Thanks for all the advice and suggestions! I am going to go ahead with painting them this weekend, I'll post pics when they are done. My badges are already chipping and its only been a few days. Hope my wheels dont do that too!

 

I haven't had any problems with the badges chipping. I still have my OEM wheels and after having been painted for several months they held up fine. No chips at all.

 

are you going to paint the whole wheel? i think the wheels look better all black.

 

Yep, I'm painting the whole wheel....I like that look too

 

maybe someone on the boards will trade you? black for chrome?

 

Hey 4th, you sound like you have your mind made up, but I just wanted to throw out MPO.

First off, your truck looks great as it is.... But yea', I think it will look even better yet completely blacked out.

However, wheels are the kind of thing that catch rocks, and WILL for eventually get chipped. You will either have to stay on them with a touch up brush, or they will end up looking like crap.

My experience with powder coating (Satin Black) on my chrome bumpers, has been SO positive, that if I were to try to turn chrome wheels black, I would not even consider any other method than powder coat. I think I heard a quote of $60 per wheel from the place that did my bumpers. Not too bad... certainly cheaper than new, aftermarklet wheels.

One more thing.... All of the blackout stuff on my truck is Satin, and I think that was a good choice for a more off roadish looking truck + the fact that my truck itself, is not gloss black....
However, if I had a gloss black truck, I'd have the wheels "gloss" black powder coated. Certainly easier to keep clean.

Just my .09 cents

Peace,
Fish

 

I agree with this too. Do it right the first time and get durbility.

Fish my .09 cents.... I like that

 

Awesome advice, I really appreciate it from you guys! I'm gonna try to do the wheels myself, I seem to only learn the hard way! I've got this in my head and am not gonna be satisfied till I try it. Pics will be posted as soon as its done. Thanks again!

 

Okay then WAIT ! WAIT ! WAIT !

If your going to paint over chrome, then at least take this one TOTALLY CRITICAL peice of advice !

> Bulldog Adhesion Promoter !!! < You can look it up online to see what it is, but it's typically available in most automotive paint supply places, in an aresol rattle can. It looks like clear gloss paint, and it REALLY works ! Makes paint stick to darn near anything. Kind of pricey.... like maybe $18 a can.... but totally worth it....
Or else I can just totally see the paint falling of that chrome in sheets !

Good luck,
Fish

 

yep thats what i did with mine center cap and outer ring

 

The OEM wheels that were painted in the thread that was given already had a clear coat on them from the factory over the aluminum which made the paint adhere to it much easier and I am sure holds up pretty good. Chrome is a whole different ballgame! Paint does not stick to chrome well at all. To do it right the chrome would need to be sandblasted. At the very least sanded the heck out of. I would get some adhesion promoter also. But to be honest if I were you I would not attempt this at all. More than likely it will be flaking and chipping down the road. Once that happens you have a major headache even if you go to get it powdercoated all the old paint will need to be removed first. Powdercoating is the way to go if you want them black. I would wait till I could afford it if I were you.

 

You need to sandblast those wheels first. At least rough them up the best you can. too bad you dont live in ohio, I can get your wheels, sandblasted and powder coated for 160.00 total.

 

Sandblasting chrome is also a headache. You'd have to find someone really good at what they do because once they break through to the metal underneath the chrome it eats it up really fast. Unless they can get it all down at an extremely even rate it could result damage to the base metal.

I agree with these guys--it would be easier to get yours powdercoated. I wasn't thinking about it at the time but my OEMs are aluminum alloy...much easier to do this to.

 

Ok, with the past posts I've decided to wait. I dont want the rims to look like crap in a few days. This is why I love this place, just ask a question and you get lots of great advice. Thanks again to everyone, I'm waiting and doing it right!

 

Hey 4th, okay. I do think it's best that you wait until you can do it right with powdercoat.

The reason I was pushing Bulldog so much, is that I thought you were deadset on painting your chrome wheels, and I was just saying > at the very least, Bulldog them first.

But hey, as for your badges, I'd say, just sand them off, hit them with Bulldog, then spray them again.

I did mine a full year ago, and took this shot a few days ago.... Not a chip one on any of them Couldn't be happier. The only thing better than a job that comes out good, is one that STAYS good for a long time



Peace,
Fish