Paint, clear, or bare wheels?

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Since I’ve owned the plane I have one wheel painted white and one bare. This annual I’d like to correct that. Is there any guidance or good practice advice that you guys could give on what I should do?

I’m leaning towards bare. Easier to inspect, less cleaning. Never need touch up. Cheaper. More functional than pretty.

If it makes any difference I have those wonderful 3 piece McCauly wheels. 182P.

 

[Magman]

I’m amazed there are still around!

Assuming you will disassemble them you REALLY have to check the Cessna

Manual on this. There were several types of center hubs and torque

procedures are critical on these.


Assure you do not get paint on any parting surface or a false torque reading

will be the result. Not good on any type but particularly bad with these!

 

[Bell206]

Is there any guidance or good practice advice that you guys could give on what I should do?

All the wheel mx references I'm aware of call for primer and paint on the wheels which is what I've always done. Personally not a fan of any clear coats, but if you want the aluminum look there are silver- or aluminum-colored paints.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Thanks gents, as always.

 

[Dan Thomas]

Kaman has taken over production of the Cleveland wheel and brake line. Their manual is here:


Wheel and brake refinishing is covered starting on page 337. Th manual has an interactive index up front that will take you directly to the page without all the scrolling.

 

[Magman]

That was actually a rather broad statement on my part.

If you are going to paint assure you follow recommended procedure .

I’ve never seen anything except the Cessna Manual re McCauley.

There is a Cleveland Manual on-line detailing stripping, alodine and

areas to be masked when painting, They say mask off anything not

previously painted and specify a thin coat of zinc primer.

IIRC there is a SB on this.

Paint is NOT “a little is good but lots more is better”.

 

[Gary Ward]

Since I’ve owned the plane I have one wheel painted white and one bare. This annual I’d like to correct that. Is there any guidance or good practice advice that you guys could give on what I should do?

I’m leaning towards bare. Easier to inspect, less cleaning. Never need touch up. Cheaper. More functional than pretty.

If it makes any difference I have those wonderful 3 piece McCauly wheels. 182P.

Definitely don't leave them bare imo.
Mine were the 2 piece McCaullys.
I pressure washed them clean with a steam cleaner. Then used a bead blaster to remove all old paint with coal slag in it. I don't use glass beads on aluminum.
I repainted them with a spray can from the auto parts store. I put them back together and have flown them for 7 years now and 3 sets of tires. Now you can't see them because they are under wheel pants. They get really dirty under those wheel pants but the paint is holding up fine.
It was like the 3rd thing I did to my plane when I got it. First was vacuum pump, 2nd was tires and 3rd was refurbish the wheels before I mounted the new tires.

 

[Gary Ward]

Shortly after I did these wheels I cleaned up my table tops, they had 20 years of corrosion on them.

 

[Dan Thomas]

I pressure washed them clean with a steam cleaner. Then used a bead blaster to remove all old paint with coal slag in it. I don't use glass beads on aluminum.

Coal slag? Never heard of it. I have used lots of copper slag, cheap, hard, sharp black stuff. But never on aircraft parts. Way too harsh. Glass bead is much friendlier.

 

[3393RP]

Shortly after I did these wheels I cleaned up my table tops, they had 20 years of corrosion on them.

Can you come over and polish the tops of my Lista cabinets?

 

[Gary Ward]

Coal slag? Never heard of it. I have used lots of copper slag, cheap, hard, sharp black stuff. But never on aircraft parts. Way too harsh. Glass bead is much friendlier.

I have blasted lot's of stuff with coal slag after the days of silica sand. It is/was available in several grades.
Glass beads can get stuck in aluminum if and when they crush and shatter.
I have been blasting since early 1980s when I tried to restore my first car.
I also have used urea plastic media on car and truck body panels.

 

[Gary Ward]

Can you come over and polish the tops of my Lista cabinets?

I bet I could.
I had Lista cabinets in a race car trailer that I sold long time ago. Those would be nice in your shop. I never dreamed I could afford to have them in my shop. Hell I couldn't afford them in the trailer for very long. lol

 

[3393RP]

I bet I could.
I had Lista cabinets in a race car trailer that I sold long time ago. Those would be nice in your shop. I never dreamed I could afford to have them in my shop. Hell I couldn't afford them in the trailer for very long. lol

Already have a few. They were spendy, but after using them in the race shop and transporter for years decided it was worth it. These are at home in the garage.