Hey TMC fans,
I just tried Plastidip for the first time and wanted to share my experience. I like the black wheel look but wasn't convinced on the factory 22" upgrade and the inconvenience of powder coating the stock wheels eliminated that option for me. Here's what I did:
1. Suspension set to highest setting then jack mode enabled.
2. Jack the X using the factory jack point. I placed a hockey puck on my floor lift pad to prevent damage to the trim around the jack point. A nice surprise I noticed there is a secondary brake and it has a Brembo label.
3. The lug bolts are covered by 5 chrome plated plastic covers. Be very careful removing them they break easily. I used an interior trim removal tool (purchased from amazon Amazon.com: TCP Global 4 Piece Auto Door Clip Trim and Car Radio Removal Tool Kit - Install and Remove Fasteners, Trims, Moldings and Panels: Automotive). They have a small lip where you can use the tool to gently pry the covers off.
3. Remove the wheel and clean it. I took delivery a week ago so it was easy to wipe the dirt. Make sure you dry the wheel thoroughly before spraying.
4. Protip - to get better atomization and finer spray, soak your spray can (just up to the bottom of the cap) in hot tap water for 5 minutes. Only use hot tap (bearable to touch). Don't boil the water! I used a bowl to weigh the can down.
5. Start applying the Plastidip on the inside of the wheel first. These rims are wide with relatively thin spokes. If you don't spray the inside, you will end up with a two tone look. I applied only 2 coats on the inside.
6. Flip over and insert your index cards. Shake the can for a minute before you start spraying and keep shaking while spraying. Lightly dust the first coat then let dry for 20min. You can use a hair dryer between coats to speed up the drying process. Don't forget to spray the lug nut covers. In order to get good coverage and allow easy peel removal, you need to apply at least 7 coats. Remember to reheat your spray can in hot tap between applications.
7. After the matte black was applied, I sprayed the Satinizer top coat (3-4 coats). It offers UV protection and gives it a nice satin sheen - it came out looking like my powder coated aftermarket wheels on my BMW.
I just tried Plastidip for the first time and wanted to share my experience. I like the black wheel look but wasn't convinced on the factory 22" upgrade and the inconvenience of powder coating the stock wheels eliminated that option for me. Here's what I did:
1. Suspension set to highest setting then jack mode enabled.
2. Jack the X using the factory jack point. I placed a hockey puck on my floor lift pad to prevent damage to the trim around the jack point. A nice surprise I noticed there is a secondary brake and it has a Brembo label.
3. The lug bolts are covered by 5 chrome plated plastic covers. Be very careful removing them they break easily. I used an interior trim removal tool (purchased from amazon Amazon.com: TCP Global 4 Piece Auto Door Clip Trim and Car Radio Removal Tool Kit - Install and Remove Fasteners, Trims, Moldings and Panels: Automotive). They have a small lip where you can use the tool to gently pry the covers off.
3. Remove the wheel and clean it. I took delivery a week ago so it was easy to wipe the dirt. Make sure you dry the wheel thoroughly before spraying.
4. Protip - to get better atomization and finer spray, soak your spray can (just up to the bottom of the cap) in hot tap water for 5 minutes. Only use hot tap (bearable to touch). Don't boil the water! I used a bowl to weigh the can down.
5. Start applying the Plastidip on the inside of the wheel first. These rims are wide with relatively thin spokes. If you don't spray the inside, you will end up with a two tone look. I applied only 2 coats on the inside.
6. Flip over and insert your index cards. Shake the can for a minute before you start spraying and keep shaking while spraying. Lightly dust the first coat then let dry for 20min. You can use a hair dryer between coats to speed up the drying process. Don't forget to spray the lug nut covers. In order to get good coverage and allow easy peel removal, you need to apply at least 7 coats. Remember to reheat your spray can in hot tap between applications.
7. After the matte black was applied, I sprayed the Satinizer top coat (3-4 coats). It offers UV protection and gives it a nice satin sheen - it came out looking like my powder coated aftermarket wheels on my BMW.
