Painting lug nuts/Wheels?

[philthyphil]

I finally found some FJ steroids for the 62 and they look sweet. Only issue was existing chrome lug nuts with the black wheels. Obvious solution, out comes the spray paint. Did a great job on them, 12 hours drytime between coats and 3 days just curing before I installed them. They looked great. Screwed them down on the hub and as soon as I pulled the torque wrench off they were ruined. How do people run black lug nuts? Do you really have to buy them or have them powder coated?

Leads into another question: if you paint the wheels, do they actually hold up or is it a futile effort of constantly having to touch them up?

I can't believe this question hasn't been asked but my search turned up empty, I apologize if this sounds like a broken record.

 

[skidplate]

I'd torque them down and then touch up with a small paint brush.

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS]

Painting wheels

Regarding painting wheels: Just finished painting ours again after the latest tire purchase. The tire machine I use takes the paint right off the edges. Not sure if any of the tire shops guarantee not to mess up painted wheels. Might be worth me asking next time.

We mount them ourselves and use airsoft bb's for balancing. We painted with VHT graphite spray paint this time and cleared them with a PPG product using a HVLP gun.

The wheels hold up great with the clear. If you don't clear them, the tire cleaners (acid) will etch/dull them. A simple touch up after a rock chip works great as well.

As far as lug nuts; buy them black anodized or repaint them after every time you touch them with a socket. Here's a pic of our 92 with the newly painted wheels and new tires.

 

[Land Shark]

I had good success with painting them once the were balanced and mouned on the truck. Like someone else said just touch them up each time you pull the wheel for what ever

 

[Land Shark]

I had good success with painting them once the were balanced and mouned on the truck. Like someone else said just touch them up each time you pull the wheel for what ever

Or you can pay big money for powder coating and have that scraped off when you wheel. Rustoleum is my friend

 

[Mark W]

This seems like a good place to ask who sells the best air freshener... Maybe you guys can give me the low down on whether Armorall or STP makes the best "tire makei blackie stuff" too. Hey, what about LED under car lights? Or those little deer whistle thingies to stick on the bumper and chromed fake boat propellers to stick in the rear receiver? Ohhh... anyone tried a can of that spray on "mud" stuff so it looks like you actually went off the pavement... come on, 'fess up.

Really? Painting lug nuts? Worrying about them getting scratched? Admitting that you do and even debating it on the internet?

You guys had me for a Few minutes... funny stuff.


Mark...

 

[philthyphil]

Agreed Rustoleum and I have done a lot together. I was just surprised how easy the wrench took it off.

Mark W,

Always good to read your sarcasm, and ridiculous remarks. This is actually a serious question I have because I just went from alloy wheels to black steelies. My truck spends 100% of its time in the backcountry so I really don't know what you're trying to get at. I work hard for my money and I like my stuff to look and function well. Is there a problem with that? I think more people in this country should take pride in what they do and own. Your location says Greatland, where exactly is that anyway?

 

[Mark W]

What I am" trying to get at" is that is seems silly and absurd to me to worry about painting lugnuts. I thought that was obvious?

It serves no functional purpose and any paint you put on there will be messed up the first time you put a lug wrench on to remove or install or even do your regular checks anyway. If it matters that much that your lug nuts are pretty on your 100% back country rig, then a set of good quality chrome covered ones will stand up to the lug wrench a lot better than any paint (chrome really does have functional purpose sometimes).

The name "Alaska" is derived from the Aleut word which means "Greatland" or "Great land" That is where exactly I am.

Taking pride in ownership is pretty cool... not sure what tire cleaner, painted lug nuts and the like on 100% back country rigs has to do with that though. It is not as if a lugnut that is not color matched is something to be embarrassed over. At least not in the circles that I hit the trails with.


Mark...

 

[Mace]

But I like LED underbody lights.....


And to the OP, go down and buy some standard, non chrome acorn lugnuts. Painting chrome is a waste of time.

 

[SCSPerformance]

Your best bet is to spend a little money, ~$30, and order up a set of black chrome.

 

[FJ40-GARAGE]

Bevore you get into the exhausting process of painting your nuts.

You may have a look for a set of:
Nut Lug Covers

http://www.ebay.com/itm/370501623328?fits=Make:Chevrolet&item=370501623328

 

[dontblink]

I really don't know what you're trying to get at.

Sounds like someone woke up on the wrong side of the igloo.

I'll be painting my wheels tomorrow, and I think I'm going to paint right over the lug nuts.

 

[climber8483]

Spray paint, just like when you scratch your rig, it's just a simple spray to get it looking "fresh" again. I use whatever is cheapest, I think it's the ACE branded pro/industrial enamel. I've never done my wheels because honestly I've never even thought/worried about it. Hell, I think my lug nuts are half chrome and half the plain steel replacements. The local BLM brush truck has theirs all blacked out and they just use Rustoleum and touch them up every now and then.

HPTH,

Brittain