Quote:
Originally Posted by a5m
omgzirra_exe Since we're on a wheel geek out high, I figured I'd ask: how about powdercoating forged wheels? Yay or nay? Can the cure temps affect the metallurgy?
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Perfectly fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tsk94
I know this wasn't directed at me - but no, no concerns.
All your favorite forged brands are powdercoating, typically in house, not painting wheels.
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This is correct.
Many shops and brands powder coat their forged wheels in house rather than use paint. Powder coating is more cost effective, but it requires precise control of the oven profile and cure temperature. Typically 180 to 200 °C (356 to 392 °F) held for 10 to 15 minutes. At those temperatures 6061-T6 aluminum remains well below its overaging threshold, so there is no measurable change to tensile strength or yield. Poor thermal control, however, can cause orange peel or under-cure defects in the coating.
For cast wheels the recommended cure temperature and duration can differ because the alloy chemistry and heat-treatment history vary by supplier. Always follow the material provider’s specification to avoid altering mechanical properties. Though in practice most suppliers won’t share that data, so you may need to work from industry averages. Ultimately the durability of any wheel finish depends on the quality of the base material and the precision of the coating process.
Traditional paint still delivers the most durable finish and better resistance to chips and UV fade. From a metallurgy standpoint powder coating is safe and is used by all the major forged-wheel manufacturers.