I've got new wheels on my truck and the trim ring has about 20 grade 8.8 bolts that hold it on. I don't like the look of the gold bolts on the wheels. I'd like to buy painted bolts or paint the bolts I have. They are M8-.125 flange bolts. They really don't have to be grade 8.8 or even flange bolts (these are just cosmetic), most any pre-painted bolts would work, but I don't see much out there. I think a black oxide stainless bolt would be great, but can't locate them either. I don't think just shooting primer and paint on a zinc bolt will hold well. Not sure if a stainless steel bolt will hold paint well without abrading the surface either. I don't have access to a sandblaster. Any ideas that would easier than sanding 80 and painting bolts?
How to Paint Bolts
- Thread starter climb.on
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Walkers
Well-known member
Take 80 ss bolts to the local powder coat place and pick your color.
Never had anything powder coated before. Do they typically blast surfaces to prep?
Vintage Veloce
Well-known member
80 bolts that don't do much?
How does the wheel look without that trim ring? Personally, I'm against unsprung weight.
If it's really just a trim piece without function, maybe buy aluminum bolts;
How does the wheel look without that trim ring? Personally, I'm against unsprung weight.
If it's really just a trim piece without function, maybe buy aluminum bolts;
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Leaflessshadetree
Well-known member
What about black zinc coated bolts?
niget2002
Well-known member
Heat them with a torch and drop them in some motor oil. It'll turn them black.
Walkers
Well-known member
Yes, sandblast, then powdercoat.
YeCats
Well-known member
Black sharpie. Try it.
mindheavy
Member
McMaster-Carr makes this easy! Here is a page filtered down to M8-1.25 bolts with a Black Oxide finish. There are other black options as well. Bask in the variety!
EDIT: Here is a good example. It's a different head shape (round, socket style instead of hex) and I don't know what length you need... but a bag of 50 for less than ten bucks.
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Jswain
Well-known member
Caswell coatings and get a black oxide kit, read the directions and done
A little goes a long way
caswellplating.com
I use just the concentrate and nothing else other then motor oil or something at the end. But I normally sandblast everything prior. If you aren't sandblasting you may want to use the activator as well but I've done non sandblasted bolts before without and just let it soak longer as well.
If you have a bench grinder with a wire wheel that would make fairly quick work of prepping the heads as well
A little goes a long way
Black Oxide Kits - Caswell Inc
caswellplating.com
I use just the concentrate and nothing else other then motor oil or something at the end. But I normally sandblast everything prior. If you aren't sandblasting you may want to use the activator as well but I've done non sandblasted bolts before without and just let it soak longer as well.
If you have a bench grinder with a wire wheel that would make fairly quick work of prepping the heads as well
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Thanks everyone. I'm going with powdercoat. I don't think Black Oxide will hold up well on a truck wheel, even if it's over a stainless bolt, especially once it sees a winter. Local powder coat guy quoted $150 to do them with a stock color, including sandblast prep. Just ordered 304 stainless flange bolts for extra corrosion resistance.
wssix99
Well-known member
Powdercoating for these is a great plan.
If you ever need to rattle-can bolts, just take a piece of cardboard, cut some slits in it and then stick the bolts through the slits. You can then spray paint the bolt heads sticking out through the cardboard by just handling the sheet of cardboard. Then hang the entire piece up to dry/cure.
If you ever need to rattle-can bolts, just take a piece of cardboard, cut some slits in it and then stick the bolts through the slits. You can then spray paint the bolt heads sticking out through the cardboard by just handling the sheet of cardboard. Then hang the entire piece up to dry/cure.
nadogail
Well-known member
Use a Cold Blueing solution; your local Gunsmith can help.
rsanter
Well-known member
Are you sure they are bolts, I mean actual bolts....
Most wheels that are for the street have what look like bolts but they are actually press in bolt-looking things.
Easiest thing is to just get a bottle of model paint and a small brush.
If they are bolts and dan be removed, and if they are stainless then stalking them in bleach should tint them black
Most wheels that are for the street have what look like bolts but they are actually press in bolt-looking things.
Easiest thing is to just get a bottle of model paint and a small brush.
If they are bolts and dan be removed, and if they are stainless then stalking them in bleach should tint them black
eastbaysubaru
Well-known member
rustyjames
Well-known member
Same here, back when I cared about every little detail that would eventually rust anyway. I don't see powder coating holding up much better.
LS6 Tommy
Well-known member
I sure as hell wouldn't thread any SS bolt into an aluminum alloy wheel...
Tommy
Tommy
esvee
Well-known member
Antiseize is a requirement at that point.
"Are you sure they are bolts, I mean actual bolts....
Most wheels that are for the street have what look like bolts but they are actually press in bolt-looking things."
I was given a set of wheels that had chrome "allen head bolts" all around the rim... They turned out to be plastic chrome inserts that were easily and carefully removed with an under-size drill bit. Since the wheeels were dark gray the insert holes basically virtually disappeared.
If you have real bolts, well, good luck!!!!
Mike B
Most wheels that are for the street have what look like bolts but they are actually press in bolt-looking things."
I was given a set of wheels that had chrome "allen head bolts" all around the rim... They turned out to be plastic chrome inserts that were easily and carefully removed with an under-size drill bit. Since the wheeels were dark gray the insert holes basically virtually disappeared.
If you have real bolts, well, good luck!!!!
Mike B
dcg9381
Well-known member
Not if the surface is clean.. They charge the surfaces to get the powder to attach and then bake it on.
LS6 Tommy
Well-known member
CudaChick1968
Member Emeritus
In my industry media blasting is done not ONLY to remove rust, corrosion, mill scale, etc., but is actually required if you want the finish to last.
If you examine properly blasted metal under a microscope, you will see hills and valleys. The machine will charge the piece and the powder with negative and positive charges so they attract to each other. Powder falls into the valleys and on top of the hills, and when it goes into an oven to cure the powder melts (known as the "flow out"), self levels and actually bonds with and becomes part of the metal itself instead of just riding on top of it. When it's done right, powder coating can be the ultimate finish. But "roughing it up with a Scotch Brite pad" or just phosphating it to promote adhesion is wholly inadequate and leads to premature failure.
Proper metal prep and curing are absolutely critical to a durable, long lasting finish and are sadly overlooked or done so half-*** that any powder coating flakes off, chips, or starts coming off in sheets. This is especially noted in rookie work and manufacturer's powder lines where no blasting takes place at all (such as a new welding cart bought two months ago). When the powder starts coming off, you'll see shiny, brand new metal underneath or corrosion resulting from "creep" where one little break in the finish allows the elements to invade and then creeps all over the entire piece underneath the powder.
With pictures being worth a thousand words, this is a prime example of what I'm talking about.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/powder-coating.398413/#post-7377653
As to powdering the O.P.s beadlock bolts, don't reinstall them with excessive torque. Powder coating is a superior and very durable surface but it isn't completely indestructible either. Proper prep will help them last, but I suggest to my customers that any powder coated hardware be installed using an oversized socket temporarily coated in a layer or two of plastic dip (or a soft cloth) so it doesn't get damaged.
May I suggest something different.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/332739999355 Those washers under some stainless steel allen head cap bolts of the right length. You could accent with the color you like. I used something similar to replace the broken plastic wheel well liner clips on my Celica, but flat face allen bolts with a taper washer behind them. It gives the car a dash of color and holds the wheel liner way better than clips ever did.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/332739999355 Those washers under some stainless steel allen head cap bolts of the right length. You could accent with the color you like. I used something similar to replace the broken plastic wheel well liner clips on my Celica, but flat face allen bolts with a taper washer behind them. It gives the car a dash of color and holds the wheel liner way better than clips ever did.
Really?
CudaChick1968
Member Emeritus
Any finish needs "tooth" in order to last, and the more tooth it gets the better it's going to be.