How can I strip and paint my wheels?

[GooseMan]

I'm really not a fan of the white wheels on my Bandit 400.....is there a (cheap) way to strip/paint them black?

I figure I can spend hundreds of dollars to get them sandblasted and powdercoated, but I'd like to do it myself.

What can I use to strip the paint? What type of paint should I use?

[Beatkiddo]

You could use an orange colored product from Home Depot, that is citrus based...works great.  I can't recall what the name of it is, but it is in the section with all the paint removers.  Once that is done, take them and have them powder coated, or find a local body shop to paint them.  The powder coating will last a LOT LONGER.

[MStarmer]

Use aircraft stripper, it will work great.  

[David Morrow]

I stripped a spare pair of wheels for my old Concours and did the same for my FJR. Use a good quality gel type furniture stripper and a bunch of green scotch brite pads. I also used steel wool. That part may make you cringe but if you wants that brushed look, it looks just fine. Here on my Connie wheels...

http://www.ldrider.ca/techpages/wheel-paint.htm

[Leanintree]

I have no real help for this thread other than my first thought upon reading the topic... "Aren't you afraid of getting paint on your dingus?"

Leanintree

[1KPerDay]

 

Step one: remove clothing


Step two: find some paint...

[airborneXX]

I stripped my Blackbird wheels with the Aircraft stripper mentioned above. I then polished the lips of the wheels and rattle canned the rest. I did them about a year and a half ago and they still look good. Next tire change I'll probably shoot them again. Total cost about $15 and took me about 4 hours, not counting  tire removal andd install.

[GooseMan]

hmm...interesting. So what kind of paint is best? Enamel? Lacquer?

[bomber]

if you insist on paint, enamel if far better than laquer -- better still would be two-part epoxy paint -- once you pay for those materials and and good painter to shoot them (or buy the equipment to shoot epoxy paint yourself), you'll have likely outspent what powder coating would have been in the first place

powder coating will last far longer than any paint

[FJRmgm]

powder coating looks much better and really is not that expensive.  Friend of mine just had some SuperHawk wheels coated for about $40 each.

[r2t2]

I stripped my Blackbird wheels with the Aircraft stripper mentioned above. I then polished the lips of the wheels and rattle canned the rest. I did them about a year and a half ago and they still look good. Next tire change I'll probably shoot them again. Total cost about $15 and took me about 4 hours, not counting  tire removal andd install.

Ditto... I got some Duplicolor High Performance Wheel Coating and sprayed that on 'em. It's a specialty paint that goes on easily. Although it almost looks like the nozzle clogged, it coats nicely and I was able to get a factory look on the painted portions. I do believe that it's an epoxy paint and it sure seems to be quite durable.