Suggestions for painting steel rims

[modelageek]

I am looking for any feedback. I am going to paint my rims with rattlecan. I have a white Truck with black center caps. should i use flat, semi or gloss. clearcoat? What color, Black? Aluminum? How about these hammer finish paints? por 15? all suggestions would be appropriated

 

[07rangerfx4lv2]

i wonder how flat black would look

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Well on my rims I did no prep work and cleaned my rims really well... then hit it about 15 times with the cheap napa primecolor or whatever (the stuff in the white can with napa on it.) and its still holding up great after about 6 months... not rusting or flaking... Its flat black and I think it looks good especially with the chrome beauty rings which I never thought possible but it did...

Although i highly reccomend prep work and stuff... lol

 

[strvger]

i cleaned mine really good. then used a scrubbie pad to rough up the paint. then a couple coats of self-etching primer. then i used a semi-gloss enamel paint (Rustoleum). that was nearly 4 years ago. they still look good.

 

[Chris88GT]

I cleaned with Purple power a couple times, sanded with 60 grit, then 200 grit, 2 coats of duplicolor primer, and 3 coats of duplicolor wheel paint.
Results:

 

[r1hatman]

I would purple power them and pressure wash if possible , use 220 sandpaper to rough them up then use etching primer like strvger said to adhere well to the wheels at least two even coats, then use semi or gloss at least two more like three even coats. Flat would attract a lot of dirt and grease. But if you don't care then it would be cheaper. I redid some honeycomb wheels for my mustang a while back with high gloss and they turned out awesome. Prep work is the key!

 

[modelageek]

Chris88. That looks sweet. What duplicolor is it. Is it the original gray?

 

[modelageek]

thanks for all the advice. my front and rear bumpers are rusting and faded. I am thinking of painting them and the rims the same coloralso. they are a charcoalgray/gunmetal color. does anyone know how I can find the color code for them. I have searched and had no luck

 

[Chris88GT]

I used the graphite HWP102. Got it at Advance.

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/wheel.html

 

[modelageek]

thanks it loks like it just comes in a satin finsih?

 

[94 lngbd]

use duplicolor gloss clear cote over the satin then you will have a gloss wheel with some protection covering the paint

 

[strvger]

Rustoleum has an enamel called "Charcoal Green". it gives a kind of teflon color that has a satin/semigloss finish. i love the color and have painted my bumper and front push bar with it. also used it on the aforementioned spoke wheels on my trail rig with excellent results.