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Wire Wheels
#1
duke48 Avatar
duke48 tony nataluk
portland, ME, USA   USA
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1981 MG TF
I have a set of painted wire wheels. Looks like they may have been blasted at one time. They are now covered with surface rust.

Does anyone know what the best method for restoring these wheels? I took them to a shop and they recommended powder coating. I don't really like the sounds of that. I had a set done once and the product was thick and took away from the fine details.

Any help would be appreciated.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016-08-30 02:04 PM by duke48.

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Re: Wire Wheels
#2
copernicus Avatar
copernicus Nick Kopernik
Western, CT, USA   USA
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1962 MG MGA MkII
Many years ago (before I switched to chrome wire wheels) I had my 48 spoke wheels sandblasted (lightly) and then just used a Rustoleum primer and top coat of silver/gray paint. Quick and easy and touch ups were a snap.

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Re: Wire Wheels
#3
rntanner Avatar
rntanner Roger N. Tanner (Disabled)
Oxnard, CA, USA   USA
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1970 MG MGB
1977 MG MGB
You live away from a major city, where a better powder coating source may do a better job.

I don't know if you have tried to find sources, using Google.

For your problem, I would use these words:

"where do I find a powder coating shop near the State of Maine"

It appears you may have to ship them to a larger city to find an appropriate source that can do the job correctly.


Roger N. Tanner
Professional Engineer, Retired

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Re: Wire Wheels
#4
Grubeguy Avatar
Grubeguy Gold Member Grube Guy
Washington, DC, USA   USA
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1957 MG MGA 1500 Coupe "JP"
1958 MG MGA 1500
1968 Saab 96 3cyl 2stroke
1972 Fiat 850 Spider    & more
You can derustify them yourself, using a battery charger, water and borax. Take a look at

http://www.rickswoodshopcreations.com/miscellaneous/rust_removal.htm

I've used this to great effect on tools, Fiat bits and Mercedes bits. Note that this method will take EVERYTHING off - any remaining chrome, paint, etc. Were I in your shoes, I'd use a medium sized rubber trash can with the water/borax solution and a piece of rebar. After drying the wheels, I'd spray it all down with etching fluid (which deposits a layer of zinc on everything) or etching primer, and spray paint the things silver myself. Or send them to the place of your choice for powder coating.

The remaining solution, by the way, is non toxic. I water the weepy flowery hangy tree thing my girlfriend planted with the stuff.

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Re: Wire Wheels
#5
TeamEvil Avatar
TeamEvil Thomas C (Disabled)
Kingston, MA, USA   USA
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With the spokes pretty much just screwed into the rim and such, isn't there too much movement in the wires to powder coat them? Wouldn't the coating crack when the spokes are flexed or tightened or . . .



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016-08-31 04:13 PM by TeamEvil.

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Re: Wire Wheels
#6
MGACharlie Avatar
MGACharlie Silver Member Charlie Adams
Fairfax Station, VA, USA   USA
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1951 MG TD MkII
1955 MG TF
1962 MG MGA MkII "Red"
Tony,

I suggest you inspect those rusty wheels carefully looking for bent spokes and them tap them with a piece of metal and you will hear a noticeable difference when you hit loose spokes which will have a dull sound. If you have broken, bent or loose spokes, you will need the wheels restored if they are worth the effort. Frequently they are not.

To clean the wheels, I'd suggest you start with a thorough wire brushing of the wheels and spokes as best you can. The hub area will be difficult.

There are many rust removal treatments which will do the job. I like a phosphoric acid bath, once completed it does not further deteriorate the metal like some acids do. Here is a helpful link which will give you some good ideas. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/serious-rust-removal.505058/

If you use any of the acid methods, be sure you are doing so safely.

Once stripped, cleaned and rust removed, I suggest you paint them with epoxy primer and paint. The finish will be hard and durable.

Charlie

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Re: Wire Wheels
#7
duke48 Avatar
duke48 tony nataluk
portland, ME, USA   USA
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1981 MG TF
Okay....now I see that everyone does it a different way. The spokes are all tight and no breaks or bends. So...they are really worth restoring.

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Re: Wire Wheels
#8
mgbanthony Avatar
mgbanthony Platinum Member Anthony Henderson
Eastern Thousand Islands, ON, Canada   CAN
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1962 MG MGB
1974 MG MGB
Check the hub splines for wear before investing any time or money. The splines should have a square profile. Many are worn. If so, they make good hose reels on the shop wall...

Powder coating will crack as the wheels flex in regular use.

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Re: Wire Wheels
#9
Redhawk1689 Avatar
Redhawk1689 Gold Member Steven Stockham
Salina, KS, USA   USA
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1958 MG MGA 1500 "Belle"
Yeah, I'm going to agree that powder coating wire wheels is not the best idea! Powder coating isn't flexible and wire wheels are. What you will get are chips breaking off which will look unsightly and will lead to premature rusting. Paint will look just as good, will be flexible, and is easy to "touch up" if need be. I purchased chrome 60's but kept a painted 48 which I had media blasted and professionally painted. That's the trick - have it professionally media blasted, prepped, primed and painted. Stay away from aerosol cans!! I don't care how good you are with a can, you can't get an even, professional looking coat through wires with an aerosol can! If done right (professionally), the wheels will look as good as powder coating (without all of the future trouble) and almost as brilliant as chrome.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2016-08-31 08:44 AM by Redhawk1689.

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Re: Wire Wheels
#10
bobs77vet Avatar
bobs77vet bob K.
northern Va, VA, USA   USA
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well you have lots of advice and i will add mine....BEFORE you do anything else mount them on a front hub and use a dial indicator and look at run out both in and out and up and down.....

heres barneys thoughts


http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/wheels/wl107a.htm

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Re: Wire Wheels
#11
Redhawk1689 Avatar
Redhawk1689 Gold Member Steven Stockham
Salina, KS, USA   USA
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1958 MG MGA 1500 "Belle"
Absolutely! That's extremely good advice!

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Re: Wire Wheels
#12
Gary E Avatar
Gary E Gary Edwards
Kernersville, NC, USA   USA
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1962 MG MGA MkII
Speaking of wheels..
Evolution from Disc back to original wires. The last pictures is not the best photo, I'll have to try again.


Gary

Murphy's law

Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe, and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it, and he'll have to touch it to be sure.


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Re: Wire Wheels
#13
TeamEvil Avatar
TeamEvil Thomas C (Disabled)
Kingston, MA, USA   USA
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Neat evolution !

Yup, the wires look best, real sharp ! ! !

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Re: Wire Wheels
#14
duke48 Avatar
duke48 tony nataluk
portland, ME, USA   USA
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1981 MG TF
They all look great.

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Re: Wire Wheels
#15
ghnl Avatar
ghnl Eric Russell
Mebane, NC, USA   USA
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1961 MG MGA "Calvin"
Barney also has info about wheel paint: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/paint/pt104.htm


Eric Russell ~ Mebane, NC
1961 MGA #61, 1981 Alfa Romeo GTV6, 1984 Alfa Romeo Spider, 1991 Honda ST1100

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