Painted Hub Caps

CDN_Cruiser · 03-07-04, 11:59 PM

1) Become really pissed that hub caps (what are these called?) look crappy
2) While buying a new door lock at HD, remember someone mentioning 'Rust Oleum' - find Black 'Hammered Metal' and buy a spray can and a small box of medium grit sanding sponges
3) Drive home and pop the hub caps off the truck
4) Soak them in sink with hot, soappy water..wife kind of pissed at the use of the kitchen sink
5)Scrub with brush and then soak with TSP for a few minutes
6)Dry
7) Light sand with the sanding pad
8. Wipe off dust
9) Spray three coats - total time 1hr
10) Win the coveted 'That looks amazing' award from my wife

Before (should be silver with some gold - yellow stuff is bare plastic)

...and after

Riley · 03-08-04, 12:06 AM

Hugh - looks great. How's it look on the wheels themselves?

When you get the time, can you post a pic with them installed?

Sunday night and Monday mornings are great. You can see all the great work that the guys did over the weekend. Me..... I ripped off the factory rack and plugged the old holes. Looks way better.

Riley

Wayne · 03-08-04, 04:27 AM

I did the same thing to my Cruiser....... except I used Rust Oleum's Bright Metallic paint (silver), and they turned out great.

Wayne S

RavenTai · 03-08-04, 06:12 AM

[quote author=Riley link=board=2;threadid=12737;start=msg117079#msg117 079 date=1078729616]
Hugh - looks great. How's it look on the wheels themselves?

When you get the time, can you post a pic with them installed?

[/quote]

yes please do, mine are showing yellow, after I find one a replacemnt for the one I am missing i need to paint them all

Quote:

Me..... I ripped off the factory rack and plugged the old holes. Looks way better.

how noticeable are the pluged holes? what did you plug them with? RTV? I woudl like to take mine of also....

you also Pics?

Tank · 03-08-04, 06:17 AM

Just finished mine, wanted the OEM look again. Bought a little bottle of gold model airplane paint (for the "toyota symbol") also, after painting it silver, then the gold, I applied 3 coats of clear coat paint. I would recommend this, I didn't last time and they only lasted about 8 months before the paint started to flake.

Mark

tucker74 · 03-08-04, 08:38 AM

I painted mine silver about six months ago - taped off the center (have older style) and they look like new. Big difference for five bucks.

Riley - what exactly did you plug the holes with? I've been thinking about pulling mine off as well - but don't they have permanent anchors in the sheet metal. I thought about cutting the bolts shorter and re-installing....how did you handle?

Tucker

Gumby · 03-08-04, 10:21 AM

I painted mine a few weeks ago to flat black. I tried to paint the recessed parts silver again, but liked it better in all black. The rims are next.

CDN_Cruiser · 03-08-04, 10:28 AM

Ya, I love Mondays for this as well. I actually started this at 9pm! I think the clear coat idea is a good one - where can I but this? I will post pics of them when I install, but it may be a few days, as I am doing a bit of travel this week.

I think they should look good - the Lexus rims (same as TLC?) have a polished portion (the 'spokes') then then a black metalic looking portion (between the spokes) and I think this paint job should match it quite nicely.

The only nit i have is that these are a bit more glossy than I would like - I would have liked more of a semi-gloss.

I plan on painting the grill next.

Cheers, Hugh

hpantier · 03-08-04, 10:36 AM

i painted mine silver with some "hub cap paint" that i picked up from napa. So far so good, and probably the best improvement one can make for the money.

Rookie2 · 03-08-04, 11:14 AM

[quote author=CDN_Cruiser link=board=2;threadid=12737;start=msg117250#msg117 250 date=1078766899]
I think the clear coat idea is a good one - where can I but this? [/quote]

I got everything I needed for this project at Walmart. Clear coat, metallic silver, gold modeling paint, spray-on paint remover (this gets "all" the old stuff off, without a drop of elbow grease), fine point detailing brush for emblem, for under $20.00, and got enough left over to do them again down the road. This deal is a 1/2

, no brainer, must do.. IMHO.

Later,
R2

Tank · 03-08-04, 11:34 AM

Gum I wanna see pic's when your finished with that...

Mark

alia176 · 03-11-04, 11:30 AM

dude,

Pls post/email of any hub cap painted pics. I'm dying to see what a silver and black painted caps look like. Thanks.

Ali

alia176 · 03-11-04, 11:30 AM

I meant to say ...what they look like on the vehicle!

CDN_Cruiser · 03-11-04, 09:28 PM

aaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhh

I just flew home and went to my work shop to apply a few coats of clear coat to the hubs....created some kind of reaction and the painted has bubbled in a few spots >:(

I'll sleep on the decision to just put them on, or get some stripper, strip them, clean them, repaint... >:( >:(

(un)Cheers, Hugh

ppc · 03-12-04, 01:52 AM

You need a primer specifically made for adhering to plastic as a starting point and then don't mix brands and types of paint. Apply thin coats with adequate time for drying in between.

Scamper · 03-12-04, 06:55 AM

[quote author=CDN_Cruiser link=board=2;threadid=12737;start=msg119814#msg119 814 date=1079065737]
aaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhh

I just flew home and went to my work shop to apply a few coats of clear coat to the hubs....created some kind of reaction and the painted has bubbled in a few spots >:(

[/quote]

Yes, the old orange-peel effect. Caused by using too hot a solvent over the first paint job. You can use enamel over laquer, but not the other way around. It's like using paint remover. Of course, it you stick to one type of paint, it's okay too.

Basically, you'll have to resand and repaint now 'cuz the first coat has been lifted off the plastic (the bubbles).

CDN_Cruiser · 03-12-04, 07:29 AM

...hmmmm, I expected as much and the 'orange peel effect' exactly descries it! Thanks for the input. I will spend the time on the weekend stripping off the old stuff and redoing. I guess it's not a bad project to learn on. Given that this is plastic, any suggestions on the type of stripper to use for this application?

I was very dilligent in following the instructions on prep, time between coats and sprayed in three light coats - but did mix brands of paint (and - based on the above - type of paint)

I'll post pics later as a 'warning' to others

Cheers, Hugh

firetruck41 · 03-12-04, 09:59 AM

[quote author=CDN_Cruiser link=board=2;threadid=12737;start=msg119920#msg119 920 date=1079101742]
Given that this is plastic, any suggestions on the type of stripper to use for this application?[/quote]

I used sandpaper, I think stripping chemicals would be to harsh for the plastic.

PHAEDRUS · 03-12-04, 10:03 AM

use paper,
anything in a chemical stripper will probably leave you with pits that you will the have to sand off. so you might as well sand and go form there.
Dave

Gumby · 03-12-04, 10:23 AM

semi gloss plastic paint designed to stick to plastic after a light sanding with some 100 grit.

Tank · 03-12-04, 01:40 PM

Jeez Gum that looks like sheot!

Jk, me like!

Cruiser804 · 08-03-06, 02:27 PM

I took this one step further. I used some silcon bathroom caulk and filled in the gold T emblem. I throughly cleaned off any that got on to the "silver" part of the cap. I painted them up and when the paint dried I pulled of the caulk and presto they caps looked just like new.

I also got some clean coat from Dupli-color I spray them with.