sharky47

I just got finished refinishing one of my wheels and center caps a while ago using the "Rustoleum" method. I also hand painted the crests on the center cap with model paint. It came out looking AWESOME! I was really impressed with how well it went. The only thing I'm wondering about is how long they will last with the brake dust and all. I'm going to wax them and hopefully that will help. Anyway, thanks to all the guys who have posted on this topic.

Tremelune

I've read that you shouldn't wax paint until a month or two after it dries, so that it has real time to off-gas...

I'm curious as to how you actually did the painting. Did you sand? Remove the old paint first, or just mask and spray? How many coats? Primer? Which wheels?

sharky47

Thanks for the caution, as to the process, it was pretty simple. First, I cleaned them up with scotchbrite and sandpaper where necessary. Then, I wiped down the whole thing with paint thinner to pick up all the dust and crap. Then I deflated the tire so I could get masking tape in between the rim and tire. I used masking paper to cover the rubber. After that, I used four coats of Rustoleum Metallic Silver and them three coats of clear coat. Thats pretty much it, it's not perfect, but for $20, you can't beat it. To paint the center caps, I just used model paint and a fine brush. I hope this is helpful.

sharky47

I'm sorry, they were "phone dial" wheels, and yes I did use regular automotive primer before I painted.