mblouir
I need a hobby.
I wrote this quite a while back (as you can tell from the truck), but thought it would be a good add here. It's an amazingly cheap way to drastically change the look of your truck if you want black wheels. When I did it it was to determine if I'd like black wheels on my truck or not. I've followed up with several guys that followed this how-to and none of them have had chipping problems. The only issue is whether or not to remove the wheel balance before painting. 
There you go. Hope this helps someone. I've known a few guys to paint their winter wheels with this method to keep the look.
Not a good idea with chrome wheels unless you have access to a sandblaster or something similar. Chrome will flake, guaranteed, unless you prep it really well.
mblouir said:First off props to zeruin for giving me the quick run-down on how to do this. I'm by no means an expert, but I thought I would share how I painted my wheels in case anyone else wanted to do the same. It is a good way to save some money and completely change the look of your truck. I'll post the way I did mine, although some of the steps are optional.
First you'll need your material:
-Duplicolor wheel paint
-Duplicolor clear coat
-Self-etching primer
-Spray can gun
-Degreaser
-Towel
-Brillo pads
-Spray bottle
-400 grit sandpaper
-Sanding block
-Masking tape
-Index cards
-Newspaper
The first thing I did was wipe down the wheels with some simple green to clean them up.
Then I used some brillo pads to scuff them up a bit and to completely remove all traces of dirt and grime. I kept my wheels really clean so this wasn't too bad, although it may be harder if your wheels are coated in crap.
After brillo pads:
Then take a sanding block and sandpaper and go to town. This was the most tedious step, as you want to make sure to scuff everything up so you have a good bonding surface for the paint. I ripped up some small pieces of sandpaper to get in the smaller grooves. Then use some more degreaser and make sure everything is cleaned up nicely.
Now mask off your wheels. I used some index cards between the wheel and tire and then masked off the surrounding tire with newspaper. I also stuffed some newspaper between the spokes to avoid painting the rotors. Now use some self-etching primer. I put on two light coats with about ten minutes between coats. Working around the truck with all four tires gives enough time so you shouldn't have to wait any--just keep moving. I was diggin' the army green color, although my neighbors were looking at me like I was crazy.
After letting the primer dry for 30 minutes or so it's time to paint. Grab some of the wheel paint and do light coats. This is always my problem as I like to lay on coats heavier to make sure it's covered evenly. Trust me, light coats and you'll be fine. The first and even second coats may not cover all parts of the wheel, but after a few more light coats it will look great. Same as with the primer, if you're working around all four wheels you shouldn't have to wait between coats.
After first coat (I still think I went too heavy here):
After five coats:
I let the paint dry for 45 minutes and started the clear coat. I did four light coats using the same light coat principle. You can vary this based on how glossy you want your wheels to be. Looking back I wish I'd have done less clear and gone with a more matte finish since my tires are so faded.
After first coat:
After four coats:
Now just let it dry overnight and you'll be set. After the first hour of drying I suggest removing all newspaper and index cards. If you leave them on and let it dry completely there is a chance it will try and tear off some of the paint when you remove it.
Letting it dry:
Newspaper removed:
Hopefully this helps if anyone wants to or has been thinking about painting their wheels. It was a very simple process and I'm very happy with the results.
Finished product:
Now I just need some new tires!
There you go. Hope this helps someone. I've known a few guys to paint their winter wheels with this method to keep the look.
Not a good idea with chrome wheels unless you have access to a sandblaster or something similar. Chrome will flake, guaranteed, unless you prep it really well.
