Ideas needed: painting center caps

[makakio]

Hi all - need some advice please:

I have a 2001 SR5 4x4 with the 5-spoke 'star"(?) 17" wheels. They're a painte wheel and have a satin-y silver color (center caps are the same color). The problem I've got is that the wheels look great, but the paint on the plastic center caps is quickly wearing off (thus showing the white-ish plastic underneath).

I'd like to repair this once, since the truck is cherry (and in another 4.5 years it will most likely be time to sell it). So, would you detailing gurus suggest:

1) buying replacement caps

2) painting them myself (if so, where do I get the materials and what color - silver satin?)

3) having a body shop paint them

My gut tells me that replacin them with new would cost about the same as having them painted professionally and that painting them myself would be the cheapest way to do this. But then again my gut has sh*t for brains, so advice is very appreciated.

Maka

 

[T4RMatt]

Its been pretty common for these things to need some tlc. You should be able to get on ebay and look for some or order new ones. You could paint them, however they wont be perfect looking, although they may be perfect enough that you wont notice they arent. Someone may know an exact color, but I would bet even if you do paint them they may peel the first time you hit them with a stiff stream of water. There are wheel repair guys that might be able to do them right for a few bucks. However, my advice to you would be to go to an autozone type store and and try to match the color on the spray can caps to your wheel caps. You will need to prep them well and spray some adhesion promoter on them before painting. Then hit them with with a few light coats. If possible, get some krylon for plastic paint if you can find some that matches good. After doing this get some new ones if you arent happy. At the worst you would have only waisted about $10 and may be pleased with the results.

 

[GYoter]

Replacing them would be expensive. Do a search over at yotatech.com for painting center caps. Lots of people have done it to faded center caps there. I am pretty sure there are write-ups that had the colors and types of paint to use.

I painted my center caps black to match my wheels and they turned out pretty good and are holding up well. Its not hard, it just takes a good amount of prep time.

 

[makakio]

Thanks guys - I appreciate both suggestions. Think I'll do the DIY approach first - I have time and am willing to prep well (plus, for $10 how bad can it go, right Matt?). Also, thanks for the suggestion on searching Yotatech. I'm on my way there now...

Maka

 

[RonMAIDEN]

I just used automotive paint from Pep Boys and painted mine myself which included a little prep sanding (very light),a few coats of silver and then a few coats of clear coat spray.

I also got creative and filled in the "T" with red lacquer then applied the clear coat. It is cheap but mine lasted over two years on my '97 and then I had a few spots that started to peel from road use but it's a cheap fix and it's a simple job so I probably won't mind repainting them again if I have too.

I'll be doing my '99's caps soon as they have some wear.

 

[makakio]

Update

Did the project this past weekend. It went fast, was painless and the caps look great.

Used 400-grit paper wrapped around a foam sanding block to blend edges where paint was peeling and to rough up the good remaining paint. Did not go totally crazy on making sure everything was down to raw plastic, just got them cleaned up a bit and edges smoothed.

On Saturday, I used:

Dupli-Color primer (not the primer/filler). Three coats, applied at a rate of 20 minutes between coats.

Dupli-Color Silver Metallic. Three coats, applied two hours after primer and 20 minutes between coats.

And on Sunday, I used:

Dupli-Color Clear Coat. Six coats, applied ~20 minutes between coats.

Did this on 60- degree days in the sun, no wind. Paint is toxic as hell and off-gasses bad-for-you fumes for hours and hours after application (so don't paint indoors).

I let them set for 48 hours in my garden shed and put them on the truck. They match the OEM wheel paint *perfectly*.

Hope this is useful.
Matt