Cleaning up/Painting SSR Mesh

[Kid Karola]

Retro Wheels (74 Roberts Ave, Mortdale (Sydney) NSW 2223 Ph: 02 9570 3033) used to specialise in Simmons repairs. They may have the sealer stuff, if they're still around? I enquired about blank rims ages ago, but as they weren't for Simmons they didn't want to know about it! As you're in SA you could ask Extensive Wheel Service at Mile End (on South Rd just down from Bradman Drive) about the sealer.

(Simmons Wheels as of 30th June 2009, have ceased manufacture of their range of custom 3-piece wheels, due to the retirement of the owner Tony Simmons... The are in negotiations with Tony re purchase of the plant, equipment, casting moulds etc with the view to resurrecting the FR, OM and B45 3-piece wheels. And will continue with repairs and maintenence etc as there is still a supply of parts available.)

[ae71]

a wheel repairer once told me never to power coat wheels...

while it is very hard wearing it isnt suitable for wheels esp if you drive hard. when you get your brakes hot, heat is transfured to the wheel (try touching the centres after a thrash threw some corners with heavy braking!). due to the nature of power coat the heat softens the paint and brake dust then sticks to the powered coat surface.

for those who dont know, when something is powered coated, it is first heated in a large oven, its then covered with the desired coloured power then baked again, the power melts into a liquid coating the metal.

2pak is the way to go.

[dAYTONA]

I have a pair of Volk/Ray's in which the bolts are soo damn tight, I can't undo them. It doesn't help that the nuts are only 3mm high, leaving little contact area with the socket... trying to undo them on the front, allen key side also fails... anyone have any ideas? I've tried giving the nuts a bit of heat, no go.
Looks like I might have to start drilling them all out...

[Kid Karola]

AE71 The powder coating is typically applied electrostatically (the item to be coated has a current run through it, and a static charge holds the powder particles onto it) and it's then cured under heat in oven to allow it to flow and form a skin. The powder may be a thermoplastic or a thermoset polymer. So what you're saying is the first type, as heat is re-applied it softens. The latter is resistent to heat and stays hard even if heated again. Be sure to ask the powder coater for thermoset coating for wheels or other items where they are exposed to temperature.

Daytona rather than heating the nuts/bolts, try a center punch and give them each bolt a firm tap with a hammer, the shock should loosen them. Also give them a healthy spray with CRC or WD40 and let them soak overnight, should make your job easier. Are you just using an allen key and a spanner? Try using a 12 sided socket on an extension with a ratchet (3/8" or 1/2" drive) Just use the key to hold the bolt on place, and the ratchet will give you a larger moment to get the stuck nuts

[KKUSTOM]

this thread is WIN! thanks guys for all the info.

[takai]

Better than that again is a rattle gun with the appropriate sized socket and an 1/2" drive allen key socket with a tbar to hold the other side.

[Kid Karola]

Touché, still try the affore mentioned if you don't have 1/2" rattle gun handy there are many ways to skin a cat... or in this case strip a mesh

[ae71]

rays/volk meshies that i have, i got a 6mm allen type impack socket. you dont need any sort of spanner or socket on the back, they are not ment to be un-done from bolt head not the nut. some of the bolts ended up rounding, i had to grind the head of the nut off most of the way then centre punch it out the rest of the way. only had to do this with a few bolts. replacements where not very expensive. wd40 soaked over night then replied did help!

i was not aware that there where 2 types of power coating! thanks for the heads up on that!

[Oly AE86]

Just to show same process with Black Centres

How they came from the motherland



Removed the centres, had the outers polished by Wheel Revolution @ Slacks Creek



Then Powdercoated the centres black, 80x New SS Bolts with Polished Heads ( Say farewell to 2 Hours on a Bench Grinder with polishing wheel and your knuckles) and they were done. And dogs love em.

[maxhag]

Oly AE86 - Can I correct you.
Quote - " and dogs love them"

You mean, "Bitches love them"