How To: Paint wheels on the cheap

[pablo]

I posted this in another thread but thought it might be helpful.

Feel free to post comments or whatever and Ill update. Bear in mind its a cheapy guide and not a definitive guide to wheel refurbing!

 

[pablo]

wirebrush any crap off them, I usually douse with alloy cleaner first and give them a good wash. wire brush then sandpaper.

80grit on the rough rash bits, any rash might just be in the paint and not through to the metal. If the metal is damaged you have two choices. 1 sand away and get it looking alright ish, 2 fill with a little isopon.

then sand the whole wheel with 400grit. I usually dont bother with the inside of the wheel bar maybe an inch or so back just to get a bit of paint across.

once the wheels are sanded nice and smooth (but with a little roughness for the paint to adhere to) then make sure they are thouroughly dry! Very important. I use a heatgun to both blow the water out of any nooks and crannies and also to remove any moisture from the surface.

If removing tyres get it done at the start, if not then mask up the tyre. I usually wash with thinners first so the tape will actually stick to the tyre.

Remove any centre badges you dont want painted and mask over the tyre valve.

Now for painting. There are two methods I use depending on how much I want to spend and what colour I want the wheels. Having a heatgun at this point is invaluable.

Silver and cheap: Get 2 cans of autoglym silver wheel paint. Doesnt require primer or laquer and the stuff will pretty much stick to anything. Definately not as fussy as regular paint re reactions etc. Cost is about £10 for the whole job. Usual story, nice smooth coats, do any nooks and crannies first to avoid runs on the main bits. Take your time and go around the wheel giving the paint youve just applied time to dry a little. Use the heatgun to help the paint along after each coat. Leave for a few hours to dry before refitting.

Any other colour or better job: You will need 2 big cans of primer. The yellow filler primer isnt bad as it will leave a smoother finish. A nice light dusting of paint first helps avoid reactions, let this dry for 10 mins or give it a blast with a heatgun. The build up the layers. As before do the crannies first then do the main face last. Heatgun after every coat. Cost is a lot higher around £40-£50 for paint cans depending what kind of effect you go for.

Leave the primer to dry for a couple of hours, makes it a lot easier to sand it without clogging up the sandpaper. Once its dry then sand it with 400-800 grit paper. I use 400 which is maybe a little course but see how you go. I also dry sand as its a pain to dry the wheel every time when wet sanding.

Once the primer is complete give the wheel a wipe down with a cloth to remove any dust still lingering. Now its colour time. Estimate 2 halfords style cans for the 4 wheels.

If doing the wheel 2 colours, ie silver outer and black centre you need to figure out what way is best to mask it off. You apply the first colour then mask off the area you done first and apply the second colour.

If just doing the same colour its a lot easier. As with the primer start with a nice dusting first, give it time to dry then you can go at it properly. Again do the hard bits first. Once happy with the nooks and crannies then give a nice coat over the face of the wheel. The colour should end up looking nice and smooth and as its still wet should look like you want the wheel to end up looking like, nice and shiny and giving a nice reflection of lights. Heatgun again between coats.

Once happy then leave overnight to dry. Very important to reduce reactions in the basecoat and laquer. Usually use around 3 cans of laquer on the set of rims.

Laquer is where DIY refurbs fall down, its not as strong as proper 2pack laquer bodyshops use so you need to get plenty on. Unfortunately the more you put on the greater the chance of a run.

Again start of with a dusting. Let this dry for about an hour. When you come back do the same as before, hard bits first, nice easy coats a few mins apart. You dont want the laquer to dry too much between coats as each coat needs to gel together. Ideally you want a nice smooth reflective finish with the laquer then let it dry for a few days before putting them back on the car. Once touchdry sticking them out in the sun if its bright really helps them dry

You can rub down the laquer later if you want and try to buff it up but I generally tend not to bother.

 

[Rob]

Anyone tried the Autoglym cans? Are they any use or will I just end up refurbing a second time when I find out the finish is dull and not very durable?

 

[pablo]

Ive done one alfa wheel with it and its holding up well. Been about 6-8 weeks so far.

Not as shiny as a full laquer job but its only a fiver a can and it looks better than the other 3 wheels by a good bit.

 

[I R HillBilly]

oh....

Ah...

whhoooo...

eehh....

hmmmm....

Orly....

will add what i did later.

 

[2002 Tii]

u do them yourself Hillbert? looks well

 

[pablo]

Orly indeed hilly, nice job!

Did you get decals for them again or just leave them white?

 

[Rob]

Nice job hill willy

 

[hannakournikova]

this is also not bad either . . . . .

http://bettercarcare.com/how-to-repair-alloy-wheels.html

 

[Lyons]

Painting wheels is the bant. Im itching to do the standard '5 ones but just dont know what colour.

 

[Lyons]

Billy, how could you be arsed sanding down all those spokes? The 5-spokers from the the 306 were pushing it.

 

[pablo]

If the rims are in good nick you dont have to go mad with the sandpaper!

 

[I R HillBilly]

u do them yourself Hillbert? looks well

Yes, thanks

Orly indeed hilly, nice job!

Did you get decals for them again or just leave them white?

Thanks, White

Nice job hill willy

Billy, how could you be arsed sanding down all those spokes? The 5-spokers from the the 306 were pushing it.

I SEE DEAD PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After sanding down to my knuckles had to take them and get them blasted.

If the rims are in good nick you dont have to go mad with the sandpaper!

They werent.

 

[2002 Tii]

where you get them blasted and how much Willbert

 

[I R HillBilly]

where you get them blasted and how much Willbert

awrc, 20nups

 

[2002 Tii]

for all four? i have 12 wheels here that need blasted as i'm a right lazy coont

 

[Ghost]

awrc?

sorry, cant decode that lol

 

[tim]

alloy wheel repair centre

 

[I R HillBilly]

awrc?

sorry, cant decode that lol

you are not part of the matrix.....

for all four? i have 12 wheels here that need blasted as i'm a right lazy coont

Yup.

 

[Smick]

Top job hillbert!

Aye the guys at awrc arent hard to pay and do a good job

 

[Eager]

Anywhere local to antrim do blasting ? Fancy a go on my set of s14 wheels. Were is AWRC

 

[Smick]

just yell

Alloy Wheel Repair Centre
18a, Aghnatrisk Rd, Hillsborough, County Down BT26 6JJ
Tel: 028 9268 8099 Mob: 07764 158935

 

[Eager]

Im guessing shot blasting is well worth a fiver a corner. Do they do it while ya wait or leave them in ? for a set of 16" 5 spoke 200sx wheels how much products ya think would be needed. Will be slight filling in, few coats primer, few silver and load of laquer ontop.

 

[Lyons]

Flip, that really is a bargain! Balls to anymore sanding.

Is the finish smooth enough just to start painting on? Is not not very "pit-y"?

 

[Eager]

I would imagine would still need a go with a grade or 2 of wentNdry but the hard work is done. Few coats of primer and it will fill most pits anyway i would say. Also depends on the material there actually shot with.

Whats ok to use to fill slight kerb marks etc that sands easily into shape of the rim ?