Best paint for steel rims

I'm getting some 20" steel rims for my 05 Ram sand blasted, they're getting some Duratracs mounted to them for the winter months. Whats a good paint/primer for them? Was going to get the Rustoleum/Tremclad stuff but thought I'd ask first.

Few spray bomb paints will be as durable as something that has a hardener in it. You can have a paint supply store mix up catalyzed paint. It has a pin in it that punctures a bubble in the can to release the hardener. You have to spray ALL of it in a short time though or the paint dries in the can.
On the other end....Mopar Action magazine did a bit on a guy with a 67 Coronet...THey liked Rustoleum but said it dried SLOW. The only problem I see with that is bugs or dirt landing in it while waiting for it to dry.

Powdercoat

The Rustoleum pro grade spray bombs are probably the best thing you can get in a can. Very tough, but it takes days for that stuff to cure vs hours for other paints.

Epoxy primer like PPG DP is a good base to start with and you can paint any spray paint over it.

If you do use paint pour primer + paint into the seams and swish it around. Where the center and hoop meet is where the rust will start first.

OK for a new rust free wheel, not an old with rust.
The reason is the same as the last sentance Neil's post above.

"If you do use paint pour primer + paint into the seams and swish it around. Where the center and hoop meet is where the rust will start first."

Paint can be poured in the seam but it is impossible to get the powder in the center/hoop seam to seal the fresh blasted metal.

When I went from 13" to 14" body color wheels on my '68 Valiant, I sprayed them with a 50/50 mix of satin and gloss black Rustoleum Enamel. The next weekend I scuffed the outside and sprayed it body color.

I wouldn't waste my money having rims blasted only to put tremclad or rustoleum on them. Even epoxy primed rims seem to rust quickly here on winter driven vehicles. If you're not going to powder coat them I would leave them as-is.

If you decide you are going to spray them I used the Rustoleum spray on my Police wheels and they look good and have been durable for over a year now. I did sand mine to bare metal only in a few spots, the other spots were faded paint.

I thought you sandblast before powdercoat?

It kind of depends on your intentions, and what you want to spend...

Not sure what powder coating would cost,
but I'd bet you could buy a nice set of wheels cheaper.
I don't see an issue with spray paint.
I sand blasted and painted a set of rims more than 10 years ago.
Used cheap store brand spray paint.
Those rims show less signs of rust than any 10 year old factory wheel.
They have been used for several years in the snow and salt of Wisc. winters.
Like always the real trick is getting the metal clean first.

i have used rustoleum appliance epoxy paint on winter wheels with good results. the problem with that is it only comes in black and white. you would think there would be at least a few colors to choose from. i can't remember seeing a black washing machine or refrigerator.

I use a catalyzed automotive paint and spray them with a gun. I've had a few sets of wheels powdercoated over the years by different places, and they always develop rust in the seams between barrels & centers.

I'd love to be able to spray with gun and use automotive paint. But some of us don't have the facilities or equipment.

Blasting is great preparation. Just about any paint you use will do reasonably OK... though primer will help on winter wheels in my experience. Here are some suggestions that do not require spray equipment:

Primer: Rustoleum red spray bomb or better Rustoleum spray bomb etching primer for clean steel

Paint: Rustoleum spray bomb in color of your choice.

Rustoleum spray bomb is usually "re-coat within 2 hours or wait 48 hours". What I usually do is prime and start painting after about 1/2 hour... and stay in the 2 hour window for painting.

Prime the backs of the wheels, wait a little, roll them over and prime the fronts. Roll them over and paint the backs... wait a little and paint the fronts.

Once primed and painted, let them dry in a (hopefully) warm area. A couple of days minimum before you try to do much with them.

Have you looked into the Preval spray systems? They use a compressed air can, about the size of a butane refill, as a driver to spray the paint, which you mix and is contained in a jar below. Great way to apply automotive catalyzed paints on small jobs if you don't have access to a compressor and spray guns.

Yeah...The Pre-Val is cheap too. Under six bucks!

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Preval-Spray-System-0226/203826746?cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|google|&mid=sn8iLHFUE|dc_mtid_8903alh25183_pcrid_171993688510_pkw__pmt__product_203826746_slid_&gclid=CjwKCAjw4KvPBRBeEiwAIqCB-VHr0RV3-R60sgna6rZv-pWAX3PKE5nmGKUz5FZnTfPUbdb8DIeDPxoC6k4QAvD_BwE

"Yeah...The Pre-Val is cheap too. Under six bucks!"

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Preval-Spray-System-0226/203826746?

A steel wheel goes through rough and wet winter and summer conditions.

Do the paint and primer recommendations
for steel wheel duty
also apply to
outdoor wrought iron furniture
and steel fencing?

Spray on cold galvanizing paint is not mentioned above.

Does cold galvanizing paint
ever have a place as a primer or middle coat?

Do the new "Never Wet" paints have a place as a top coat?

Please resize or remove that Preval picture because it has made the text in this thread so small it is nearly impossible to read.

Cold galv is usually used to repair galvanize coating after welding and grinding. It works best on clean steel. It could be used as a 1'st prime coat... though probably not as smooth and nice to work with vs "regular" primer.

Years ago, I bought a used bike. The side covers didn't match the tank so I bought an airbrush rig that ran off of cans of compressed air from a hobby store. Couple of bottles of automotive touch up paint and I had matching side covers.

Wheels might be too big a project for airbrushes though.

It didn't change my text size.
Removed for those that did.

I have not, but I will now. Thanks!

Old wheels blasted and powder coated 8 yrs ago,do it once and your done,only way to go !!

Thank you.
You were right, it was not that image because the text stayed small.

I did my cop wheels with 2k epoxy then a coat of high build 2K primer. Most of the high build will be sanded off, I used it to fill small imperfections. After I sand the high build it will get another coat of epoxy primer. Last will be some 2K hot rod black which is a low sheen satin black.