I am considering changing the color of my OEM wheels from silver to black. Here's what my Jeep looks like at the moment:
The silver wheels stand out like a sore thumb! I think changing them to black will greatly improve the look of the exterior, especially when I tint my windows.
My dilemma is that I don't know if I should paint or powder coat them. I have heard pros. and cons. about both processes.
Should I go with a full gloss, semi gloss, or matte finish? I think either the semi gloss or matte finish would look best and better compliment the fenders, etc. I have heard that the heat treating process in powder coating can change the compound composition of the wheel making it weaker.
Is this true? I am unsure how much weaker our steel wheels would become from the result of this process. This makes me a little concerned and is one of my main reasons for considering just painting them. I know the wheels would have to be prepped properly to make the paint stick, but I am not too worried about knowing how to properly do the work since I am planning on having them professionally done. I have also heard that powder coating creates a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint.
Is this ture? This brings up another one of my concerns:
How will the paint/powder coat finish hold up? I live in Minnesota and am afraid how the salt during Winter will affect the durability of the wheels.
Feel free to post pics of your KJ if you have painted or powder coated your wheels
Also, feel free to comment on how the paint/powder coat finish is holding up. Thanks in advance for your help!