My steelies look like total garbage…aside from the fact they are steelies to begin with. I really want to try to re-finish/paint them without having to take tires off.
I know it’s not a difficult process, but I just have never done it and wanted to know what worked good for people who have done it and had it come out good.
Also couldn’t find any threads about this, if there is one feel free to post it up.
Thanks!
[QUOTE=da6YO;2300586]My steelies look like total garbage…aside from the fact they are steelies to begin with. I really want to try to re-finish/paint them without having to take tires off.
I know it’s not a difficult process, but I just have never done it and wanted to know what worked good for people who have done it and had it come out good.
Also couldn’t find any threads about this, if there is one feel free to post it up.
Thanks![/QUOTE]
This is super easy. It depends on the depth you want to go as well. The best thing is to dismount all the tires and do them right, but you don’t have to. At the LEAST, remove your balancing weights.
Most people will either tape off the tire or use flash cards to make a fanning masking around the tire.
If you’re going to try to tape them off, give them an extremely good wash, then hit them with grease & wax remover. You can get it at any parts store. Then use fine line or the next step up of tape that has the most flex.
The flash cards work really well as long as you have them snug in between the wheel/tire.
Just remember, prep is everything. If you can see it or feel it, it will show in the finish. Take all rust down to bare metal, and hit it with self-etching primer so it bites right.
Let me know anything else youre concerned with!
Thanks for the help, I rarely paint anything besides random plastic pieces.
So to take it down to metal, sanding by hand or some kind of power/air tool?
Would I want to be using some type of high temp paint?
[QUOTE=da6YO;2300642]Thanks for the help, I rarely paint anything besides random plastic pieces.
So to take it down to metal, sanding by hand or some kind of power/air tool?
Would I want to be using some type of high temp paint?[/QUOTE]
Well, on steelies, there’s not much angled surface to work around. So yes, in this case you could use a cheap palm DA sander and take it all the way down with 80 grit paper, just make sure you have the right paper for the pad you have. There’s Hook-It, Hook-It2 and Stick-It. Hook it and the latter are both velcro style, but they differ between the two. Stick-It is just like tape. If the pad is not velcro it’s Stick-It. You can pick up a cheap DA from Harbor Freight for like 35 bucks.
You can sand by hand, but you’ll hate it.
Steps:
Wash the piss out of the wheels front and back. Wash the tires too. If you have a compressor, blow the completely dry. If not let them dry up in the sun and make sure theres no water between the wheel and tire.
Take it down with 80 as best as you can, you can take it completely to metal if you would like.
Clean with grease and wax remover (This is very important)
Mask your tire off with either the flash cards or layers of newspaper, etc.
Spray a good coat of Self-Etching Primer on the bare metal. Wear a mask, it’ll make your lungs bleed. I’m not lying. Once tacky, hit it with a standard primer. Let dry.
At this point, you can start with I’d say 400 grit. REMEMBER, if you can see it or feel it, it will show in the finish. If you sand through, you can apply another coat of primer to it. Just make sure to clean it with G&W Remover. You can prime coat until there are no imperfections, or until you’re happy with it. Then move to 600 and you can finalize at 800 grit.
Wash the entire wheel again and dry it completely, then hit it with G&W Remover one last time. Remask with fresh material. Make sure not to touch the surface you’re painting with your hands or anything as it will fish eye the paint.
At this point, spray a light base to start with. There is no need to rush the color coat, if you get an imperfection in the color you CAN sand it down and cover it again. Gradually increase your thickness of coats. Finalize it with a solid, even wet coat.
DO NOT SPRAY IN THE SUNLIGHT, it’ll cure it prematurely and it’ll be splotchy. Once you lay your final coat down, move it into to sun to “cure” it. Unless you have heat lamps. Just dont put the heat lamp too close and melt your tire.
You can clear it if you want, but it’s not necessary. Steel wheels are semi gloss from factory.
Viola, you now have fresh as Prince steel wheels. You total cost will probably around 40-75 for all material and chemical. Assuming 2 cans of color coat, 1 can self etch, 1 can primer, masking material and I guess soap if you don’t have it. Also, high-temp isn’t necessary. That’s mainly for direct heat contact, your wheels will never get that hot.
If any paint guys on here catch anything I missed, feel free to chime in.
Hope this helps!
Great info, that’s exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you very much!
[QUOTE=da6YO;2300652]Great info, that’s exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you very much![/QUOTE]
Not a problem at all! They should look great doing them this way.