DIY Painting your rims

skoobysx · Mar 2, 2009

Ive been getting a lot of private messages about how to paint this and that... Not that I dont like it, but I just decided I'd get a new thread going about how to paint rims.

Anways...

To start off, this is what you will need:

This project took about 4 hrs or longer.. so make sure you find the time.. dont rush through this.

---Sand paper- 100 - 300 Grit sandpaper, I would get the block shown in the pic, I only used one.
---Paint thinner or acetone
---Clean rags for wipe down
---Automotive primer (2 cans should do the trick)
---2 Cans of paint. (VHT polyurethane wheel paint is the BEST, but very hard to come by. I used the Duplicolor high heat engine paint with ceramic.)
---Clear coat for metal
--- 3M automotive tape (the green stuff)
--- Plastic or paper to avoid getting paint on your tires.

First off... take the tires off....

Grab your sand paper and sand away!

Once its all sanded down and smooth, grab your paint thinner or acetone, along with a clean rag and wipe the rim off.

After the rim is cleaned, tape off any part of the rim that you do not want paint on, then lay your paper or plastic down to avoid getting the tire painted.

Once your done with that, coat your rim down with a couple coats of primer.

Then your ready for paint! I put several coats on my rims.... =) Just incase..

Give it time to dry before you peel the tape off. I normally pull the tape off at a 90 degree angle... breaks the paint from the rim to the tape...

Then your done!

baf6 · Mar 2, 2009

nice!

i did mine slightly less thoroughly, and dont even bother masking the tire off when i paint over trail scratches

good stuff, rep points coming your way

greentennx · Mar 2, 2009

Nice job. Look's good. I like how you left the silver on the lip.

tameroflions · Mar 3, 2009

once again, good work buddy!

TN4x4Xterra · Mar 3, 2009

Nice!

Just an advice....you might want to use jack stands when you take tires off your X than leaving it on the jack b/c last thing you'd want is the jack to fail or collapse and well, the results won't be pretty haha....

cajun x · Mar 3, 2009

do you remember final cost of everthing?
Thx patrick

Steeze · Mar 3, 2009

Looks Good!

08Xterra · Mar 3, 2009

Nice write up!

vandebogart · Mar 3, 2009

Nice!

json3904 · Mar 3, 2009

sweet rims.. LOL

KUMA · Mar 3, 2009

Very nice chantale! I like the clean glossy looks have you thought about putting a clear coat on to keep it nice and glossy? I know that engine enamel hold up pretty good but just to be a little more on the safe side if you want the gloss.

wpnzrule · Mar 3, 2009

Very Nice work!! Make sure the automotive primer is self-etching

X~Terror · Mar 3, 2009

Nice work...I gave you rep points for this write-up
Looks great!:bubblegum-big:

skoobysx · Mar 3, 2009

The whole project all together might have been 30 bucks all together, the duplicolor paint is about 6 buck a can, so if you dont want to spend that much, go with a cheaper
METAL paint instead.

Thanks everyone, and Stevin is right, use some jack stands, just in case...

nn87 · Mar 3, 2009

Thanks for the write up Chantale. I have been thinking of doing it, but wasn't sure if I'd have to remove tires from rims. I guess the tape trick works pretty good.
And, your X looks even better now!

skoobysx · Mar 3, 2009

KUMA said:
Very nice chantale! I like the clean glossy looks have you thought about putting a clear coat on to keep it nice and glossy? I know that engine enamel hold up pretty good but just to be a little more on the safe side if you want the gloss.

I did clear coat the crap out of my wheels. I put several coats on just in case. They are still really really shiney!! haha :wink-big:

DaveC · Mar 4, 2009

Looks great! Silver lip around the wheel is a nice touch.

MidWest_Surfer · Mar 4, 2009

looks great chantelle, noticed the yellow caliper paint and was actually thinking about doing that myself, nething special i need to no about that before i go for it

buckethead47 · Mar 4, 2009

i like the silver lip you put on those rims! nothing beats a black/silver finish on rims. and for the calipers do you have a write up on those? ive been wanting to do this to my calipers and rear drums but i want to know what im getting my self into

TTheInfamous1 · Mar 9, 2009

That looks really good. I always like smoked out rims and whatnot. Nice job, good write up! Thanks.

dan. · Mar 17, 2009

DAMN, thats sick!

JohnCalvin · Jun 25, 2009

Great writeup, Anyone got a method to do those calipers and rear drums?? I want to do everything at once.

Chiefrivera · Jul 20, 2009

well done!

nvarty · Jul 24, 2009

Hi,

Here's a simple write-up on painting brakes

http://www.v6z24.com/howto/brakepainting

I have a silver 02 X that I was thinking of putting yellow Wet Okole seat covers in and painting the brake drumms and calipers yellow as well. I also have black rims so I thought that would look good.
Great write-up on the rims!

Nick

Fujis x · Jul 25, 2009

how much was everything together?

Snake83 · Aug 2, 2009

Awesome write up, Skoobysx. I definately want to try this. Skoobysx, could you post a new pic of your rims? It's been 5 months since your write up and I want to see how they've held up.

DIY Painting your rims

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