Weird question: painting spoked rims

[bunnyman]

I am the freakin' KING of weird questions. Here's mine: has anyone painted a spoked rim with the spokes and tyre on? I figured that masking the spokes wouldn't be nearly as hard as disassembling and rebuilding the whole spoked works. I was thinking of using a red Scotchbrite pad to rough up the chrome pretty good.

Thoughts?

 

[arsey]

I'm pretty sure I've seen more than a few build threads paint their wheels like this. Whether or not that makes it kosher, I'm not sure. but you would probably want to be sure you tape the spoke nipples off.

 

[bunnyman]

I'm pretty sure I've seen more than a few build threads paint their wheels like this. Whether or not that makes it kosher, I'm not sure. but you would probably want to be sure you tape the spoke nipples off.

Yeah- I would CERTAINLY mask off the spoke nipples AND spokes. I kinda like the idea of the whole "rat rod" thang, especially if I could get white walls with the bike I am building!!!

 

[gribbs]

I rattle-canned my entire wheel, minus the tire, ...hub and all.....looks fine til gas or brake fluid touches it. It was cheap, and I like the all black look more than the cleaned but no where near nice chrome look.

Tape off the tires and spray away... even body shops will paint people's auto wheels like this if that's how the customer brings them the set.

 

[bunnyman]

I rattle-canned my entire wheel, minus the tire, ...hub and all.....looks fine til gas or brake fluid touches it. It was cheap, and I like the all black look more than the cleaned but no where near nice chrome look.

Tape off the tires and spray away... even body shops will paint people's auto wheels like this if that's how the customer brings them the set.

Okay!!! I am now convinced!!!!

 

[sebatron]

i'd disassemble, god knows how out of whack the wheels are if they havent been trued recently. do it once, do it right?

 

[gribbs]

good point. Mine run fine, but maybe i just got lucky. Sprayed wheels were also fine for me because i have a second set I may build completely over next winter

 

[hillsy]

i'd disassemble, god knows how out of whack the wheels are if they havent been trued recently. do it once, do it right?

If they'te true, why would you bother ???

 

[Tim]

I think it really depends on the context the wheels are in.

Are you doing a complete frame-up resto with fresh paint, chrome, polished bits, or are you just spray-bombing things to cover rust and make the bike look good from 10 feet away?

Taking the wheels apart and having the rims powdercoated or something is the highest quality, most expensive way to go. Although, the cost of coating the rims wouldn't be that much compared to buying cans of paint etc. and rolls of masking tape, and taking the wheels apart/reassembling them is just your time.

If you go the masking off route, completely mask off your tires. I've seen this done with overspray on the tires, clearly showing where the strips of masking tape were after the fact. Don't paint your tires, even if you're using black paint. It looks REALLY bad.

 

[boingk]

Tape off the tires and spray away...

You fancy pants son-of-a-gun! ;D

I recently did my Kawasaki 100's wheels and spokes with simple silver spraypaint. No masking of tyres, just spray in on position and spin the wheel, then reverse for the other side. Have a rag and degreaser spray ready for any overspray onto the tyres - just spray a little onto the rag, spin and wipe the tyre. Easy, effective, cheap & simple.

I would not recommend this for any serious rebuild or for anyone wanting to have their bike actually look good. I did this as a last-minute effort to pass pre-race scrutineering with slightly rusty spokes and rims. But, as they say, thats another story...

- boingk

 

[bunnyman]

i'd disassemble, god knows how out of whack the wheels are if they havent been trued recently. do it once, do it right?

Good point. What would you use as a truing jig? I used to build bicycle wheels, but sold my truing stand many years ago. I don't think a motorcycle rim would fit in there, any ways...

 

[bunnyman]

I think it really depends on the context the wheels are in.

Are you doing a complete frame-up resto with fresh paint, chrome, polished bits, or are you just spray-bombing things to cover rust and make the bike look good from 10 feet away?

Taking the wheels apart and having the rims powdercoated or something is the highest quality, most expensive way to go. Although, the cost of coating the rims wouldn't be that much compared to buying cans of paint etc. and rolls of masking tape, and taking the wheels apart/reassembling them is just your time.

If you go the masking off route, completely mask off your tires. I've seen this done with overspray on the tires, clearly showing where the strips of masking tape were after the fact. Don't paint your tires, even if you're using black paint. It looks REALLY bad.

Certainly I would mask the tyres. And you do have a point on the rolls of paint. Hell, I might just leave them alone...

 

[Terry]

Look in the 50$ Mods section. There's a complete how to by JRK. I did this to some wheels for an XS650, used epoxy paint, let them dry for a week, and they looked great.

Terry
J'ville, Fl.

 

[bunnyman]

You fancy pants son-of-a-gun! ;D

I recently did my Kawasaki 100's wheels and spokes with simple silver spraypaint. No masking of tyres, just spray in on position and spin the wheel, then reverse for the other side. Have a rag and degreaser spray ready for any overspray onto the tyres - just spray a little onto the rag, spin and wipe the tyre. Easy, effective, cheap & simple.

I would not recommend this for any serious rebuild or for anyone wanting to have their bike actually look good. I did this as a last-minute effort to pass pre-race scrutineering with slightly rusty spokes and rims. But, as they say, thats another story...

- boingk

The anti "paint the wheels assembled" crowd unites!!!

I think I will leave them alone and wait for a rear KZ mag to come available...

 

[djelliott]

I rattle bombed mine as a temporary solution. I was getting to the end of my budget and the rims were crappy looking. I wanted them black too. I'll ride this season on them and get some nice black rims and some black anodized or stainless spokes next winter. I've come to the conclusion that I never have to stop building my bike. It's a modular work that can always be altered.

 

[sebatron]

powdercoating a rim will cost sweet f' all if you're getting a frame done at the same time, dare i say cheaper than paint. plus if you want them smooth, you'd need to buff the painted job. i hit my rims with red and a coat of clear, same as the frame, probably worked out to 25$ a piece.

if the spokes are fine and the wheels run true, obviously it's not worth the effort unless you're doing a show build. if your spokes are rusty, if you're missing one or two and running out of true, there isn't any reason you'd skimp out and get anything but powder. talk about piece of mind, but it comes at a cost and won't suit everyone.

 

[Wee Todd]

Holy farks Laddies,,,invest in a fine brush.........just splashit... on :

 

[gribbs]

put a 21"er on the back and 16" on the front wooot wooot

.did you spray em yet??? you know wanna!!!