Powder coat on mating surface

[dyl33]

Hello, I got my wheels powder coated and they've powder coated bloody everything the mating surface and hub (even told them not to lol) anyway should I leave it or remove it. (Would be very hard)

I've searched a lot and lots of powder coaters don't mask the mating surface but do mask the hub surface. How bad it powder coat on the mating surface or hub?

My question is what should I do?

[GTSBoy]

Remove it. Certainly from the hub face. I'm not in love with leaving it on the wheel assembly surface either - but if it is common to do so, then....maybe fair enough.

It's not difficult. Just time consuming. For the hub face you just need a large enough block and suitable grades of abrasive paper to get it off flat.

The same would be true of the assembly face. Just more time consuming, probably needing a lot more care.

It's defo going to be easier just to assemble the wheels as is, seal them up, and check them periodically to see if there's any movement or loosening of the fasteners, than it will be to remove it though.

[dyl33]

Yeah, it is a sand it all job tried to fit the centres and they don't fit anymore. Powder coat doesn't seem to be to thick so that's a plus.

[Milkmun]

Curious if you've discussed this with them, maybe they can remove it for you since you requested it not to be coated.

[dyl33]

18 hours ago, Milkmun said:

Curious if you've discussed this with them, maybe they can remove it for you since you requested it not to be coated.

They just said 40 grit lol I wasn't going to try and get them to do it, needs more care then they would give it.

[The Bogan]

A fine grit media blast would make short work of it after you tape up everything 

I grabbed a cheapo Ozito one from bunnings for about $30 that I used to clean up some old brake calipers and some brackets

Messy, but fast

Wear PPE though, stuff dusts up and is really bad for your lungs and eyes

[Milkmun]

On 06/05/2025 at 5:11 PM, dyl33 said:

They just said 40 grit lol I wasn't going to try and get them to do it, needs more care then they would give it.

This place doesn't sound good at all, what a shame. Losing one customer is losing out on more potential customers.

[GTSBoy]

40 grit sounds about right, to start. You make some decent cuts/damage in the coating with that, then rapdily scale up to maybe 80 and 120 for the bulk of the actual removal, then fine it off to 180 or 240 perhaps. No need to go any finer than that, and maybe no need to go even as fine as that.

Wrap it on a big block and have at it. At least on the hub face.

[dyl33]

Crisis averted... after 15 hours of sanding the centres are fitted lol.

Will make sure this never happens again. 

 

 

[Milkmun]

Jesus 15 hours, how many sheets 😂 

[dyl33]

A sheet load 😆 and my finger tips are bleeding.