Plasti Dip longevity on wheels?

[StreetsofCompton]

I tried a quick search for this and didn't find much. Apologies if this has been addressed ad nauseum.

Just curious if anyone has been using plasti dip as a long term solution to change the aesthetics of your wheels? I was reading on one of the cans in an auto store and it said to remove after 3 months. I like the idea of a cheap option to change the color, but not if I'll just be removing it I'm 2-3 months anyways. Mainly use my vehicle as a DD, with some trails once a month.

Thanks peeps!

 

[WUzombies]

Think of Plasti-Dip as a temporary device to evaluate how your wheels would look with a proper and professionally applied finish that would still look decent next year.

 

[StreetsofCompton]

Perfect description. Thanks!

 

[failsafefabrication]

Re; Plasti Dip

About 1-2 years depending how aggressively you powerwash the wheels

Perfect description. Thanks!

 

[mtnbike28]

I used the wheel paint and primer from auto parts store 7 years ago, I figured I would have to touch up each year. Between beach driving, off-roading, DD duties, they still look fine. I PD the hood on my 80 and hate it, it's peeling, uneven and will not "peel" off as they suggest.

These wheels were from my old 4Runner and had peeling clear and corrosion from wheel weights, all I did was prep with a green pad, wash, prime and about 5 coats of paint. That was about 7 years and 100k ago

 

[SheepnJeep]

I've had black plasti dip on my Cherokee wheels for about a year now and it is holding up just fine. I will say proper prep seems to do the trick. I sanded the rust spots down so they would be less rough looking and then scrubbed the wheel with alcohol and a brillo pad. Light coats with the plasti dip help it stick better. I did make a mistake going too light on the tire, and it made it really hard to peel off. Next time I would also wipe a little tire shine onto the tire to help keep the plasti dip from sticking to it.

I think it might work really well to blast a tire with plasti dip and then peel it off the rim. Paint the rim and peel the "masking" off of the tire! Could work without paying to dismount tires for a rim repaint.

-Jesse

 

[texascrane]

I PD the hood on my 80 and hate it, it's peeling, uneven and will not "peel" off as they suggest.

I've used plastidip a fair amount and the only time I've ever had it not peel right off is when I haven't put enough on. It's counter intuitive, but the more coats you apply, the easier it is to remove.

 

[tdhunter13]

Think of Plasti-Dip as a temporary device to evaluate how your wheels would look with a proper and professionally applied finish that would still look decent next year.

+1 One of the first things I did when I got my new car last year was Plasti-Dip the wheels. Ran roughly $50, though I used some for other things as well. I peeled it off a month ago with almost no issues and re-dipped it with gloss black. BUT the huge thing, like has been mentioned above, preparation is HUGE. I took my tires off, waxed the tire, cleaned the wheels, and laid it on super thick. Also note that it needs a clean edge to peel cleanly or you have to pull tape right after the last coat to get a clean line. While that is not a big deal with the wheels, it is a big deal with doing any flat surface.
Here are some pics for reference:





-Tyler

PS. First post on Expedition Portal!

 

[M35A2]

I have a dissenting opinion, which is that PD is a kiddie shortcut.

It's great for the show-n'-shine but has no place on a piece of equipment used 'for real'.

 

[StreetsofCompton]

Thanks for more responses gents. Especially those which discuss my initial question of longevity. I understand the idea that it could be considered a "kiddie shortcut". I also understand the idea that not everyone wants to spend more money than is necessary. Again, it seems it depends on one's vehicle usage.

Thanks

 

[texascrane]

I have a dissenting opinion, which is that PD is a kiddie shortcut.

It's great for the show-n'-shine but has no place on a piece of equipment used 'for real'.

Could you elaborate on why you feel this way? I probably wouldn't use it to paint my entire car, but I really can't see why you wouldn't use it for things like wheels or emblems. It really is surprisingly durable for what it is. I don't see the point in spending the time, money, and effort on powder coating rims on a vehicle that's going to get used "for real". They're just going to get scratched and you won't be able to touch them up.

I think there's a strong argument to be made that if you want to change the color of your wheels, plastidip is the way to go for a vehicle that will get used "for real"... and that powder coating is for the show-n'-shine crowd.

 

[Sabre]

I have a dissenting opinion, which is that PD is a kiddie shortcut.

It's great for the show-n'-shine but has no place on a piece of equipment used 'for real'.

I have to agree. Yes, some of you have reported satisfaction with Plastidip on wheels, noting that careful attention to prep is the key. Fair enough, but the prep is key to painting, too, and no one can suggest that the Plastidip finish is superior to a properly-applied paint job. We've all seen the poorly done jobs using both types of finishes, chipping and peeling. The kiddie jobs are the fluorescent greens and pinks which look ****ty from day one, never mind after a few months of UV fading have taken place. But even the black ones look, well, plastic. Cheap. And they will never have the long-term durability of a good paint job.

If I am going to go to the time, trouble and expense of prepping and refinishing my wheels, they'll be painted.

 

[Hnoroian]

Use bedliner. (Prep is key here too)

 

[texascrane]

If I am going to go to the time, trouble and expense of prepping and refinishing my wheels, they'll be painted.

But that's sort of the point. Yes, there's "prep" with plastidip, but all that really means is to make sure whatever you're about to dip is clean beforehand. You can plastidip your wheels during commercial breaks while you're watching TV for an hour or two. You don't even have to take the wheels off the car. No it won't last forever, but it's so quick and easy to do, I'd rather re-dip my wheels every 12 months than paint or powdercoat them.

I like the way it looks, personally but YMMV. FWIW, I did these wheels back at the beginning of October. They've been rotated at the tire store, power washed several times, and run through the automatic car wash (with brushes) a few times. I really can't complain.

 

[WUzombies]

Thanks for more responses gents. Especially those which discuss my initial question of longevity. I understand the idea that it could be considered a "kiddie shortcut". I also understand the idea that not everyone wants to spend more money than is necessary. Again, it seems it depends on one's vehicle usage.

Thanks

It's just I've seen hundreds of "rolling coal bro's" with PD wheels that are all peeling and look like @$$. To be fair I think it's a bit of karma. Also, I've seen PD applied well and begin to fail with daily driving, but I've seen it survive for some time.

Personally I'd rather pull the tires, sand and paint even if I'm going to use Duplicolor 1-step rattle cans, but I'm going to work the process to get a finish I feel is good enough for the application. If it is a rig that I'm going to thump, then I'm going to rattle can it and call it a day, spraying "touch ups" as needed and never look back.