Murse-In-Airy
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Rod
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2021
- Threads
- 74
- Messages
- 3,389
- Reaction score
- 7,618
- Location
- Chaumont, NY
- Vehicles
- Mach-E ER AWD
- Occupation
- Nurse
- Thread starter
- #1
I know most of you wouldn’t think about doing this, but I like to try things. I managed my vinyl striping myself. And for $35 in VVIVID matte black metallic vinyl, why not try it? If it doesn’t work, or doesn’t last, I’ll get the wheels powder coated and will only be out $35 and a few hours time. In the meantime, I was able to spend an afternoon messing with my car in my garage. My wife even came out to help a bit. So while it isn’t perfect, it’s a win in my book.
I worked one wheel at a time. Cleaned them well. Dried them. Wiped with isopropyl alcohol. Then I lay the vinyl on and applied it to the high points. On these wheels that’s the raised part about half way between the middle and the edge. I then smoothed the vinyl down toward the edge, heating to stretch it town and make sure it wasn’t wrinkled around the lip. Then, with a little more heating I was able to smooth the vinyl over the rest of the raised areas and the center cap. Finally, I just used a nice sharp scalpel to trim out the windows and around the bead with the tire. Some post heating will hopefully keep the adhesive set. I’ll see how long it lasts. If I get a month, I’ll be setting up some powder coating. If it lasts a year, maybe I’ll do it again in a different color. As it is, the black Matt metallic contrasts beautifully with the gloss black powder coating on the non-machined parts of the wheel. It’s hard to see in the photos but it looks really good in person.
So here are my before and after photos. The wheels themselves, on the car, and the car as a whole.