Ceramic Wheel Coating Before or After Mounting Tires

[Focus_Red]

I've got a new set of wheels inbound and was trying to think if I should apply the Ceramic Coating on them before or after mounting tires. My first thought is that it may be best to do it before to help protect them from the tire mounting process but I wanted to get opinions (perhaps even from an Adam's rep)

[BrianT]

I'd do it before, that way you can seal right up and over the lip of the rim. With tire in place, it would be impossible to get to.

[GXPaycheck]

Wheel might be easier to manage with the tire off. Plus it will be more scratch resistant during mounting. If you do the barrels, don't do the area where stick on weights will go.

 

You can always add a little extra protection prior to mounting

[Dan@Adams]

I would say if you have the option to clean and ceramic coat them prior to having tires mounted, then I would at least coat the front face of the wheel up and over the rim edge to have some protection on there from the mounting machines. I had one of my old Regal G.S. wheels scratched up pretty bad at the edge even with a 'very safe' mounting machine, and it was a bummer. 

 

Having the wheel coated should make cleaning up the grease/soap that they use during mounting more easy as well. I would be hesitant to coat the inner barrel until after tires are mounted though, since they will need to apply wheel weights. If you want to do the job all at once, then I would just wait until after the tires are mounted.

 

I like Brian's idea of taping off the wheel like that too for mounting, why didn't I ever think of that? Brilliant!

[GXPaycheck]

The other potential issue is the wheels will be very slick. Warn the installers!

[Focus_Red]

Thank you all for the thoughts. I'm definitely going to coat the face of the wheel up and over the edge to protect against scratches from mounting and to make the clean up a breeze. But it's a great point to not coat the barrel so they can apply the weights. And to warn the installers haha

Edited March 21, 2017 by Focus_Red

[SumBeach35]

I'm confused as to why you wouldn't want to coat the barrels before the weights are installed. I would want the coating on all exterior surfaces prior to mounting the tire and it is balanced. It's not like the wheel weights won't stick to the coated wheel. The adhesive is strong.

[Mariner]

I'm confused as to why you wouldn't want to coat the barrels before the weights are installed. I would want the coating on all exterior surfaces prior to mounting the tire and it is balanced. It's not like the wheel weights won't stick to the coated wheel. The adhesive is strong.

 

And if they fell off, you can always put them back on lol

[BRC]

I'm confused as to why you wouldn't want to coat the barrels before the weights are installed. I would want the coating on all exterior surfaces prior to mounting the tire and it is balanced. It's not like the wheel weights won't stick to the coated wheel. The adhesive is strong.

 

Unfortunately, it may not work out that way. One user, "Kowsrt" (not sure if he's active on here, but he is sponsored by Adam's - you can check his Instagram) had coated his aftermarket wheels and then had those wheels balanced and mounted. The weights came off a few days later and did a number to the barrels of his wheels. He ordered paint to clean them up.

 

When I got my new wheels, I used painters tape on a portion of the barrel that is probably 3" x 8", just to leave enough space covered for the mechanic to remove the tape and glue on the weights to the barrels. 

 

Sure, it was a bummer for Kowsrt, but as he said, a true testament to just how strong this coating is. Good luck!

[rrmccabe]

Old thread but hoping there was some new info on success or failure of coating before tires are mounted and wheel weights?

 

Dealer is replacing my Chrome rims under warranty are they are letting me pick them up today so I can coat them and then going to mount them for me next week.

 

I was wondering if clay-barring the inner barrels or using Adams paint correcting polish by hand just to break the glaze would have any benefit.

Rich

[Amurciano]

I had my brand new wheels ceramic coated when I got my car. The wheels on the new car obviously came balanced from Honda. When I had new tires mounted and balanced, they removed the existing weights and put new weights on a different spot. So far they haven't come off. This was about 4-5months after they got coated. 

Would not putting weights on ceramic coated wheels only apply to recently coated, or in general? Or would the installer have to remove the previous adhesive and continue to reuse the same spot/area, I always though when balancing wheels, the place where they put weights will change every time?

 

Also what is the science behind a strong adhesive not sticking to ceramic coating? I just thought  ceramic coating was hydrophobic, why wouldn't a different type of bond that isn't waterbased stick to a SiO2 coating. I have vinyl decals stick perfectly fine, so why wouldn't strong wheel weights stick. If its "glass", adhesives would stick to glass very well.

Edited June 25, 2020 by Amurciano