painting wheels

[1-3-2-4]

I have my summer wheels in the house right now without any tires on it (too late in season) One thing I hated is they never had them in the color I wanted.. tire rack listed them as satin silver or whatever. Anyways I was thinking of painting the inner glossy black and leaving the outer lip shiny.. I mean they are not expensive wheels but I'm guessing the strip and primer is going to be just about the same as any other wheel?

One question with the primer, painting and clear coats would it hold to like factory finish?

[Huffer]

My advice, have them media blasted to remove the original paint completely.

Then just follow every other DIY paint thread out there... it's not rocket science, but the key to a great, long lasting finish is prep, prep, prep and then patience, patience patience. If you rush it, you will end up with a $5 paint job that looks like a $5 paint job.

Okin has tons of tips.

[phi11]

I've been media blasting my rims,
but the first thing that you want to do before the blasting,
is strip as much paint off as you can with a paint stripper.

[1-3-2-4]

here is the wheel can anyone PS the inner part black? I tried but at best I can only get it like a dark gunmetal color.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/DSC_2002-1.jpg

[Baddog]

I got cleaned up the rim real good with degreaser and used 320 grit sandpaper.

Got it down to a nice rough surface.
I then used Rustoleum Automotive Primer in Black
Dupli-Color Satin Black Wheel Paint
Plasti kote (sp?) Anti rust clear coat.

This is how my 05 WRX Rims turned out.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1154.snc4/149643_168056826545794_100000244329142_483289_6112608_n.jpg

[02_Legacy]

I got cleaned up the rim real good with degreaser and used 320 grit sandpaper.
Got it down to a nice rough surface.
I then used Rustoleum Automotive Primer in Black
Dupli-Color Satin Black Wheel Paint
Plasti kote (sp?) Anti rust clear coat.
How well is this holding up? This is pretty much what I did to mine, and it didn't adhere real well. It could be the primer though, or my total lack of painting skills for that matter.

[Okin DaVanh]

Have you painted these yet?


Check this thread out

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=19510&hilit=+painting+rims (https://sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=19510&hilit=+painting+rims)

And let me know if you have any questions. Be cautious when using a coarse sandpaper on new wheels. It's not necessary in some cases.

[1-3-2-4]

good thread I heard about the aircraft remover but not what types of pads to scuff them with. if I could get a true idea of how it would look I can move forward. color change on the wheel did not do all that great in PS.

also because the wheels are brand new I don't think I need the degreaser.

[Huffer]

also because the wheels are brand new I don't think I need the degreaser.

And you'd be wrong. Any kind of material sitting on the paint is going to prevent correct adhesion of the paint.

You need to very lightly sand the surface, then mask off the areas you don't want to paint.
Lay down a light coat of paint. Then lay down a heavier one.

It's all about prep. Just keep in mind you're painting a painted surface.

[JunkerXL]

hit them bad boys with prep wipe solution (degreaser). then sand em down with 400 or 600 if 400 makes you nervous. wipe again with perp solution and tack rag, then light thin coats till you get total coverage, then light coat wheel clear, then medium wet coat with wheel clear 3rd clear if you are feeling adventurous. if you want to let it dry a day you can sand between color and clear

game over. :smt023




:smt020

[Okin DaVanh]

good thread I heard about the aircraft remover but not what types of pads to scuff them with. if I could get a true idea of how it would look I can move forward. color change on the wheel did not do all that great in PS.

also because the wheels are brand new I don't think I need the degreaser.




You can get 3M Red Scuff pads for better adhesion.


I also did my Suzuki rims the same way I did the ///M Sportstars. They both came out as if they were done by the factory.




https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/l_34f165ddf9427a11034a4e7d4dc6d7dd-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/l_8a98d5f1244be6541cc6af3a61e92d2a-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/l_4325f002af65ec940dd946796155d5e2-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/l_210b8d54469a1295fc45fd062d4bbe10-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/l_0cd588ce5fc3b61082ce2777fa3da6bf-1.jpg


And Huffer is right. Any dust etc... IS contamination. The degreaser after sanding it down and after the primer (before starting sealer and painting) is going to help you in the long run.


Make sure you are painting them in a dust free environment. Helps to wet the ground to prevent airborne dust. Ideally, the temp in the room should be no less than 70 degrees.


If you need exact product or step-by-step info, PM me a contact #.

[Baddog]

I got cleaned up the rim real good with degreaser and used 320 grit sandpaper.
Got it down to a nice rough surface.
I then used Rustoleum Automotive Primer in Black
Dupli-Color Satin Black Wheel Paint
Plasti kote (sp?) Anti rust clear coat.
How well is this holding up? This is pretty much what I did to mine, and it didn't adhere real well. It could be the primer though, or my total lack of painting skills for that matter.

Sorry for the late post. But they are holding up real well actually. I am actually extremely surprised how well. Went down some gravel rounds up to some snow today. Rocks flying. I can't find one chip in the rim.

I also let these sit for 3-4 days after they were painted.

[02_Legacy]

I also let these sit for 3-4 days after they were painted.
I'm thinking this may be where I erred. (is that a word? lol) I put the weights on about 24 hours after I put the final coat of clear on and it scraped off some paint. So maybe it has hardened sence then.

[1-3-2-4]

Can I use this stripper? Klean strip ks 3 premium?

[Okin DaVanh]

Can I use this stripper? Klean strip ks 3 premium?


You could, but it might take you a few tries before you get it all off. Especially in the hard to reach spots. The answer is Yes, you can, but it might be more stubborn.


Why not Aircraft® Paint Remover? It's from the same company, and you could still use it when you're doing you rust removal too.... Not to remove the rust, just the paint on the panels surrounding it for a cleaner finish after paint.

[1-3-2-4]

[quote="1-3-2-4":1lbgbe83]Can I use this stripper? Klean strip ks 3 premium?


You could, but it might take you a few tries before you get it all off. Especially in the hard to reach spots. The answer is Yes, you can, but it might be more stubborn.


Why not Aircraft® Paint Remover? It's from the same company, and you could still use it when you're doing you rust removal too.... Not to remove the rust, just the paint on the panels surrounding it for a cleaner finish after paint.[/quote:1lbgbe83]


because I can't find the aircraft strip locally.. well advance auto has it but they want $18 for 1 Qt... other then that no one else has it. I did not pick up all my supplies today because I have until spring to mount the wheels so it should be no excuse for them looking sloppy.

what I was confused on was these 3M pads which pads do I pick up? the sanding blocks right?

is the glossy black paint going to be hard for the clear to stay after it dries?

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/IMAG0544-1.jpg

[1-3-2-4]

im guessing you mean these pads.. I was in home depot yesterday when asking about the paint stripper I saw these pads but I'm guessing the automotive and the pads at HD are pretty much the same makeup HD had them in fine and medium grit.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/e ... NMMMRWK0bl (http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Manufacturing/Industry/Product-Catalog/Online-Catalog/?PC_7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LECFTDQGLE0_nid=6WCFMKTZCQgsSQSFJR0R56gl96NMMMRWK0bl)

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/Mediawebserver-1.jpg

[Okin DaVanh]

Bingo! That's it!

They get into the little cracks easier and give a good adhesion surface. If you want to wet sand most of the wheel with 400 grit then go over it with those pads, that's ok too. It will smooth out any imperfections and get into the areas that you couldn't get to with the sand paper as well.

[chuckthefuk]

I just looked over this thread quickly and I have some input :-p

I've done many sets of wheels in the past and I can tell you that any cheap method will NEVER be as good as a factory finish.

There are two ways to get true factory finishes: (both include removing all primers/paint via sandblast or stripper)
1) PPG/BASF/DUPONT/etc Body Shop primer & paint w/ proper clear coat and a bake/proper cure time.
2) Powder Coating. Depending on who sprays it you can get mirror smooth finish.

The problem lies in the bonding of all three stages and how well the rim has been stripped/blasted and pours opening (if the rim was sanded to allow bonding surface)

Blah blah blah.. if you wont spend money don't expect OEM finish.

Although that being said my old GC rims survived a head on collision and only had minor paint flakes come off.
-Chuck

[1-3-2-4]

This is better than a wire wheel? I was just wondering because someone said you can use that too but that sounds too harsh so I might just stick with the sanding pads.
Also these wheels brand new are $89 how much time and effort you think china spent on them? :lol:

[chuckthefuk]

Wire Wheels work but its all about the amount of pressure you apply when using them. Push to hard or hold to long in one spot and you start to gouge the rim.

Buying items from China don't necessarily mean their going to look like crap due to lack of effort. They still use the same manufacturing process as the big boys, however their quality control is much less then Rays/Volk/Enkie.

That being said even China finishes will look better then home made spray jobs since they have proper spray and bake facilities.

Sanding pads will work but your not going to be able to remove all the paint [this does not have to be done to paint] unless you go through several stages of grits. More often then none many people just scuff with 240grit and spray but its all about the finish in the end.

-Chuck

[1-3-2-4]

I see two minor areas on the lip that are not "right" but I mean if it was over $100 a wheel I'd be picky..

in the end the wheel I wanted (this design) did not come in the color I wanted so in the end I'm going to do the color I want as far as after painting they got all fall and winter to cure since im not going to mount them until early spring.

I would power coat but you can't use a gas oven but that's besides the point I already have supplies to take the paint off.. and almost anything would look better then the crappy steel wheels.. that I'm just going to sand and prime and repaint since Im taking the wheel covers off

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/IMAG0550-1.jpg

[1-3-2-4]

NOT FINAL JUST A TEST!!

I was unable to get anyone to PS black on the wheels out of the 4 sites I posted on so I decided to use my left over flat black kylon spray paint with a single coat on and took the masking tape.

you can see a before and after and two after shots after the test paint.

before...
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/DSC_20021-1.jpg

After...

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/DSC_2007-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/DSC_2004-1.jpg

[Huffer]

Very nice. Good job! I would rock those as is!

[1-3-2-4]

haha detecting heavy sarcasm :P

[Huffer]

What? Not from me. I really like the flat color with the polished lip.

[chuckthefuk]

nice.. blank out the center cap and your golden ;-D

I was always a fan of BSS style rims

- Chuck

[1-3-2-4]

yeah I picked these because they are a knock off of the BBS wheels.

this finish is not staying I do everything next week plus what's better then to work on my car on my birthday :P

[chuckthefuk]

ummm bitches, booze and turbo subarus.. duhhh

You should listen to huffer .. rock the flat look. pick up a few cans of flat clear and go nuts.. or try semi-gloss or semi-flat :-D

-Chuck

[1-3-2-4]

haha what's wrong with the glossy black with clear coat?

[chuckthefuk]

everything!

just personal preference.. i hate shine... when things are dirty they don't shine!

-Chuck

[Huffer]

Everyone's done gloss black... its overdone now..

[02_Legacy]

I hate it when people say something is overdone. Who cares if everyone else in the world has the same wheels, as long as they are all happy with them, and more importantly as long as you are happy with them. I say go gloss black.

[Huffer]

Yeah, true. Gold is overdone too. ;)

[02_Legacy]

You are just jealous that you are not cool enough to have gold rims :cool: or gloss black for that matter :razz:

[chuckthefuk]

Ya thats it Huffer's jealous...

[02_Legacy]

I can see that you are getting a little jealous too, chuck

either that or you are on my side and I don't know it... ugh I hate not being able to know if some one is being scarcastic or not. lol

[chuckthefuk]

Trust me its not jealousy.. I've been through so many phases/stages.. its definitely not jealousy.

Although I am a sucker for gold spokes w/ polished lip.. *cough* Volk GT-U *cough*

But honestly... lets think logical.. Our cars are a decade old.. even with all the polish and wax in the world we could never restore our paint to the same condition as our painted rims. That being said.. the flat look evens out over all appearance and does not draw your eye right to the rims.

But to each their own.. I am sure Huffer's just fukin' with you as am I.

I like all things Subaru even if they have gloss-appeal.
-Chuck

[Huffer]

Paint your wheels whatever you want, but keep in mind everyone is allowed to have an opinion about them. Its not like I havent had my fair share of criticism for my outlandish color choices.

Ive done gold, silver, gloss black w/ polished lip, gloss black with lime green, now blue flake.

[1-3-2-4]

Ha someone said do gold.. Thats just not me

[chromehorn]

Purple?
http://img1.classistatic.com/cps/kj/101114/725r2/0101n1g_20.jpeg

[Huffer]

I really like the flat color:

1-3-2-4's originals:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/DSC_20021-1.jpg

1-3-2-4's flat:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/DSC_2007-1.jpg

Craiglist wheels w/ gloss black:
http://images.craigslist.org/3k63ob3l35Q65W55U6abf974f7ebe212c18a9.jpg

[1-3-2-4]

interesting.. but wont flat with clear give a semi gloss shine still?

[Okin DaVanh]

interesting.. but wont flat with clear give a semi gloss shine still?



Not if done right with 1 coat even in the correct temp. Also, you can get a dull clear. The name of it escapes my mind at the moment, but when I remember, I'll edit this or send it to you.

[1-3-2-4]

Semi glossy clear?

[Huffer]

Krylon makes a flat clear, satin clear, gloss clear. I used a satin clear on my winter wheels (the blue ones).

[Okin DaVanh]

I used a satin clear on my winter wheels (the blue ones).


This.


I've been sick lately. Can't even breathe right, It's effecting my memory! :lol:

[1-3-2-4]

Ok, Ok I might do the flat black but one question with a glossy clear it's not going to be as shiny as the gloss black paint right?I'd most likely paint after I get home from work tomorrow.

[Huffer]

Gloss CLEAR is intended to add the same level of gloss as a regular gloss paint - if not more.
Satin clear is a little less shine but it is still evident
flat clear is designed to add zero shine.

Comparison:
flat black + no clear coat on the left, flat black + satin clear on the right:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/b1264e0e-1.jpg
(poor pic but you should get the idea)

no clear coat:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/c4ccf978-1.jpg

above wheel w/ satin clear:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/DSCF6899-1.jpg

Hope this helps!

[Reason]

You should paint them what you want. Mount them and see if you like what you see. Whocares if this one likes flat over gloss, pink over purple. You have to drive the car everday. I understand you just want ideas and what not, just don't change your mind because someone says it isn't cool or its been over done. Pretty much any thing done in the car scene is over done. It takes people who have the balls to try something out of the norm and start a new trend and then it wont be over done.

[1-3-2-4]

Yeah well I will figure out what I want to do.. as soon as I finish up here im going go check.. which brings me to another question most cars that are painted flat black dont they still have a clear coat on it? otherwise the paint would feel pretty rough, no?

[Reason]

You don't just paint a car and send it on its way. It needs to be properly sealed. I'm sure Okin will tell you the steps to properly paint a car. There's more involved than primer, paint and clear.

[1-3-2-4]

Im not going to rattle can the car if that's what you are hinting at.. I had planned on using dupont nason paint I just need to know all what I would need.. I will send him a PM

[Huffer]

People who don't care will not add a clear or sealer coat. Those of us who do, will make sure we take SOME steps to preserving the look.

These winter wheels I used a clear coat on, but my previous paint job I didn't - but the paint held up well over the winter.

[Reason]

With my crx I had I cut corners. I stripped the old paint with aircraft stripped. Sand all rust off, cleaned and let dry. 2 coats of primer 3 coats of cermaic black. They stayed flawless for close to a year. I got lucky, sold the car...

[1-3-2-4]

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/DSC_2017-1.jpg

Left glossy with 2 coats and one coat of clear and right with just a single clear.

also for the car I'd planned on blasting it with soda.

[Huffer]

I like the one on the right more.

[Reason]

On your car I would go flat....

[02_Legacy]

me likey thoes rims :smt023
And the way I see it it doesn't matter which one of thoes two rims looks the best cause you have to do two coats on all of them just to match anyway. :smt002

[1-3-2-4]

you can't see it in the really but the wheel on the right is starting to blister because krylon got sprayed on before the can ran out and I used the rustoluem next but both are meant for plastic or painting plastic

[Okin DaVanh]

...the wheel on the right is starting to blister because krylon got sprayed on before the can ran out and I used the rustoluem next but both are meant for plastic or painting plastic


Well, there you have it. Gotta go with the right stuff or you'll end up getting a chemical reaction. Remember how I told you about painting in proper conditions? That too, will be a defining factor.

[1-3-2-4]

that only happened because I mixed two brands krylon says the fusion plastic can be used on metal where the rustoluem does not say anything.. nevertheless it happened only in the spot where the krylon was down and the rustoleum was sprayed on top.. like I said it was just a "lets see how it looks"

I went and got some rustoleum flat spray and all my other stuff

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/IMAG0565-1.jpg

I wonder if those paint remover wheels work better? I picked up the large pad of it but man it's a lot of scrubbing.. however it's down to the bare metal.

[Okin DaVanh]

I picked up the large pad of it but man it's a lot of scrubbing.. however it's down to the bare metal.


Exactly. And it's not gouged! the wire wheels could cause some serious scratching.

[1-3-2-4]

the only hard thing is getting where the spokes meet the wheel lip

[1-3-2-4]

slowly getting done.. the wheel makes it so much faster.. the hardest part now is between the spokes around the lip.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/IMAG0578-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/11/IMAG0580-1.jpg