Wheel paint project

Does anyone want to share their tips, tricks, or techniques for painting alloy wheels? I have an older set that I'm thinking of restoring but I only want to do it once! Is that too much to ask or can it be done with the proper prep and materials? I read the wheel painting sticky but I'm looking for more opinions on the "best" way to do it.

 

The best way to do it would be to send them off and have them done, but that's expensive. I simply scuffed with a steel brush and applied etching primer then two coats of paint. Powder coat works well too if you have a spare oven and a kit. Or you could plasti-derp them and peel it off if you don't like it.


I probably sound like the sticky. Sorry.

 

Thanks, all opinions are welcome and helpful......

 

I did my alloys about three months ago and went from the standard silver to black

My tips?
1. Prep. Get some metal sandpaper with some big grit. they sell a little assortment package at o'reillys specifically for metal sanding that goes from like 250 to 400 or something. Use all the grits so you have a smoother surface cuz the 250 leaves some bad gouges in it.
2. Index cards! I know sounds odd but they are much quicker and easier than spending forever trying to get the tape just right. They'll slide right into the crevice between the tire and rim and as long as theres no wind they'll stay there.
3. use metal primer, it adheres to the metal better than regular primer.
4. Use wheel paint. Not flat. Not high heat. Wheel paint. Rustoleum is what I used. The formula for the paint is really specific and isnt like other spray paint it has a weird mixture that adheres well and doesn't require clear coat!

Oh and take your time. Do a couple coats of primer, go inside grab a beer. Text ya girl. And come back in a bit. Seriously you don't want to watch paint dry. Its as fun as it sounds.

 

Do you have pictures of the outcome?

 

Mr. Biscuits, Do you have any chipping in the last 3 months?

 

Not a chip in sight. I've been off road about once every two weeks for as long as I've had em and granted there's not a lot of gravel or rocks, mostly dirt and sand, I have yet to chip em.

 

Pics when it gets light outside

 

I definitely agree about the index cards, I actually just used regular playing cards and they worked great...

 

Only one I have. I'll get a close up tomorrow

 

Any discoloration is probably just dust I hit a lot of back dirt road send my free time

 

does your lug nut have a washer like thing on it. Im having a big issues and need to know lol.

will these 2nd gen ones work?

 

^Yeah the washer doesn't really come off but it jiggles a little. I believe they should work for 2nd. Wouldn't see why not

 

What I mean is...Does your wheel have the lug nuts with or with out the washer attached to them?

 

I agree with all of this except the "wheel paint". I tried one and it came out spotty and with bumps as others have reported. Use a quality spray paint and take your time to get even coats and not too thick or it will run. My results from this weekend:

 

or you could sandblast them, and dont paint them... just clearcoat. thats what i did with mine!

 

Sand blast then polish them then clear coat

 

With the washer attached