Best paint for rims?

[hearno]

I decided to paint my rims myself as opposed to PCing them. I started with my spare so I wouldn't have any down time and will rotate it through the other 4 positions so I can keep my truck on the road. I went to Walmart and got a can of primer, Krylon satin black, and matte clear. I also got sandpaper and acetone. I sanded the entire rim, what a pain in the ass. Then put down 2 coats of primer then a couple of the black. I am now sure Krylon sucks. I ended up having to sand a lot more and redo a coat this morning. I had some Rustoleum laying around from another project and used that. Huge difference, the rustoleum went on much more smooth. Fk krylon. Can anyone recommend a brand they have had good personal experience with? I've heard VHT but would have to order it and didn't want to do so until I got first hand feedback. I'll post pics of the finished product shortly.

Thanks.

Also - any good alternatives to sanding the entire rim by hand?

 

[Jgonz]

IMO, i think that powdercoating will probably be the best route to take. it is a little more expensive but i know that itll last the longest compared to regular paint..

if you have access to a sandblaster that might work?

good luck with the project, i hope it turns out well!!

 

[dorton]

Plastidip for me was super quick, and has held up well so far. If it scratches, touch it up. Don't like it, peel it off. I don't like investing $40+/wheel for powdercoat, when it too can be scratched, but not touched up.

 

[hearno]

In addition to the cost - the other issue with powder coating is the hassle. Tires have to be removed and then reinstalled and rebalanced. One at a time or all 4 wheels at once is a total pain in the ass. I've seen people get pretty good results with a can and it's a LOT cheaper and a lot less hassle. Touchups are a DIY also which is nice if anything gets scratched.

 

[hearno]

Hard to see cause of glare but you get the idea.

 

[Jgonz]

In addition to the cost - the other issue with powder coating is the hassle. Tires have to be removed and then reinstalled and rebalanced. One at a time or all 4 wheels at once is a total pain in the ass. I've seen people get pretty good results with a can and it's a LOT cheaper and a lot less hassle. Touchups are a DIY also which is nice if anything gets scratched.

i totally agree.. it is a royal PITA.. im definitely looking around to see what everyone else is doing because i dont want to pay for the powdercoating myself...

 

[dorton]

Plastidip

 

[hearno]

Dip does look good but my limited experience with it leads me to believe it's more trouble than it's worth. It did not hold up on the plastic I used it on. I'm hoping the paint will be more durable.

 

[zopperman]

Dip does look good but my limited experience with it leads me to believe it's more trouble than it's worth. It did not hold up on the plastic I used it on. I'm hoping the paint will be more durable.

I'm an avid anti-wheel dipper if you take your truck off pavement. My old wheels looked like crap and I could barely get the dip off

Our wheels get scratched up offroad very easily, they don't have a deep dish to them. The fact that i couldn't get the rubber off my old wheels was the impetus for my purchase of the TRD Wheels.

I would use rustoleum industrial enamel for a flat black, i think it comes in other colors too.

Also, how about a grinder with a coarse flap disk to abrade the surface?

 

[dorton]

Any coating placed on the wheel will be scratched due to that offset then. I haven't seen any Plastidip more difficult than paint to remove.
Mine has only been on for 6 months, but, in that time, it's been 12k miles, and off road for a few hundred miles. I've touched them up 2 times, and it would have been the same with powder coat, paint, or plastidip. The rustoleum on my bumpers, rails, and swingout all have faded, and need to be redone, spanning the same time frame.