Looking for safe way to transport 18" rims around

"coriolis" (coriolis) 11/18/2013 at 20:31 • Filed to: None

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So next week I get my 18" summer tires taken off and switched with a set of 16" winter tires with steel rims. During this time, I am going to get the summer tires unmounted so I can get the wheels powdercoated.

I don't have boxes for the wheels, any suggestions of how I can get some DIY transport options?

On a side note, any suggestions on what to powdercoat the stock wheels? We don't get the Rado grey coloured wheel option here in Canada, so I'm pretty good with that shade of gun-metal grey.

N/A POWAAAHH > coriolis 11/18/2013 at 20:34

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Listen up. Get the biggest chain you can find, then wrap it around your neck. Then loop it through as many wheels as you dare, and wear them as jewelry. Problem solved, nothings safer than on your person

edit: depending on your car colour, white? Or even a dark colour such as midnight purple or a deep blue?

Squid > coriolis 11/18/2013 at 20:38

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You got a hatchback I assume you are speaking about a fiesta/focus ST. Just shove them in the back with some towels tied around the face and put cardboard between the rims so the lips don't kiss each other. If you really want to be paranoid, you can ratchet strap them together so they don't clang into each other but really it shouldn't be a big deal to have them loose, just drive careful and slow and your wheels will make it out fine. They will probably end up more damaged from the installation of tires than just transporting them without tires.

NoahthePorscheGuy > coriolis 11/18/2013 at 20:41

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Hello fellow Fiesta ST owner. I have no advice for shipping, but the other commenters seem smart. Steelies look great on the car btw.

Oh DERP. Fiesta is 17 inches. Focus's are cool too.

coriolis > Squid 11/18/2013 at 20:46

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Yeah, hatch, but its really not that large in terms of width or length, but its spacious in height - but like you said I don't want to put them on top/in contact of each other.

Towel is a good idea, I'll have to ninja some towels from the closet.

Squid > coriolis 11/18/2013 at 20:52

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Fold the seats down and you should be fine.

note: I have yet to see the insides of these cars, but my 07 ZX3 that I had was pretty damn cavernous with the bench folded forward and the backs folded down. I was amazed at how much shit I could pack in there. . .

BJ > coriolis 11/18/2013 at 21:06

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If you put a piece of heavy corrugated cardboard between the faces, they can touch. Just don't let them wiggle or bounce around - the impacts will damage the faces and break your heart. Tie the wheels down, pad the space between with towels/blankets/small dogs, or lay them flat side-by-side.

MountainCommand > coriolis 11/18/2013 at 21:17

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wrap each of them in a big garbage bag, and put some cardboard as spacers between them if youre worried about them hitting each other. Or pick up some cheap foam packaging stuff if you want to go the extra mile. or bubble wrap.

I dont know how and where you fit them in the car, but i had to have two in back seat and the other two in my trunk, probably because they still had the tires on though.

have you gotten a price on the powder coating? Im most likely going to do the same thing with my summer wheels.

coriolis > MountainCommand 11/18/2013 at 21:20

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I've gotten a few quotes but the pricing will depend on the colour I choose.

There is the cheaper powdercoat where they skip a few clear coats, about $200-300, then there is the more durable multi-coated powdercoats + clearcoats which are 400-600.

MountainCommand > coriolis 11/18/2013 at 21:46

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for all the wheels? or per wheel? Im assuming its for 4 of them.

coriolis > MountainCommand 11/18/2013 at 21:49

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Yes, all of them.

This is one of the shops I'm thinking of going to:

Maybe it'll be cheaper since the rims are in very good condition and all I need is the sandblasting+powdercoating.

MountainCommand > coriolis 11/18/2013 at 22:06

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Not bad. Id like to find a shop who uses a full on chemical bath to strip the wheels clean. But im not sure which is better overall.

Jayhawk Jake > coriolis 11/19/2013 at 08:31

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Your ST is blue, isn't it?

I would say white or black are the best options, leaning towards white because it's different.

I'm actually hoping to get my wheels powdercoated someday, but I'll be going black (on a black car)

coriolis > Jayhawk Jake 11/19/2013 at 09:57

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Yes its blue. I'm not a fan of black, because its too common, I do like a darker grey which is my top choice right now.

As for white, thats interesting proposition, I haven't thought about it but I'll definitely think about it.

Jayhawk Jake > coriolis 11/19/2013 at 10:29

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I don't think I would do darker gray if I was you simply because of the cost involved. It doesn't feel like it would make much of a difference. I suppose an anthracite would be alright

White looks glorious

You might consider plastidipping one of them just to see what it looks like. If you're taking the tires off it would be super easy, just dip the face of it really quickly (do plenty of coats!!!), and put the wheel on to see what it looks like.

My vote is white, but it's your car, do what feels best to you.

coriolis > Jayhawk Jake 11/19/2013 at 10:47

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The problem with white or light coloured rims is the amount of brake dust the ST shaves off.

This is a couple days of driving:

Jayhawk Jake > coriolis 11/19/2013 at 11:07

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So clean them?

That's a ridiculous amount of brake dust! I need to take a picture of mine in a few days, when mine start collecting dust it actually collects in an odd pattern.

coriolis > Jayhawk Jake 11/19/2013 at 12:36

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But I'm lazy haha ;) I have Iron-X which cleans it very well but a bottle of that is pretty pricey.

I got a few months before Spring, so I'll do some more research and possibly photoshopping.

Giles007 > coriolis 11/19/2013 at 15:04

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The bottom of the back seats fold up toward the front, so thar when you fold the back down it lays flat. It took me a few months of ownership before I found this out. My sales person didn't even know; he had a heck of a time stuffing my summer tires in the hatch when I bought the car.