plastic center caps are fading , real ugly...

[TheDurk]

No problem. I already threw my can away, but make sure you have the right color as I can't really remember if it was graphite or silver. Just look at the cap on the spray can and you can definitely tell which one is the right one. Hope all goes well and show us some pictures.

Graphite is a totally different color. Not even close to the original. I did not mean to imply otherwise. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[fightman80]

I like the Graphite color!:bluejump:

 

[jnicholas79]

What store did you get the paint at? It looks awesome and I need to do it!

 

[markeike]

Just painted my center caps

What store did you get the paint at? It looks awesome and I need to do it!

I actually just did this yesterday. Like many others, I used Duplicolor brand paint and prep wipes (got mine at Pep Boys).

First, I stripped the remaining paint off the centercaps with brake cleaner. It’s cheap, it melts right through paint, and leaves no residue. (Unfortunately it also melts through plastic and flesh, so wear gloves and be careful.)

Then I applied one coat of adhesion promoter (CP199), four coats of Duplicolor silver wheel paint (WP101), and three coats of high performance wheel clear (HWP103). All eight coats were shot in 15 minute intervals, so it’s basically one thick homogenous hardcoat of plastic. Not sure if I'm going to repaint the Toyota "Bubble-T". I'll wait to see how they look first.

I fouled up one of them when some big spits came out of the rattlecan, but I was able to rescue it. You’d probably have to get on hands and knees to see the error. (Didn’t want to start over.)

The real trick to rattlecan paint is if it says to wait one day to handle the parts, multiply that by at least ten. :lol:I won't be reinstalling these for at least two weeks. Others have had very good results with this paint so I expect them to be fairly durable. Only time will tell.

 

[Mindomission]

I used the same Dupli-color silver wheel coating and clear gloss as well. Made a Huge transformation. I found a website of a vinyl Graphics business in New Jersey that makes the Toyota logo. I called and gave him the height and width of the logo and he made me 5 of them and shipped them to me for $7. Here is how they turned out:



The dimensions for the logo are:

Height = 1.52"
Width = 1.72"

I used PayPal (available on his website. I called him first with the dimensions). Zach printed them and mailed them the same day. I received them in the mail two days later. Here is his link:
-Rockford SIGNS- GRAPHICS-VEHICLE WRAPS- - Signage Rockford,Il Got Signs? 779-770-5661 Vehicle Wraps - Graphics - Banners - Lettering - Printing

Tip: when applying the logos to the cap, peel it of the paper, position it as close as you can to where you want it, and then hold a blow dryer about a foot over it to soften it up. This will allow you to be able to place it in the engraved area of the logo. Sounds elementary but make sure you have the sticky side down. DO NOT BLOW DRY IT BEFORE YOU PULL IT OFF THE PAPER, because it makes it too stretchy and hard to get it off the paper backing. I CLEAR COATED THE CAPS AFTER APPLYING THE LOGOS.

 

[4x4 Hoonigan]

i sprayed mine with 3 coats of bed liner, then i used some red model paint and a tooth pick to fill the Toyota symbol, then 7 or 8 coats of clear to smooth out the texture of the bed liner and they turned out pretty spiffy
before:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/110339383@N02/11175221275/" title="IMG_20130204_180719 by josh.hartung, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2887/11175221275_76fec7dc8d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_20130204_180719"></a>

the clear is still kinda wet:


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/110339383@N02/11181925234/" title="Untitled by josh.hartung, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7320/11181925234_a359e9d059.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/110339383@N02/11176094986/" title="IMG_20130206_153127 by josh.hartung, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5521/11176094986_14d83e26ce.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_20130206_153127"></a>

after:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/110339383@N02/11175288946/" title="20131013_113534 by josh.hartung, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2875/11175288946_846d41fc20.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="20131013_113534"></a>

 

[JoeT4R]

i sprayed mine with 3 coats of bed liner, then i used some red model paint and a tooth pick to fill the Toyota symbol, then 7 or 8 coats of clear to smooth out the texture of the bed liner and they turned out pretty spiffy
before:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/110339383@N02/11175221275/" title="IMG_20130204_180719 by josh.hartung, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2887/11175221275_76fec7dc8d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_20130204_180719"></a>

the clear is still kinda wet:


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/110339383@N02/11181925234/" title="Untitled by josh.hartung, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7320/11181925234_a359e9d059.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/110339383@N02/11176094986/" title="IMG_20130206_153127 by josh.hartung, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5521/11176094986_14d83e26ce.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_20130206_153127"></a>

after:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/110339383@N02/11175288946/" title="20131013_113534 by josh.hartung, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2875/11175288946_846d41fc20.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="20131013_113534"></a>

Those are tight, dude!!

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Charcoal from ACE hardware store. And black VHT satin black for the wheels.

 

[wake_rider]

Mine are getting nasty, too. The rims are beautiful and shiny, the caps look like they belong on a hoopty...

I'm getting ready to repaint them. Couple of questions, though...

1. Is it possible to get the caps off WITHOUT taking the wheels off the truck? Or do the lugs have to come out to get the caps off?

2. For you guys who have repainted them--do you block out the Toyota logo in the center, or just say screw it and paint the whole thing silver?

Thanks y'all:banana:

Wait. I hope this is a joke. "Can you pull off your caps without removing the wheel?"

Duder, you need to find a wrench and get that man card back, ASAP.






As to the OP, I stripped mine with paint remover down to the bare plastic, sanded them with a fine grit to make sure that all paint was removed, cleaned them with a tack cloth and paint thinner. Then hit them with 3 coats of Duplcolor silver wheel paint, let that dry for about 4 hours, covered the face of it up with painters masking tape, and ran a razor inside the "Toyota" symbol impression, cutting away the masking tape in that area. This left the only exposed area of the cap to be the spot where I cut out the tape. So then I sprayed it with a high gloss black, filling in the depression, removed the painters tape, and glossed the whole thing with 3 coats of clearcoat.

Viola. Looks like factory again.

 

[AZ4Running]

This issue is super common. Mine where pretty bad when i got the 4runner. I endedup spraying the caps and rims with black plasti dip and it turned out great. I will be painting them satin black when it comes time to redo them. Changing the wheel color gave the rig a totally different look. Before and after pics.

 

[benjamin247]

This issue is super common. Mine where pretty bad when i got the 4runner. I endedup spraying the caps and rims with black plasti dip and it turned out great. I will be painting them satin black when it comes time to redo them. Changing the wheel color gave the rig a totally different look. Before and after pics.

The plasti-dip looks good! Considering plasti-dipping my rims too. Did you remove the wheel when you sprayed it or did you leave your wheels on and cover the brakes?