Wheel Paint

[cool vibes]

I have the factory 16'' aluminum rims,i saw on a car show Dupli-ColorGun Metal paint that you can spray on rims i think this sounds interesting to do on your rims if it can be done.what does everyone think? I''ll head to my nearest Can Tire store and check this out.

[dmitri]

lol probably garbage. Just save up and get real gunmetals

[MadBill]

I had to do something about the previous bright orange colour of my used wheels, so I gave them a blast of Dupli-Color Metalcast bright aluminum. I took me hours to mask, as I didn't want to re-mount and re-balance the tires, and although they look good in spots, and good from far, in general they came out far from good! When I settle on a final colour, the tires will come off and I'll have them professionally prepped and powdercoat painted. PS: It took me four cans at ~ $7 each...

[Stang2Vibe]

Bill--did you remember to scuff the wheels with sandpaper first before repainting? If not, it probably turned out blotchy. You should first scuff down the wheels with 120 grit sandpaper and make sure you get the entire surface of the wheel. Then wipe the wheels down thoroughly with thinner, let it dry and check to make sure there are no shiny spots where you missed with the sandpaper. If there are, then sand them and wipe the areas down with thinner again. After all thinner is completely dry, you can begin to spray the paint on. Make sure to follow the directions on the paint can as to how soon you can re-coat. You should spray on a minimum of 3-4 coats to get even coverage. Make the first coat very light and if you miss a few spots, it's ok. After the second coat (also should be light), you should have the entire surface coated. The third and fourth coats can be a bit heavier (will make the final finish a bit glossier and last longer), but not so heavy as to cause the paint to run. Make the 2 final coats as even as possible across the entire surface. I have sprayed the wheels of some of our work trucks before and the finish looks very close to factory even from up close. The quality of the paint will also have a big impact on the final results. I would strongly recommend automotive (i.e. body) paint for this, but not many people have access to an air compressor and decent spray gun. But you can make the spray cans work. Also, metal simulating paints usually do not keep their shine long and reqire frequent recoating to look real. It's just better to paint them a color or have them professionally refinished.

[MadBill]

Great process summary, Stang! I did scuff sand a bit, but the orange paint was really thick and chipped, so I knew it wouldn't look all that great regardless unless I stripped them completely. I wanted to wait until I decided on the final colour for the car and the wheels, so I really didn't do a very good job. (At the moment I'm leaning towards leaving the car in white, having the wheels painted to match the cladding, and getting the flange and outer portion of the rim polished.)

[carbonwidow]

thats what i used on mine. had it on for a year and through the MI winter. not fading or chipping

[12xUSAF]

I just did wheel 1 of 4 and I can't believe how nice it looks! They sanded really easily, wiped down good, and painted up matte black absolutely beautifully. The hardest part was taping around the tire and valve stem (yep, I did it with the tire on), but I got every millimeter of exposed metal primed and painted. Definitely worth the $30.00 I have invested!