Refinishing Wheels

[Tractor Dan]

Just bought 15 inch wheels that look like these. http://www.capitalwheels.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=1155&cat=&page=1

Right now they are scratched up a bit and could use a good sanding and fresh paint. What i'm wanting input on is what color to paint them. I'm debating between a gloss black or a red that matches the truck. I'll get a picture of the truck up in a bit. Also will get pictures of the actual rims when i go out later today. So any thoughts on color?

Color of the truck


Also I have never painted wheels but have done other painting like tractors an construction equipment, mostly by hand touch up stuff. What would be a good paint to use? I want something that will hold up to Ohio winters.

One other thing. Did the Rangers ever come with a hubcap similar to what's in the link? I'm going to to a yard to get hubcaps. The guy i got the rims from didn't have the hubcaps but i wasn't gonna complain picking the rims up for $35 and $20 in gas.

 

[Bronco638]

The key will be in the prep, if you want the paint to last thru Ohio winters. I would consider sand blasting them to get them to base metal (steel, in this case). A good epoxy primer should help them deal with salt/brine. If you decide to go black, I would paint the entire wheel that color. If you go red, I'd do the center in red and the rim in silver/argent. With the chrome center cap (as shown in your link - those seem to be the common hub cap that goes with the steelies), I think that would look sharp.

You could also consider having the wheels powder coated. But, a good paint job may be less expensive and last just as long.

 

[Tractor Dan]

Thanks for the input. I'll have to look into what sand blasting costs. Trying to do it for relatively cheap. That being said i'm not going to cut corners. I'm honestly leaning towards the black. I might consider some other colors guess it just depends what colors are out there in paints that will work for this application.

 

[veefer800canuck]

Powdercoating will last far better than any paint ever will.

And personally, I think that color-matched rims look awful. Better to contrast the vehicle paint to make them pop.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I had some 6 rims blasted and then they coated them with a two part epoxy primer at an industrial blast and paint shop, $125.00. That will last forever. They had white, gray, and black in stock because that's the most common colors called for in industrial coatings. I left them in primer but if I wanted I would cover in color of choice or clear for shinyness.

 

[Tractor Dan]

Thanks for the info. That's not bad for what i currently have into them. I know at one point i had a body shop tell me about $100 per wheel if they done all the work. Might give it a go with a wire wheel or an air sander at a friends house and see how clean i get them to look and go from there. I honestly think they will sand down and clean up nice for primer because there is minimal rust and it appears to be surface rust. The rest is just paint that needs knocked off.