GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I want to paint my steelies because sister drove my car and cracked plastic wheel covers. I have a 2005 AWD base vibe that is all silver. Wondering how I should get all the rust off of the wheels and what kind of paint I should use? I live in the great northwest and need a paint that will last cold and snowy temperatures. Thanks

The best job would be to have the rims sand blasted to remove the old paint and rust. If you can find a place that paints heavy duty equipment, like road construction equipment, they will have a sand blaster big enough to do the job on the rims. Next for the paint, you would need to have them powder coated and baked if you want the paint to stay on. Places that make race car frames will probably know if anyone on your area does powder coating.


If you want to do it yourself, then some scotch brite pads, 3M Roloc pads, pad holders, high speed air die grinder, dust masks, navel jelly to put on rust spots to prevent the rust pits in the metal from coming back after you have removed the rust from the surface of the steel with the pads, and a lot of time. For paint use VHT wheel paint.

Most OEM wheel paint is very tuff stuff and hard to get off. Just hit the rusty spots to remove the rust, coat over the steel where the rust was with the navel jelly. Try to tapper the old paint into the clean steel spots where you removed the rust from. Roughen the painted surfaces with 3M scotch brite pads by hand. Clean surface with lacquer thinner and then prime and paint. It will look as good as the above but will cover the rust.

Have you gone to a salvage yard to see if they have any hub caps that would fit you wheels? It may save you a lot of time.

Thanks I will look into sandblaster and powder coat.

It will be less expensive to get a brand new set of steel wheels delivered from Costco or Tire Rack than to have wheels blasted and coated. New steel wheels are really inexpensive. If you want to refresh yours, wire wheel, primer, and BBQ paint will deliver satisfactory results.

jayoldschool wrote:If you want to refresh yours, wire wheel, primer, and BBQ paint will deliver satisfactory results.

What he said.

The steel wheels on my 08 were pretty rusty when I got it, and you could see it through the wheel covers. I took them off the car, hit them pretty good with a wire brush and some sand paper, then sprayed them with some black Rustoleum BBQ paint. They'll need touch-up maybe this summer, but still a lot cheaper and easier than new ones.

BBQ paint is not only tough, but the best/cheap paint I've come across that perfectly matches the factory sheen on wheels. Not gloss, not flat. Just right.

Rustoleum makes a paint specifically for this:

http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalo ... nce-wheel/

It's about $6 - $7 per can and you'd probably need two cans for 4 wheels.

My cousin has a sandblaster and so he is going to sandblast them when it is warmer. I want to paint a design on the wheels so I don't have to put the wheel covers back on. Any easy but cool designs to put on some wheels.

Just painted mine today, easy job, worked out better than I thought. More info & pics on my thread in the Garage.