hydrographics vs powdercoating

[donnelly317]

I was wonder if hydrpgraphics cost more than powder coating?? Im getting 17" bolt together kosmans within the next could of month but some want the polish. ed aluminum look. I was going to originally do the center hub and outside rim black and the spokes blue in powdercoat. But then saw the blue reaper hydrographics dip and it looked sweet.. moneys a little tight so I don't know which im gonna do. But if any of you have experience with price differences I would greatly like to hear.

 

[one2dmax]

The dip will cost more since it's a painting process. Wheels are also very difficult to dip for motorcycle wheels since they are visible from 2 sides unlike a car. Already tried to dip an 85 wheel which just wouldn't work. Possibly the newer wheels might be easier.

 

[donnelly317]

Good thinking Sean. Makes sense! Ill just stick with my original powder coating idea

 

[m-cman]

I powdercoated my Kosman bolt-up rear wheel gloss black with polished bolts and a paint matching stripe and I love it... Pics in my album.

 

[donnelly317]

Looks good cman! Mines a different rim than your but I know your Idea. Lol

 

[gamorg02]

satin p/c with chrome plated bolts:

 

[donnelly317]

Where did you get them bolts? i was wondering about doing this but didnt know about sheer strenghs of bolts. I didnt want to snap bolts by putting in any old bolt and all ive ever seen for chrome bolts were just chrome nothing about the strength of them.. thats the same rim i got and will be getting in 17" just want to do the three spokes blue

 

[wildweasel_pt]

You can use 304 grade polished stainless bolts no problem, the heads show something like A2/70. I think that when using chromed bolts you might blemish them when torquing to specs but if you want to go that way anything with 10 or 12 grade is what you want. For me if i don't want to polish the rims i will always go for powdercoating never painted and you will know why when you are bleeding your brakes and squirt some fluid onto the paint and you are going to miss a spot when cleaning, the day after your paintjob is ruined. The bad thing with pcoating is that you cannot touch up like with paint.

 

[gamorg02]

I emailed my brother to reply see if he can. he did all the research i just did assembly.

 

[BOM88]

I was told after talking with Kosman that they use grade 8 Automotive bolts for their bolt together rims. The ones in gamorg02's pic were purchased from www.dmpfasteners.com and are chrome plated grade 12.9 which is even better. I had a hell of a time finding grade 8 chrome plated nylocs but sure enough DMP had them in stock. I am no engineer so I don't really know a lot about the sheer strengths of these bolts but if Kosman is using grade 8's without a problem then it should be ok. For reference Stainless I believe is between a grade 2 and grade 5 but don't quote me on that. I notice a lot of the time bolts are rated by tensile strength.

 

[[email protected]]

I can't speak for bolt together rims but, I've been using stainless bolts to mount my rotors, rotor adaptors, brake calipers, brake stay bar, etc.... with no issues so far.

 

[wildweasel_pt]

I can't speak for bolt together rims but, I've been using stainless bolts to mount my rotors, rotor adaptors, brake calipers, brake stay bar, etc.... with no issues so far.

Ditto. The strongest current fasteners are the 12.9 but theres no need to use them unless theres a lot of pressure on them (i believe the headbolts are 12.9 or similar), and i mean a lot. The more punished bolts on the bike (the ones we tend to replace at least) are the ones on the rotors and also axial calipers (usually M10 but some Nissin use M8 instead), they suffer shear forces not push or pull like normally happens but 6xM8 bolts is a lot to hold the rotors. Even 4 would suffice like on the later sport Kawasakis rear rotor...

 

[donnelly317]

Awesome guys thanks!! Yea when I get them powdercoated im gonna want to put them back together with nicer bolts. Rather than them stupid CAD plated ugly ones.

 

[AMechEng]

If the hydrographic stuff is done well it is amazing. I know it is done on two sides of objects all the time such as rifles and handguns but on a wheel I think it might be difficult. I think powder coating is great for wheels because the stuff is so resistance to chipping.

 

[donnelly317]

Talked to a local shop. I hot quoted on 200 for both rims which I thought was really good fr powdercoating.. but now im waiting on a quote from another shop on Anodizing them. It would look really sweet I was told with the polished aluminum and it wont chip at all!! Annodization is one of the hardest substances known to man

 

[PATMAX]

I moved from an industrial town in Ohio to SE Florida and anodizing shops are non existent to my knowledge. Maybe Tampa or Miami has something like that. I would be interested in the price comparison between anodized and PC'd wheels. Wouldn't the wheels need to be polished before anodizing which adds to the cost? Just thinking out loud.

 

[[email protected]]

Talked to a local shop. I hot quoted on 200 for both rims which I thought was really good fr powdercoating.. but now im waiting on a quote from another shop on Anodizing them. It would look really sweet I was told with the polished aluminum and it wont chip at all!! Annodization is one of the hardest substances known to man

Any steel parts will need removed from the wheel if you are going to anodize. That would mean the rubber dampers would have to come out on a shaft drive wheel. Guess you won't have that problem with chain drive.

Note that anodizing may fade more than PC. Clear wouldn't be much of an issue but black gets almost purple looking after a lot of sun exposure. Bright colors tend to fade.

Hard anodizing is thicker, stonger but, sometimes there are less color options.

You don't have to polish if you are anodizing. I had machined parts anodized and polished parts anodized. The polished stuff just had a shiny apperance where the machined parts just looked like a flat finish.

 

[donnelly317]

Yea I don't plan on the bike sitting in the sun long enough to fade. And actually the rubber is a problem because the wheels o got work both ways chain or shaft.. do you know how to remove theses?? Also everything I have is all polished aluminum that's why my local shop said to look into it because it would look sweet. Does anyone know is bolt together kosman rims come clear anodized or anything?? I know there's no clear coat on them I tried a little spot of stripper nothing came off..

This is the company im going threw

http://www.tompkinsmetalfinishing.com/

 

[one2dmax]

Wheel dampeners will survive powdercoating just fine but will NOT survive anodizing. You can polish or not polish prior to either process though coatings won't really make a difference (other then making it more difficult for the coating to stick).

Anodizing can actually scratch very easily. CHROMING on the other hand is actually very strong and has even held up the being used for crankshaft repair.

Sean

 

[donnelly317]

Well with the carrz rims what do you do on colored ones? Chrome, annodize, or powdercoat because they look shinny