so i recently bought some new wheels and have decided to paint them myself. not out of necessity, but because i really want to learn how to do this and do it right. so, i was wondering if any of you guys had any tips. what kind of paint to use, prep, the usual stuff someone should know. also, any idea how long the paint will actually hold up? i think i'm more worried about that than anything else.

btw, if it comes out like poop, i will be taking it to a professional, so this is really just a way for me to get my feet wet if that makes any sense.

 

give it a shot but my recomendation is to take it to professionals...but shop for price of course.

When i had mine done like 2yrs ago i did it with autoclass...they can be a bit pricey though. so yea shop around..

 

well, i can get it done for super cheap. my uncle works for south motors bmw as a painter so he'd do it for basically materials and a little extra for his time. but like i said, i really want to give it a shot myself. thanks for the advice.

 

np keep us posted eh?

 

just painted mine today, and I must say that it's super easy. I'm like you in the fact that I have little paint experience, but want to learn. I suggest that you do it yourself. If you jack up, just sand and start again! Here's a quick run down of what I did. Like I said I don't have much paint experience, so if anyone wants to jump in with extra tips/advice go for it

As with any paint project preperation is the key. I first cleaned the wheel with a degreaser (used 409 dilluted 1 cup per 1/2 gal water). I've been told to avoid cleaners that have lanolin in them. Make sure to get ALL the gunk/road dirt off,and rinse off really well, Next scuff up the surface of the wheel to help the paint stick to the surface. I used 3m scuff pads that you can get from your local paint shop. They look like scotch brite pads without a cleaner formula integrated into the pad. All you want to do is scuff up the surface. NOT take it down to bare metal. You could tell when your done when the original shine is evenly taken off the wheel. After scuffing up the surface hose them off really well to get off all the dirt/debris that came off from using the scuff pads. Let dry, and start masking off the wheel. And don't forget to mask the valve stems.

I used Rustoleum professional strength spray paint in "safety red" on my wheels. At first I searched around for a high heat engine enamel to use, but couldn't find it in the color I wanted. It took 2 full cans to do the job that included 4 layers. They look great, and I couldn't be happier. Just have to wait till my trim rings come in the mail!

As far as the paint holding up, I wouldn't worry to much about it as long as you use a reputable brand. My frined painted his wheel on his '48 chevy with regular Krylon spray paint, and a few years later it still looks like the day it was done.

 

wow. i'd love to see some pics of your wheels. i actually started prepping my wheels already.i haven't had tires mounted on them. i want to make sure it comes out exactly how i want it to before i put a tire on. i'll probably have em painted by the weekend. i was worried about using clear on the wheels though. i've had some people tell me it has a tendency to crack, especially if you use the clear in a can stuff.

 

yeah didn't use clear either. Didn't have the time to find something that would work well with the rustoleum. Plus I've heard the same about cracking. It'll be fine without.

 

Pix!

 

Did you paint your steelies red? If so, I want to see pics!!!
I gotta run mine for winter and I was thinking of painting them red also. I really want to see how they look!

 

will be able to throw some pics up on thursday

 

i'm actually considering going out and getting an actual spray gun. i figure it can be considered an investment. if i do this twice, it paid for itself easy. i picked up an old wheel from a friends truck and tried the spray paint thing and wasn't too impressed. i think i could do much better. i kind of rushed but i just wanted to see what kind of finish i could get. it was definately a little iffy. it looked ok but felt rough, and i figure some wet sanding would do the trick but i haven't gotten around to it. figured i'd let the paint get dry before i gave it a shot. so far, i'd give it a thumbs up if you're on a budget, but i'm totally leaning towards a gun with higher quality paint and some clear for protection. i think it all depends on the price. we'll see.

 

a gun will definately give better coverage, but they are expensive. Kinda surprised you got a rough finish. Might not of sprayed an even coverage if ya rushed it. What paint did you use, and how did you prep it? Wetsanding wil fix it though. I Didn't have a problem with that, as it turned out really even with good coverage. I'll post pics as soon as I can get a day shot. Tomorrow or friday.

 

i used a wheel spray they sell at a local pep boys or whatever it was. i prepped it pretty well. sanded down, 1 coat of primer, 1 coat of paint. like i said, i rushed. i just wanted to get a general idea of what it would look like. i know i can make it come out a lot better, but i think the paint just looks cheap. and it didn't feel smooth. it looked smooth, but sure didn't feel that way. i'd definately do it if i was on a budget though. i think it's possible to get some really nice results if you take your time. maybe one of my friends will let me paint their wheels one day.

on some good news, i actually am getting to use a gun for free so i won't need to buy one, and my uncle said he would walk me through the prep, painting, and finishing process. i let him know that i wanted to try it myself and he thinks i'm an idiot. according to him, they will come out bad. i love family support.

 

hahahha...... major support! let us know the tips he gives.

 

ok guys. so if all goes well, my wheels will be painted this weekend! now, i was all set to paint them orange, but i have everyone telling me to stay with gold. here's a pic of my car with gold now. my new wheels are different, and imo, better. lower offset, about 4 lbs lighter per wheel, and a very simple style which i think will look sharp on my xa. it's the flik ftd btw (gram light knockoff). which color should i go with? i'm prepping everything tomorrow and painting sunday. i'm definately in love with the whole orange idea but should i mess with success just to be different?

here's my car now.

 

here's the wheel i'm painting. so, orange or gold peoples? any photoshoppers out there willing to help me out?

 

nobody has orange. why not be different? if it was mine, i'd consider white.

 

i considered it, but don't like white on white unless it's a pimp looking ride. my car is anything but pimp.

 

Mine were painted RS 2.0 Solar Yellow by Garage Shop Customs (n2htwlz in the Desert and Salt forums) for $200...I would say be different go with the orange and get orange interior lighting and underbody glow! Here are some pics!

 

After seeing this thread, https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=141997 I would say GO ORANGE...Look at how he worked the rims into the interior!