sonk76 said:
They would be fine, until you hit it with a pressure washer or scrub rush. Not sanding or anything does not give the paint anything to adhere to. It would be like wrapping your rims with Saran Wrap without sanding or priming.
Rim color question?
- Thread starter srkpaco
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
They would be fine, until you hit it with a pressure washer or scrub rush. Not sanding or anything does not give the paint anything to adhere to. It would be like wrapping your rims with Saran Wrap without sanding or priming.
2000UZJ said:
Makes sense.
So what is the best single spray solution once the prep is done (I.e., if I want to avoid separate primer vs paint via clear coat, etc.). I'm thinking of the inevitable touch up and want to be able to just sand a little and spray again to cover.
Am I asking for something that doesn't exist?
I do want the paint to survive power washing, etc. So sounds like I will do the prep work.
sonk76 said:
Sand the entire wheel with 250 grit sand paper. Move up to 400. Shoot a coat of dark grey primer on it and then whatever color you want over it. If the top coat chips it will be less noticeable if you use a dark primer.
Wheel painting
Ok, I went the duplicolor route as well.
Here are a couple of pictures:
1) Before -- you can see the trail love
2) After "prep" -- the clean-up took me ~5 hours for a single wheel! I used combination of paint stripper, wire brush on drill, sand paper, plastic chisel, angle grinder -- Took of all the paint, and black primer underneath to have the alloy fully exposed.
3) After 3 layers of Duplicolor
I look forward to seeing the result in day light tomorrow...
I don't look forward to doing the other 4 tires...
Ok, I went the duplicolor route as well.
Here are a couple of pictures:
1) Before -- you can see the trail love
2) After "prep" -- the clean-up took me ~5 hours for a single wheel! I used combination of paint stripper, wire brush on drill, sand paper, plastic chisel, angle grinder -- Took of all the paint, and black primer underneath to have the alloy fully exposed.
3) After 3 layers of Duplicolor
I look forward to seeing the result in day light tomorrow...
I don't look forward to doing the other 4 tires...
That looks great! I have no idea why this is taking you 5 hours a wheel. If you use the aircraft paint thinner in the pic I posted earlier, all you have to do is brush it on, wait 20 minutes and scrape the paint off. By the 2nd application, you are finished. Don't go light on the stuff. Get a thick gooey coat on there.
I wonder if it has to do with the way the '06-'07 LX wheels are finished (not sure anyone else has refinished them.) They appear to have a clear coat + paint + black primer (+ possibly some stuff under the black primer, not sure if it is part of it.)
I've seen videos online with folks applying this stuff and the paint just coming off. That is simply NOT happening with my wheels. It takes many, many applications (I've tried thick/thin, short wait, long-wait, medium-wait), but in all cases it is not coming off easy.
It is clear that it is helping, but you can't just scoop the paint off as I've seen some do on youtube.
sonk, what color did you go with?
It also looks like the material under the OEM finish is different than what I had on mine. Looks smother almost polished....Interesting....
It probably just looks polished from the HOURS of polishing and scrubbing I did to get the layers of paint off
My 06 wheels took 4 coats of paint hinner and still didnt get everything off, even after another 20 minutes or so per wheel with wire brush. The old stuff is on there pretty solid.
Redi-Strip Company for Paint Stripping, De-Rusting and Degreasing in the Chicagoland Area
This is a location in Chicago, but most larger markets have one. I have found them to be remarkably inexpensive. They're certainly cost-effective vs. hours per wheel to strip! They use an alkaline stripping method (rather than acid), and it cleans the entire part.
I once took them a gas tank out of an 80 that I thought might not be salvageable......no hyperbole, when I got it back, I could've sworn they pulled a new tank out of the factory box and gave it to me! YMMV, but our local stripper is fast, effective, and cheap.....
This is a location in Chicago, but most larger markets have one. I have found them to be remarkably inexpensive. They're certainly cost-effective vs. hours per wheel to strip! They use an alkaline stripping method (rather than acid), and it cleans the entire part.
I once took them a gas tank out of an 80 that I thought might not be salvageable......no hyperbole, when I got it back, I could've sworn they pulled a new tank out of the factory box and gave it to me! YMMV, but our local stripper is fast, effective, and cheap.....
Finished product
Finally, one side of the truck is done (other still work in progress.) At least I'm getting a preview of what it will look like.
Finally, one side of the truck is done (other still work in progress.) At least I'm getting a preview of what it will look like.
^ Awesome.
Is there any way to do this if my blinging lexus came with some chrome rims?
As a faster option for those who can stand less than perfect wheels without stripping, I've had great luck with just a 'NYALOX' wheel, mask and spray job. The nyalox wheel is nice as it's a nylon composite bristle with aluminum oxide grit (leaves no steel beded into your aluminum wheels to rust later). It cleans and preps in one step if most of your factory paint is intact. My steel tacoma wheels were all beat up and rock rashed so I removed the weights, hammered them straight, hit them with the nyalox, masked the tires and valve stems, and painted. I was thinking it would be quick, cheap, and easily touched up. I used a Rustolem Engine enamel in 'low gloss black'. A year + later and the tacoma wheels have held up great so I just did the 16" LC wheels the same way. I do have a nic or two that is visible if you look close but they look 100% better than the pitted peeling mess I had before and match my WK sliders. Did the LC wheels in just a few evenings a pair at a time then just dropped it off for a balance and rotation and hit the trail.
Cheap, clean, easy touch up and will match armor as it's added.
Cheap, clean, easy touch up and will match armor as it's added.
Last edited:
18 inch rims on my 05 lexus
I think you would need to have the chrome stripped by a metal finishing shop and that would probably cost more than a set of new aftermarket or used OEM wheels. Chrome is nasty stuff once dissolved in solution and the environmental costs alone for the shop are sky high. Chrome is used because its hard and holds up to just about everything which sucks if you want it gone.
There is a set of non-chrome Lexus 18"s on Dallas Craigslist for $250 including center caps and lug nuts. Make a road trip, then sell the chrome wheels...
Lexus LX 470 Wheels