Vinyl blackout for OEM wheels.

[mkhuffman]

I was actually just looking at them yesterday and it still looks new. I came back to this thread and saw that it had only been about 10 days since my last update. So I thought I better wait longer.
But, since you asked, a little over two weeks. One trip through the car wash. They still look great.
And copper vinyl would be bad ass. They already have a machined silver look. Turning that copper would be sweet. It would clash with my black and red or I’d order some copper vinyl NOW.

Checking in to see how the vinyl is wearing on your wheels. I switched to a GT, and while those wheels have gone from "I hate them" to "I like them", they might look better if they are darker. Not black, I don't think, as it will blend in too much with the plastic cover. I would leave the plastic cover black, and just darken the metal parts. And maybe the design will make applying vinyl easier than the Premium wheels?

Anyway, any update on how it is holding up is appreciated!

Sponsored

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Thanks for checking in @mkhuffman. I ran out here at work to snap a couple photos for you.
Overall, for the $30, I’m pretty happy with how it’s holding up. The wheels still look really good if you don’t look too closely. Pardon the dirty as it was a rainy drive in to work this morning.

That being said, the vinyl is starting to peel in a couple of spots. Some of this is undoubtedly my fault as this was the first time I had laid vinyl on wheels. I probably didn’t have the wheels clean enough. I know I didn’t heat and stretch the vinyl enough when I laid it (I’ve since learned a little more about working with Vinyl). AND most importantly, due to time constraints and general laziness, I’ve taken it to a no touch high pressure care wash a couple times that really blasted the hell out of the wheels and forced some water under the edge where I didn’t have the best adherence.

These little bubbles here I can now feel sand under. So it will start to peel worse before too long.
However, I’ve gotten 6 months out of it so far. For $30 in vinyl…. Im thrilled with the results. I’ll redo these again when it gets a little worse. I’ll do a better job as I’m now more experienced. I won’t be going back to that ridiculously high pressure no touch and I’m sure my redo will last even longer and look even better. If I have to redo the $30 job annually, I consider that being way ahead versus $600 to powder coat. (Though I’m also considering trying a plastidip coating on them).

 

[mkhuffman]

Thanks for checking in @mkhuffman. I ran out here at work to snap a couple photos for you.
Overall, for the $30, I’m pretty happy with how it’s holding up. The wheels still look really good if you don’t look too closely.

Thanks Rod! This is a great way to try a different color on your wheels without making it permanent. I am not 100% sure darker wheels will look good on GT wheels, and using vinyl will let me test the color. Also, I have seen others post about the difficultly of removing the plastic cover, so it might not be feasible to powder coat GT wheels anyway, even if I am 100% sure I will like it.

AND I don't want to change the painted parts of the wheel - want to keep them painted black. I don't think you can power coat just parts of a wheel. I think you have to do the entire thing the same color.

Your experience is very helpful for those of us considering this. Thank you for posting about it!

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Thanks Rod! This is a great way to try a different color on your wheels without making it permanent. I am not 100% sure darker wheels will look good on GT wheels, and using vinyl will let me test the color. Also, I have seen others post about the difficultly of removing the plastic cover, so it might not be feasible to powder coat GT wheels anyway, even if I am 100% sure I will like it.

AND I don't want to change the painted parts of the wheel - want to keep them painted black. I don't think you can power coat just parts of a wheel. I think you have to do the entire thing the same color.

Your experience is very helpful for those of us considering this. Thank you for posting about it!

Always happy to help other enthusiasts. I may red vinyl next time. I have enough left over from my stripes to do one wheel. Just as an experiment. I don’t think I’ll like it, but you never know.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Thanks Rod! This is a great way to try a different color on your wheels without making it permanent. I am not 100% sure darker wheels will look good on GT wheels, and using vinyl will let me test the color. Also, I have seen others post about the difficultly of removing the plastic cover, so it might not be feasible to powder coat GT wheels anyway, even if I am 100% sure I will like it.

AND I don't want to change the painted parts of the wheel - want to keep them painted black. I don't think you can power coat just parts of a wheel. I think you have to do the entire thing the same color.

Your experience is very helpful for those of us considering this. Thank you for posting about it!

And vinyl WOULD certainly be a great way to experiment on those GT wheels. I would DEFINITELY be trying that if I had a GT. Those flower petal wheels Need something. They have potential but need something.

 

[mkhuffman]

And vinyl WOULD certainly be a great way to experiment on those GT wheels. I would DEFINITELY be trying that if I had a GT. Those flower petal wheels Need something. They have potential but need something.

Yeah. Those wheels have definitely grown on me though. I really need to see them in person, but I might end up just leaving them alone.

 

[GoIrish]

Always happy to help other enthusiasts. I may red vinyl next time. I have enough left over from my stripes to do one wheel. Just as an experiment. I don’t think I’ll like it, but you never know.

Have you considered plastidip or hyperdip?

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Have you considered plastidip or hyperdip?

If I have to redo the $30 job annually, I consider that being way ahead versus $600 to powder coat. (Though I’m also considering trying a plastidip coating on them).

 

[Puttyandnapalm]

And vinyl WOULD certainly be a great way to experiment on those GT wheels. I would DEFINITELY be trying that if I had a GT. Those flower petal wheels Need something. They have potential but need something.

I’ve been checking Etsy every few weeks to see if someone has worked up something for the gt wheels

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

I’ve been checking Etsy every few weeks to see if someone has worked up something for the gt wheels

Make your own. Like the highlights I made for my GTPE wheels. Crayon rubbing of the wheel for a pattern. Cut your own vinyl based on the pattern.

Sponsored