Wheel Painting

Camodude622

Camodude622

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Joined
Jan 29, 2022
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Location
Ohio
So I’ve decided to paint my wheels bronze! I want to do it right and have a nice looking paint job and a paint job that’s going to hold up.

I’m pretty much set on using Duplicolors bronze, everything else is up for debate. I’ll have nice weather this weekend so what’s everyone’s recommendations?

I have procomp series 51 wheels right now. Do I wet sand them? What grit? Once I finish that (or don’t do it entirely) i’ll prime and lay 3-4 coats of bronze down. Is clear coat going to be worth it? How does everyone recommend I paint them? 2 at a time with index cards between the wheels and tires leaning against some cardboard is my plan. Flip them when dry and paint the backside. Make me a list of things I need or drop some knowledge! Thanks!

Here’s the look I’m going for!
6BD273BF-38C3-4524-A5A0-E46588B029A6.jpeg
 
I painted a set of aluminum rims that the clear coat was peeling bad on.
I used the Duplicolor.
I sanded the living crap out of them to get the loose clear coat off.
I think I probably rough sanded them at 100 grit and then gave them a once over with 220.
I probably wiped them down with acetone.
I used some old file folders that I cut up and some index cards to mask off the tire.
I sprayed all four laying flat on a work table, and I did clear coat them too.

The finish holds up ok, they get scratched in the mud.
They look dramatically better than they did.
For me the worst part was the prep work, for that reason I wouldn't do it the same again.
If I had it to do over I would unmount the tires and have them abrasive blasted.
But I had peeling clearcoat and oxidized aluminum I was fighting with.

Are yours painted now, or some type of chrome finish? I can't tell from the photo.
If they are a chrome, paint ain't going to stick.
If they are painted or powder coated, I'd wipe them down to get oils, grease, or waxes off so you don't smear it around.
Then scuff them with a combination of 220 grit and maybe some burgundy Scotch-Brite pads whatever you can get in there with.
Scuffing helps the primer adhere.
Wipe them down again with acetone.
Then prime and paint.
I'm not sure if the clear coat helps or not, but it seems like it should, so I'd clear coat them too.
But make sure you scuff or sand every nook and cranny you can, and make sure everything is super clean.
Be patient and let them cure good before installing.
 
J.Pierce said:
I painted a set of aluminum rims that the clear coat was peeling bad on.
I used the Duplicolor.
I sanded the living crap out of them to get the loose clear coat off.
I think I probably rough sanded them at 100 grit and then gave them a once over with 220.
I probably wiped them down with acetone.
I used some old file folders that I cut up and some index cards to mask off the tire.
I sprayed all four laying flat on a work table, and I did clear coat them too.

The finish holds up ok, they get scratched in the mud.
They look dramatically better than they did.
For me the worst part was the prep work, for that reason I wouldn't do it the same again.
If I had it to do over I would unmount the tires and have them abrasive blasted.
But I had peeling clearcoat and oxidized aluminum I was fighting with.

Are yours painted now, or some type of chrome finish? I can't tell from the photo.
If they are a chrome, paint ain't going to stick.
If they are painted or powder coated, I'd wipe them down to get oils, grease, or waxes off so you don't smear it around.
Then scuff them with a combination of 220 grit and maybe some burgundy Scotch-Brite pads whatever you can get in there with.
Scuffing helps the primer adhere.
Wipe them down again with acetone.
Then prime and paint.
I'm not sure if the clear coat helps or not, but it seems like it should, so I'd clear coat them too.
But make sure you scuff or sand every nook and cranny you can, and make sure everything is super clean.
Be patient and let them cure good before installing.
Click to expand...
THANK YOU 🙏
 
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If the paint is good now you can just scuff it, I use red scotch brite like @J.Pierce suggested. If you are painting over paint you don't need primer, that's only if you sand to bare metal. You don't want sand paper, that's for making things flat, you are just roughing the surface so the paint grabs. Clean it well and wear disposable gloves after it's clean, oil from your hands will prevent the paint from sticking. First coat should be very light, definitely not covered but don't dust it from far away. Just go quick. Don't wait too long between coats and go light until the finish coat. If you don't mask the tires with tape I think it's going to get on them but maybe you'll have better luck. With several coats holding a card is going to get old real fast. It will take a week for the paint to cure, it'll be very susceptible to damage while it dries. This is just my opinion on it, I'm sure everybody has their own technique and I don't mean to suggest any way is right or wrong, just what I do.
 
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