Hi all

I am going to be repainting my wheels in a couple of weeks time as they are getting quite corroded and look pretty scabby. I will be blasting out all the corrosion but probably leave the good paint on the wheels as it will take a lot of time to blast it all off.

Should I use etch primer first, or will ordinary primer be ok? Will etch primer be safe to use on top of old paint?

Thanks
Rich

 

What wheels are they?
Are you doing them with compressor and gun or rattle can?

 

They're the standard wheels off my st170. Just using a rattle can, i have done wheels this way before and they have come out alright. I know i'm not gonna get an excellent finish but its just to last another year or so until i will be replacing them!

Rich

 

normal primer will be fine,ive done em before and they have been sweet,sod paying for etch primer

 

Etch mate Upol

Paul

 

Ok thanks for the replies. If i do use etch primer, i presume 1 coat of etch then a couple of coats of normal grey?

Cheers

 

2 coats of etch
2 or 3 coats of grey primer
wet sand
base coat
claer coat

 

JOB DONE

 

Ok cool, cheers!!! Just so long as etch primer will stick to bits of paint ok

 

remove all the flaky bits of paint, feather the "sharp" edges of paint back with 240 grit. Key the full surface to be primed then fire away as said above

 

etch primer forms a chemical bond with metal so it wont flake off and prevents corrosion forming, its vital imo that any bare metal gets a coat of etch first

 

nice little explanation for those not knowing what etch primer is

 

From experience (painting cars too long basically) you'll need etch primer. Chromate etch primer helps adhesion of your 2k primer.
Try avoid etch from an aerosol can. When its applied from a spray gun its evenly applied and i feel you can get the product into the tight edges easier.
2 or 3 coats of 2k acrylic primer over your etch then you should be on the road to recovery

Quick tip; If your priming the wheels yourself dont force dry the etch primer (with a heat gun of by blowing air from the spray gun) it forms a skin on the top of the etch while its still wet underneath. If the 2k is sprayed over it then there is a big possibility your paint could peel off down the line. So leave it naturally dry
Hope this helps

 

Agree with the above if it want it to last then it will need at least a coat of etch, if its only a few small areas that are busted thru to bare ally thou mate u might find it cheaper to buy it in a can than gettting it in a tin and the thinner for it etc.

If the ally is in good condition and is prepped properly you can actually go wet on wet with etch ie get it all ready then dust a couple coats on then go straight on with a colour after its flashed, but by the sound of it u will need a couple coats of high build on it aswell!!

 

there are some very good rattle cans available these days though, u pol as said are really good.

you could warm the wheels up before applying the product to aid dying time

 

Yeah very true. Warming the wheels up before applying will definately aid with the drying. Problem with aerosols tho is that its next to impoosible to get even coats around the area. Etch dont have to be applied heavily anyway but if he's using aerosol 2k primer, basecoat and clear coat they never turn out 100%
But i suppose he only wants a another year from them until replacing

 

Thanks all for your replies and advice! We do have painters at work who could do them for me, but as i said i only really want a quick job done on them to tidy them up as cheap as poss as I will be replacing them soon anyway.

I'll go find myself some etch primer

Cheers!

 

Add to the saying above that the chemical bond is usually between lead chromate, ester and xlene.

For best results the surface MUST be clean and bare metal dry...