
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Yes maybe I’ll just touch up the outside lip.
Thank you
Correct. Paint is an insulator.
“Gold” magnesium wheels use a chromate processing to protect the wheel from oxidation. Most will only have a coat of clear coat on the inside of the wheel to prevent air leakage which happens when mag wheels are cast using the standard high pressure casting process.
Here is everything that I know about wheel design and colors. Kart Wheels Explained
In the interest of full disclosure, I import AMV wheels. All this information was obtained from AMV in Italy and translated into non-engineering human speak. AMV uses low pressure casting and OXiTECH to improve heat dissipation.
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