This weekend I am going to paint my wheels a dark gunmetal grey. I have everything I need but I am still sketchy about whether or not to clear coat. I kinda like the matte finish of the paint without the clear coat but want the protection it provides.

what are your opinions....clear coat or not?

 

i say clear.. if you dont want it too glossy, dont spray as much...

 

They sell a matte clear iirc.

 

No Gloss - It has only been a couple months and I already have a few Knicks I wish I could touch up without redoing the entire wheel.

just painted


I like the look of the gloss, it just isn't holding up like I want.

 

If you insist on painting your wheels "ultra trendy gunmetal", find a satin spray paint in a color that you like (Duplicolor and the Krylon lines w/fan tips work best).

That way, you get some sheen, which makes the wheels easier to clean, and you get easier touch up, since all you have to do is hit any nicks with one can instead of trying to blend with two.

Uhhh, no... That's not how that works at all. If you don't "spray as much", then why even bother coating it? Dumbest advice ever.

 

as for a clear coat, i used Glisten PC and it gives the wheels a nice factory looking finish and is rock solid to reduce chips and peeling. however, it does have a glossy look, and when i used it on my half polished aluminum and half painted wheels, it made the paint bleed a bit. i didn't have a paint gun so i brushed it on and i think that is what made it bleed, sprayed would have given better results IMO. also, it doesn't say anything about painted surfaces, just that it is for metals and chrome so if you use this you might want to ask about applying over paint.

i also used the Duplicolor clear coat for wheels and once it dipped below about 50 degrees it yellowed and flaked off. i guess if you want to go cheap and be able to touch up easily go with what Midget96 said.

 

When I painted mine I chose not to use clear coat. I like the way mine still look. I did touch up one wheel I only did a small section. No clear coat makes touch ups much easier.

 

yea, definitely no with the clear coat, anything that would take the paint off in the first place will take the clear coat right with it. leave it just the paint and keep an extra can in your tool box for a quick spray whenever one gets nicked off. I used a flat "Camo" black from Lowes and have yet to have a single chip after a few months. I had the Rustoleum Hammered black originally and it chipped the day I did it when i dropped a lug nut on em. Also:

The key is to do a lot of Very Light coats. this will keep the paint from running and will also give it a few layers for durability. I didnt even sand/prime/prep mine.

-Chris

 

PPG sells a pre-flattened clearcoat (dcu 2060), but I don't think it's available in a spray can.

 

Would it kill you to contribute to a thread without throwing snide remarks in?