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Painting Wheels

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Ira

Painting Wheels
« on: September 20, 2007, 07:38:47 AM »
I want to get rid of the wimpy look to the stock Tracker wheels without buying new wheels--so I figure I would just paint them black. Who here has painted their wheels black, and what did you use?

My next question is the logisitics to getting this done:

Can you paint them while they're on the vehicle, as long as you mask/cover your brakes? I can't think of a scenario where I would have all 4 wheels off of the vehicle, let alone all 4 tires off the wheels.

Keep in mind that I'm getting new tires, so I can spray the crap out of the old ones if need be.

As always, thank you for your wisdom. I hate being such an ignorant pest, but I guess that's what you guys are here for. And if you ever decide to build a Teardrop Trailer, I'm your man.
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Mudjockey#1

Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2007, 07:57:10 AM »
I think i would remove them, since paint overspray does get every where!!!  What i did with my sami wheels was bead blasted them if you can, if not start with grease and wax remover, then hit them with some 120 or 150 grit.  Good sandable primer,  Seen some duplicolor.  Then scuff with 400 grit, with the cleaner again and paint them up!!!  As they always say your paint is only as good as your prep!!!  Hope it helps!!!
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Offline Uncivilized

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Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2007, 08:55:01 PM »
When I changed mine from white to black, I just took them off the truck, sanded the rims and cleaned everything with spray 9. After they were dry, I used clear packing tape to cover the tires, and then I damped a rag with methyl hydrate and wiped down the metal. I then sprayed them with several light coats of gloss black rust paint. 2 spray cans were enough for all five wheels, with some paint left over. After the paint dried a little, I took off the tape and let the wheels sit in the sunshine for a couple hours, and then put them back on :)
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Offline jzap

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Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2007, 10:04:16 PM »
If you use a floor jack and position if just right, you can lift up both wheels on a side at the same time.  I just took two wheels off the truck at a time, painted them with gloss black rattle can enamel, let them dry a while, and bolted them back on.  I made a ring of cardboard that stood up around the edge of the rim, laid the tire and wheel flat and sprayed it.  Also doing it this way means you don't have to mask the lug nuts.  Hold the can about 10 inches from the surface you are painting and give it several light wet coats.  If you try to spray too heavy it will run.  If you spray too lightly, the paint will partially dry before it hits the wheel, and you will get a rough surface. 





Then two years later, I painted the rest of the truck with dark gray enamel (and the camper to match).


« Last Edit: September 21, 2007, 10:11:27 PM by jzap »
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Jim Z.
96 Tracker
66 Apache camper
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Ira

Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2007, 05:11:03 AM »
Jim, by a  floor jack, you mean not the stock jack, right? And another point:

Since I'm going to 235s and those spacers, do I have to BUY a new jack now anyway?
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Offline geeeeoooo

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Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2007, 08:57:59 AM »
when i painted mine i used the $.99 walmart flat black spraypaint....used this stuff on the rest of my rig too....its holding up quite well, its been on for a year or so....but i cleaned my wheels with dupont prep-solv. solvent, and sanded the crap out of them, and wiped them down again with the prep-solv before i sprayed the paint on....and to paint them, i jacked up the rear and took both tires off, did them both at the same time, and for the front i did it 1 side at a time....only took a couple hours as the walmart flat black paint is practically dry when it touches anything, so little dry time was needed

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Offline Icelandic

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Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2007, 09:29:50 AM »
Yes you have to take them off! Anything else would be stupid....

When I painted my 15´s I had never painted wheels before...
I sandblasted them my self (my first time also sandblasting) with the tires on and then i used filler/primer and then black gloss paint and after that two coats of clear coat!

i just let the air out of the tires and masked the tires in..no problem and looks AWESOME

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Offline ack

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Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2007, 09:46:47 AM »
Quote from: Icelandic on September 22, 2007, 09:29:50 AM
Yes you have to take them off! Anything else would be stupid....

When I painted my 15´s I had never painted wheels before...
I sandblasted them my self (my first time also sandblasting) with the tires on and then i used filler/primer and then black gloss paint and after that two coats of clear coat!

i just let the air out of the tires and masked the tires in..no problem and looks AWESOME


Pretty much what I did except I didn't air down the tires -- that's a great idea! It allows you to mask farther down the outside bead of the wheel.  I used plain ol' blue painter's masking tape and the local newspaper to protect the tires from overspray.  Careful use of an exacto-knife helps with trimming excess tape around the bead joint.

If you don't have access to a sandblaster (Harbor Freight - under 100 bucks), you can have your tires sandblasted one at a time at a local sandblasting shop then paint them as described in the above posts.

Hope this helps!
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Ack

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Ira

Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2007, 10:04:36 AM »
Thanks, guys. But no way I'm buying a sandblaster just to paint wheels.

Since all of the above allows me to leave the tires ON, I'll wait until I have the coil spacer "lift" done and the new tires mounted.

Right? I mean, even I can lift the truck and remove wheels. I just thought that you HAD to remove the tires before painting.

Also, this way, no risk of chipping paint by mounting the new tires after the fact.

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Offline Rhinoman

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Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #9 on: September 22, 2007, 10:34:12 AM »
I usually use a wire wheel in an angle grinder for removing old paint. It gets the old stuff off really easily and leaves a nice satin finish ready for painting.
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Ira

Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #10 on: September 22, 2007, 02:25:15 PM »
Quote from: Rhinoman on September 22, 2007, 10:34:12 AM
I usually use a wire wheel in an angle grinder for removing old paint. It gets the old stuff off really easily and leaves a nice satin finish ready for painting.

Now you got me totally confused.

It's not your fault--I'm just PITIFUL!!!
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Offline jzap

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Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #11 on: September 22, 2007, 07:50:13 PM »
Quote from: Ira on September 22, 2007, 05:11:03 AM
Jim, by a  floor jack, you mean not the stock jack, right? And another point:

Since I'm going to 235s and those spacers, do I have to BUY a new jack now anyway?

The stock jack won't support the truck firmly enough to lift the whole side.  By floor jack, I mean a shop-type hydraulic jack that you can set under the frame .

With more than a couple inches of lift and 235's, I don't think the stock jack will lift high enough to change a tire, but you don't need to buy a new jack.  Just throw a foot long piece of wood in the back to put under the jack if you need to change a tire.  A piece of 4x4 should do.  My dad used to carry a brick in his trunk to put under his scissor jack.  Never get under a vehicle lifted on a blocked jack though.  they can be a bit unstable. 

While sandblasting would be the ideal prep, I just cleaned mine off with strong detergent.  Make sure there isn't any wax or grease on them, and the paint should stick well enough.  I did mine three years ago, and they haven't peeled or flaked at all.  If they do, just hit them with some 400 grit wet sandpaper and respray.  Paint is cheap...  ...at least the paint I used is...
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Jim Z.
96 Tracker
66 Apache camper
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Offline Rhinoman

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Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #12 on: September 23, 2007, 08:59:26 AM »
Quote from: Ira on September 22, 2007, 02:25:15 PM
Quote from: Rhinoman on September 22, 2007, 10:34:12 AM
I usually use a wire wheel in an angle grinder for removing old paint. It gets the old stuff off really easily and leaves a nice satin finish ready for painting.


Now you got me totally confused.

It's not your fault--I'm just PITIFUL!!!




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2000 Vitara 1.6, 3+3 Lift, 33"MTs, 5:83s, LWB brakes, Winch, Snorkel, Safari Rack
1986 SJ413K PickUp, 1.6L conversion.

OBD1 - Full diagnostics on a PC/Laptop: http://www.rhinopower.org
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Offline olija

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Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #13 on: September 24, 2007, 09:21:52 PM »
When I painted my rims I took them off 2 at a time (side by side, not end by end), then took all the air out of them and broke the bead manually. This is VERY hard to do but if you're a tough guy with some help you can manage it. Next, we wiped them down with wax and grease remover and then started to sand them down. Don't forget to remove the wheel weights and mark their locations somehow. Then we sprayed the wheels with flat black spraypaint, let it dry for a bit, did the other side, mounted the wheels and admired the beautiful transformation! It looks absolutely awesome.

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97 Sidekick 4door 5 speed, 1.5 spacer lift, 2" body lift, CJ rims, locked rear, 31's, 4:1 low <SOLD>
01 Vitara 2.0L 5 speed, 2.5" Calmini lift, 2" body lift, Sidekick rims, locked rear, 31's, 4:1 low, 5.13 diffs <SOLD>
03 XL7 2.7 5 speed, 4.5" AE lift with OME springs, 2" AE body lift, 5.13 diffs, 3:1 low, 235/80R17 BFG AT's on Ultra 17x8 with 1" spacers, skid plates, Balmer Fab front bumper
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Spokerider

Re: Painting Wheels
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2007, 10:21:21 AM »
Tip:


To break the bead between the tire and wheel, place a 2x10 timber on the side of the tire, near the bead. Slowly drive up the 2x10 "ramp" with another vehicle. The weight will break the bead.
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