How To: Paint wheels on the cheap

Rob

RMS Regular
Messages
12,464
Drives
Amarok V6
Just refurb'd my Cyclones using Autoglym Silver.

I wouldn't really recommend just using the cans of paint.. I put on 3 coats of grey primer, 4 coats of paint and two coats of clear lacquer and they have come up an absolute treat :laughing: Before the lacquer they were very dull and matt, not really the finish for wheels imo.
 

surprising_skoda

RMS Regular
Messages
3,807
Location
Dungannon
Drives
Skoda/BMW/Austin

wirebrush
can of primer (£5)
can of white wheel paint (£3.30)
half can of lacquer (about £3)

now everyone asks where i got my compomotives.
would have used hi-build primer if i'd thought it through. but every wheel came out the same and all have been used (hard - at least 2.5k miles in last month) and been washed frequently.
 

lee-r33

RMS Regular
Messages
2,367
Location
bangor
Drives
R33 Skyline
could have at least sanded them down to get rid of the corrosion like
 

Rik

RMS Regular
Messages
6,562
Location
Lisburn
Drives
BMW E46 M3
Would love to try this myself exept I want a yellow speckle through the wheels so think i'll leave it to the pros!
 

surprising_skoda

RMS Regular
Messages
3,807
Location
Dungannon
Drives
Skoda/BMW/Austin
i'm honestly only looking at this again now. i did sand them down, well, wirebrushed them like. except one (my front drivers) wheel which is really nasty for some reason!
can't mind what pix i put up, but anyhows :grinning:
 

RD-E36

New Member
Messages
316
Location
Liberty City
Drives
E-XXXVI
i have done 3 sets of wheels DIY. its not rocket science just takes time more than anything, waiting for the layers to dry.

going to do the 17's i have on the car at the minute once i get the new wheels. thinking matt black or gunmetal as they will be used as spares/trackday wheels. it will look better than the current flaking silver, everytime i wash the car more paint flakes off the alloys lol.. whoever done them before must not have had a clue as it looks like they just painted right over the original finish without using primer or sanding.
 

saxo_man

RMS Regular
Messages
15,841
Quick question - if you get wheels shot balsted do you need to do any prep to them before hand apart from taking off the tyres?
 

Lyons

RMS Moderator
Messages
76,926
Location
Texarkana
Drives
X5 / 435D
Ive been wanting to have another go at DIYing wheels for ages now, but for the price it costs to get them done professionally now its hardly worth all the effort doing them yourself.
 

saxo_man

RMS Regular
Messages
15,841
Thanks Pablo. I'm gonna try one rim first and see how long it takes, that will determine how I proceed with the refurb.

@ Lyons - I thought it was about £200 for a professional wheel refurb, surely you could do a homer for 1/4 of that price?
 

Lyons

RMS Moderator
Messages
76,926
Location
Texarkana
Drives
X5 / 435D
SQD are £100-£150. By the time you buy the spray cans, spend hours preparing them, masking/removing tyres etc you have to question if its worth the saving.
 

WSK

RMS Regular
Messages
2,472
Drives
R
Indeed Lyons,but if your doing nothing else at night and fancy abit of a challenge/saving,...you cant beat attempting yourself.. especially if they come up excellent, then you can feel proud lol! I done my own wheels but i had access to a spraygun and knew how to use it,was happy with the results!
 

saxo_man

RMS Regular
Messages
15,841
SQD will do the lot for £100? At £25 a wheel I'd seriously reconsider it, but I'm usually happier doing things myself even if it takes a bit of time. They won't be too bad I hope, just 7 flat spokes per alloy.

As Keith says it's a challenge, and satisfaction too. Plus I got an A* in my GCSE art and it's going to waste :party::laughing:
 

Lyons

RMS Moderator
Messages
76,926
Location
Texarkana
Drives
X5 / 435D
Woh, dont quote me on that, its between £100 and £150!

I did the Kosei's on my 306 and they came up incredibly! Also did the lip on a set of BBS' i had on the Bora and a set of VW Evolo's.
 

pablo

RMS Moderator
OP
pablo
Messages
66,994
Location
Glengrimley
done the S3 wheels on the Golf yesterday. lots of scuffs and scrapes so long overdue!

Total cost £6.99 for a can of autoglym wheel paint (y)

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