Paint your OEM wheels: Step by step w/pics (56k warning)
#62
#66
I gotta add for anyone wanting to do this to some really deep dish wheels like MT classic II's. DONT DO THIS, take it to a professional because it is almost entirely impossible to get even spray unless you put on a ton of coats then you have WAYY too much spray and it will just flake right off. I did mine it looks like **** I have no idea what im gonna do now haha. Might strip the paint and try to polish them back I guess I have no idea b/c I cant afford someone else to do it
#67
I just did my '06 FX4 20" rims using the tips in this thread and i'm extremly pleased with the results. I did do a couple of things differently though:
I used Rustoleum Wheel Paint instead of Dupli-Color only because our local Autozone didn't carry it in Flat Black. The color I used was listed as Matte Black but frankly, its glossier than I wanted. I purchased some Matte Clear coat and tested it out on a shovel before painting my rims and I am glad I did. The matte clear looked terrible!
I also purchased some green 3M automotive tape to mask off my tires instead of the index cards. The 3M tape was a bit pricey but well worth it since it sticks great to rubber! I also removed my wheels during the entire process to avoid overspray.
I laid down 3 coats of self-etching primer and then 3 coats of the matte black. The finish is pretty good but there are a few imperfections that are only noticeable from about a foot away. Not a big deal to me.
Finally, I used some 3M sanding sponges instead of sand paper on the rims. It made the process much faster and created more even sanding on the rims.
At this point, my only concern is that the paint appears to be drying much slower than expected. This is probably a result of putting it on too thick. It is totally dry to the touch but i can make a mark in it with my fingernail. I'm hoping it hards up at some point but it might not without some sort of hardner. I'm not a paint expert. If it chips or get's dinged, i'll just touch it up I guess.
A big thank-you to mblouir for the original posting. I would never have attempted this without some guidance first! Thanks!
I used Rustoleum Wheel Paint instead of Dupli-Color only because our local Autozone didn't carry it in Flat Black. The color I used was listed as Matte Black but frankly, its glossier than I wanted. I purchased some Matte Clear coat and tested it out on a shovel before painting my rims and I am glad I did. The matte clear looked terrible!
I also purchased some green 3M automotive tape to mask off my tires instead of the index cards. The 3M tape was a bit pricey but well worth it since it sticks great to rubber! I also removed my wheels during the entire process to avoid overspray.
I laid down 3 coats of self-etching primer and then 3 coats of the matte black. The finish is pretty good but there are a few imperfections that are only noticeable from about a foot away. Not a big deal to me.
Finally, I used some 3M sanding sponges instead of sand paper on the rims. It made the process much faster and created more even sanding on the rims.
At this point, my only concern is that the paint appears to be drying much slower than expected. This is probably a result of putting it on too thick. It is totally dry to the touch but i can make a mark in it with my fingernail. I'm hoping it hards up at some point but it might not without some sort of hardner. I'm not a paint expert. If it chips or get's dinged, i'll just touch it up I guess.
A big thank-you to mblouir for the original posting. I would never have attempted this without some guidance first! Thanks!
#68
#70
Do it yourself...
If you guys are interested in painting wheels, accessories etc. give this company a call as I know they sell automotive grade paint in aerosol cans color matched to your factory paint code. They ship UP> I have used their products and they are great. They are located in Ca.
So Cal Aerosol/ DDT 760 770 9458
So Cal Aerosol/ DDT 760 770 9458
#72
#73
i have to redo mine. do you paint over the wheel weights? never mind you did. haha i'm thinking about getting them rebalanced again and have them use sticky weights. whats a good clear? the one that you used in your write up i used but it didnt seem to do a good job with staying.
As for the clear, the only problem I had was a slightly gritty surface from the spray nozzle becoming ever-so-slightly clogged. Enough to prevent a good, even spray. Some quick wet-sanding smoothed it out, though. I haven't tried many clear coats, but as long as you find an automotive-grade clear and use it properly you shouldn't have problems. It would also depend on where you live and what your truck goes through on a daily basis.