Bought the truck with these wheels and they were badly pitted and corroded. Only way I could make them look somewhat good was to use 200 grit paper, then fine scotchbrite pad, then sos pad then auto sol but the rims are scratched from the sanding and I really dont feel like doing multiple sands dry to wet at 1000-1500 grit. This is why I am thinking bedliner.

I am wanting to bedline my aluminum rims. Ive been wanting to do this for a while now but so many mixed reviews. powder coat was my initial thought but at $75 a rim plus cost of tire removal and reinstall I just dont want to go that route. I have used the search function and not really finding a proper way to prep the rims. I realize I will have to clean them very good to get that polish off but other than that I think they are scuffed pretty good. Do I need a self etching primer or does the bedliner have an etching agent itself? Youd think it would but last thing I want is it to start chipping. please dont say plasti coat them. Worst stuff ever especially if a chip comes about then the paint just peels. Weve done full cars with plasti coat and a pressure washer will take it off once chipped away. Let me know guys and thanks. Any pictures would be awesome too.

I bedlined my lower rockers but Im pretty sure im going to paint to match with toreador red but maybe the bedlined rims will look good with the bedlined rockers.


Before
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After

 

plastidip. its cheaper and you dont have to take the tires off. check it out on youtube, once you see youll find thats what your after

 

No plastidip for me, sorry. I thought I said that in my post lol.

 

Check out the link in my sig. It explains what I did. a bit more then half way through the winter and a ton of salt and it still looks like the day I did it when I checked 2 weeks ago.

Will try to update that thread with the results.

basically sand with 40 grit and clean with paint prep cleaner.

 

Thanks for the advice wilderthing but I think that 40-80 grit is a little over board. Theres no way you would paint normal enamel over those sand marks or you would see every scratch. I see that the rim you did was your spare. I am wanting to do all 4 daily driver rims that will see snow, salt, mud, asphalt and gravel and wondering if it will hold up will proper prep. Really wanting to know if self etching primer is a must or will the bedliner etch into the rim? I used it on the lower half of my truck without the self etching primer but I havent been driving it. Im scared that if I use the bedliner and it starts chipping bad that I'm going to have to remove it all and go for the somewhat polished look. Your spare looks good though man.

Can anyone tell me how their bedliner coated rims have held up over a full year of wear and tear.

 

Hasn't been a full year for mine yet. About 6-7 months. Overall they have done real well. Did have one instance where the liner chipped off. It is probably my fault for getting in a hurry when I prepped them. I was put behind schedule due to appendix surgery and the recovery process. Going to touch them up in the spring. Other than that one spot, they have done well.

 

I like to hear that but do you offroad your truck at all? Driven in the winter snow and salt? Thanks

 

I wouldn't use 40 grit for enamel, but the texture of bed liner needs bite to stick, also because bed liner products don't cure smooth you cant see any sanding marks. Before you do anything try it out on a small piece of scrap metal, that way you can also perfect the technique you use to spay- that determens how much texture you get and how it holds up. How you spray is very important in my experience.

Thanks for the complement

It hasn't been a year for me yet but i will try to get a updated picture for you in the next few days.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

I have used spray on bedliner before. I want the least amount of texture possible for the application. The last picture on my original post shows that I bedlined the rockers of my truck and I really liked how they came out. 220 grit was what I used for the rockers. Either way I know what you are saying about how I wont notice the scuff marks and im sure I wont BUT I'm really wanting to know how the bedliner holds up and if its a self etching paint. I dont want to use a self etch primer if I dont have to and do you think that this stuff will hold up better than painting them with an enamel?Ii am not going to go that way but I have painted rims with spray bomb then used automotive clear and they turned out wicked but ended up chipping quite easily. Heres the rims I painted on my rm 125 last summer. Anodized metal cast spray can with nason automotive clear through a spray gun and compressor. Rims were brushed aluminum to begin with. They took abouse at the local mx track but Thats what my truck will be in too, the mud and ruts.

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First, that bike is awesome and you did a great job on those wheels. I want to try that this summer.

I grabbed a few quick pics for you, but it was getting dark and they're cell phone pics so sorry for the quality. I haven't been able to wash my truck since around November so the salt has been laying on it. it was never perfect but looks exactly like the day I sprayed but dirtier. I will know more in a few days when I wash it and take more pictures.





I need to do the back as I only did the face- I think doing both sides would work best for you. hopefully achieve the look your after. Your rim project will look great when done.