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How to Paint Steel Weels #1351577
12/15/12 02:15 AM
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mopowers Offline OP
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I'm getting ready to paint some 70's steel wheels for my 68 Dart. I will be using single stage Acrylic Enamel in K2 Orange to match the body color of the car.

What is a low buck way to prep the wheels for paint?? It's not going to be a show car, so sand blasting and epoxy priming is out of the question.

The wheels I have, have a little surface rust, and factory paint on them. Can I just clean them really well at the car wash, scuff them up with a red scotch brite, shoot some aerosol etch primer on the bare metal spots where the rust was, then shoot the wheel with some aerosol white primer/sealer before finishing (with a spray gun) with the acrylic enamel mixed with the proper reducer and hardener???

I'm just trying to avoid spending $500 on finishing a set of cheap junkyard steel wheels for a driver (non-show car).

How would you guys do it???

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: mopowers] #1351578
12/15/12 10:48 AM
12/15/12 10:48 AM
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i painted a set of steel wheels over the summer for my desoto. i wire wheeled them with a drill and sanded then with some 80 grit. they were pretty rusted. sprayed the with epoxy primer and then urethane paint. they came out great, really smooth. you should be able to do the same with a spray can.


Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: 65rbdodge] #1351579
12/15/12 11:11 AM
12/15/12 11:11 AM
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Stanton Offline
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I'd advise sandblasting - even if you just do the outside - which isn't that expensive for a set of wheels. It will make a big difference in the results. Rattlecan self-etching primer, then your color coats. The results will be "awesome" instead of just "great".

Take your time on the color coats - there are a lot of angles, etc on wheels. This is one case where a lot of thin coats are better than two of three normal coats. Use a small spray pattern ( a touch up gun works best ) so you can get in all the nooks and crannys. The final coat should be a decent wet coat to give you your gloss.

Those blue wheels look fantastic - love the color!!

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: Stanton] #1351580
12/15/12 01:07 PM
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Thanks for the advice guy! Those cops wheels look awesome! The body of my car was painted with acrylic enamel. That's why I was going to use it on the wheels as well. Is there a big difference between that and Urethane???

Which one should I use on the wheels?? I was just trying to be consistent.

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: mopowers] #1351581
12/15/12 02:57 PM
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Use what you have. I've painted wheels with rattlecan enamel and had it hold up well!

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: Stanton] #1351582
12/15/12 03:14 PM
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The enamel I'm getting will be sprayed on with a gun with hardener mixed in. I'm just Curious if I could apply it over the rattle can primer/sealer???

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: Stanton] #1351583
12/15/12 04:06 PM
12/15/12 04:06 PM
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Lincoln Nebraska
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Quote:

I've painted wheels with rattlecan enamel and had it hold up well!


What brand would you recommend? I too have 4 steelies to do


live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: mopowers] #1351584
12/15/12 05:44 PM
12/15/12 05:44 PM
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Dude, you live in CA!! How bad could it be?

Rust is not an issue compared to here (MI)........and I just sand the surface rust off by hand (60 or 80 grit), wipe down with lacquer thinner, prime and paint. I used whatever rattlecan hardware store paint I want and it holds up for years if you keep them rinsed off.

Don't make the project bigger than it is........just do it.

I doubt you have the serious rust/scale we get here that requires blasting it off.

Last edited by Dean_Kuzluzski; 12/15/12 05:46 PM.

R.I.P.- Gary "Coop" Davis 02/09/68-05/13/04
Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: Dean_Kuzluzski] #1351585
12/15/12 07:35 PM
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Quote:

Dude, you live in CA!! How bad could it be?

Rust is not an issue compared to here (MI)........and I just sand the surface rust off by hand (60 or 80 grit), wipe down with lacquer thinner, prime and paint. I used whatever rattlecan hardware store paint I want and it holds up for years if you keep them rinsed off.

Don't make the project bigger than it is........just do it.

I doubt you have the serious rust/scale we get here that requires blasting it off.




You're right. It's just gonna take some elbow grease. I just wanna make sure they single stage acrylic enamel top coat will stick to the aerosol primer/sealer I use as an under coat.

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: RapidRobert] #1351586
12/15/12 09:15 PM
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Quote:

What brand would you recommend? I too have 4 steelies to do




I rate most rattlecan enamels to be about equal but Rustoleum would do. Avoid the Krylon stuff 'cause that's lacquer and although it dries faster, it doesn't seem to have the luster or the durability of enamel.

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: mopowers] #1351587
12/15/12 09:37 PM
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As usual, yer gonna get all different opinions...

While I agree in not making it more than it is, by the same token, might as well be thorough...

Blasting is gonna give you a nice, clean surface to work with...

There are 'zinc-enriched' primers out there in rattle-can...

Again, be thorough...And fuggitaboutit...

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: RSNOMO] #1351588
12/15/12 09:46 PM
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I like glass beading , myself. Makes for a smooth finish. Primer and paint ...

I mean they are steel wheels , thats what people think when they call me , they say how much for just " steel wheels " ?? Oh My !!!

Frank

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: RSNOMO] #1351589
12/15/12 09:48 PM
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My painter friend said spray them with oven cleaner, let them sit for a while, then spray them at the car wash. Once they are clean, he said scuff them with a scotchbrite and 120 sandpaper where needed, then hit it with white or light grey rattle can primer/sealer to get the color uniform, then shoot it with the finish. A few good coats. He said make sure the last one is a good wet coat, as that's what's gonna show when it dries.

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: mopowers] #1351590
12/15/12 11:57 PM
12/15/12 11:57 PM
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Clean/sand then Rustoleum auto primer and your finish should work well. If you want them smoother, after the primer has dried hit them with 220 then re-prime. I light scuff with 320 and paint.

Rustoleum auto primet seems towork pretty well.

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: 65rbdodge] #1351591
12/16/12 04:30 AM
12/16/12 04:30 AM
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Aircraft stripped, prime and paint

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: 76dodgeboy] #1351592
12/16/12 04:34 AM
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Iowa
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Or scuff and paint

Last edited by 76dodgeboy; 12/16/12 04:35 AM.
Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: 76dodgeboy] #1351593
12/16/12 04:53 AM
12/16/12 04:53 AM
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the main problem with spray can paint is the lack of final cure hardness. use an arcrylic enamel automotive finish and you will be good . use an epoxy primer and you wont have to worry about chips in the paint. dont use lacquer thinner to pre-wipe. use a prep solvent. the lac will desolve and re-deposit dirt/ film and impead adheision. you can prime the steel and usually finish coat within 30 minutes or so without sanding the primer! this is best for finish coat adheision . if you wait to long it is super hard and requires sanding.

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: ahy] #1351594
12/16/12 12:48 PM
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Clean them well (oven cleaner) and have them sandblasted, then spray them- they will look great and last a long time. I used Napa's (Martin Senyor) aerosal: etch, regular primer, paint, and clear them. Did mine 6 years ago and they look great.

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: Stanton] #1351595
12/16/12 01:07 PM
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Quote:





Those blue wheels look fantastic - love the color!!




thanks! its petty blue or chrysler corperate blue or what ever you want to call it.

Re: How to Paint Steel Weels [Re: 65rbdodge] #1351596
12/16/12 02:05 PM
12/16/12 02:05 PM
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I'm going to give you my tip that no one else seems to have mentioned . This involves a little bit of planning but makes a huge difference.

Paint prep as you you prefer. I usually paint the wheels on the inside and back with high solids black. ( john deere spray can tractor paint is awesome). The front of the wheels are finished in rattle can etch primer.

Now mount and balance the tires of your choice. Then after each tire rim combo is balanced have the tires shop BREAK down just the front side of each wheel combo . This way you can mask off the tire..... paint outside any color you want V2 looks great.

You can be as anal with this process as you want since the tire is only broken down on the front it won't move. You can mark where the weights were and remove and replace them after paint.

Valve stems are cheap the new set the tire shop put in on the tire job could have been cut out and new ones installed after paint instead of masking them.


For a driver you can paint/tape over the weights valve stems but the option is there. Why go to all the hassle because the tire machine work happens before your color coat . Only flaw in this pan is sometimes you need to remove the inner stem from the valves to get enough volume out of a small home compressor to re-seat the tire bead.



Sandy in Nova Scotia formerly drdodge340
68 coronet wagon, 68 formula s 340 fb barracuda-69 super bee-72 aussie charger-72 aussie vh dodge ute
-76 feather duster-76 duster-77 street van
- 98 ram 1500 SS/T-99 ram 1500-13 ram red express truck- 2015 hellcat challenger
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