wheel paint?

GoldenMotor.com

mikeadamstattoo

New Member
Jan 6, 2010
17
0
0
detroit, mi
i want to paint my wheels red. (i love a red wheel with white walled tire combo) but im wondering if any of you have done it and what youve used. i know appliance epoxy works good for wheels, but thats usually black or white, (or cream).

possibly a red engine enamel?
 

POPS

Member
Sep 8, 2008
310
0
16
Vancouver Island BC .Canada
Years ago you used to be able to buy mag wheel tint in hot rod shops.

You could get it in most any color.

Sort of gave it a candy apple look as you could still see the chrome threw the color.

Might still be out there somewhere but I warn you it is a real*^#@ to take off again

so choose your color well if you can find some...POPS
 

azbill

Active Member
May 18, 2008
3,358
5
38
64
Fountain Hills, Arizona
on my heavy-duty Husky coaster wheel, I scuffed the chrome with 220 wet/dry paper until the shine was all gone,
then painted with dupli-color engine enamel (satin finish)
as it is a brand new wheel, I didn't dis-assemble it ...I taped all 36 12ga spokes !!!
I was trying to match my front drum brake wheel :)
 

FileStyle

New Member
May 27, 2008
719
7
0
Decatur,IL
one good thing to use if considering painting rim is to use straws to cover spokes, split lke a hot dog bun and wrap your spoke. tape other end near hub to keep straw in place. it makes for easier painting without the overspray everywhere! maybe the easiest would be is to remove spokes and hub! personally I never have removed all spokes from one yet.
 
Nov 23, 2009
189
3
18
Lakeland, FL
Has anyone painted the hub, wheel AND spokes while it's all together? I'm thinking of getting a disc brake hub for the front of my bike and I've got black hubs and wheels right now. Probably wind up getting that drum brake from Husky. I'd love to paint it all black, both front and rear. Anyone done it? How does it last? I'm thinking a semi black or something like that. Any info is appreciated.

thanks !
 

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
people that steal bikes paint them like that. they usually paint part of the tire, too.

the paint will flake off the spokes, and the hubs always look crappy because you can't get around the spokes without laying it on thick, so there's runs.

the easiest way to paint the rims only, is to tape the nipples (or straws should work, good idea!) take off the tires, then put the rim on your bike, tape off the forks, spin the wheel really fast and hold the can in one place, and paint the rim as it spins.
 

BarelyAWake

New Member
Jul 21, 2009
7,194
21
0
Maine
the easiest way to paint the rims only, is to tape the nipples (or straws should work, good idea!) take off the tires, then put the rim on your bike, tape off the forks, spin the wheel really fast and hold the can in one place, and paint the rim as it spins.
O.O

OMFG that's brilliant! If I hadn't needed to relace anyway I'd be pissed that I hadn't thought of that before I painted my rims lol

Good 'un (^)
 

rkorson4209

New Member
Oct 10, 2009
250
0
0
michigan
I think dupli colors engine enamel is a really good paint for wheels, as it has ceramic in it and comes out very durable, and really glossy. It's also really easy to use. If you look around this site you will see alot of ppl use it. Some painting the whole bike in it.
 
Nov 23, 2009
189
3
18
Lakeland, FL
Ha! I've got lots of engine paint that I was wondering what I was going to do with! Now I know, build bikes!

On a side note, rather than use the entire bike, couldn't you just mount the wheel in an old front fork? With all the aftermarket springers floating around, I'm sure there's a glut in the "plain ol' two-tube front forks" around here! I know I've got at least one "take-off". A lot easier than holding the whole bike up too!
 

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
yeah, you could. i meant with the bike flipped upside down, that's the way i did it last, but the bike didn't have a motor. if you did that with an MB, the fuel would leak out of the carb bowl, and out of your cap if it's a crappy one...
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
I'm not trying to be a smart a** but have you tried, 'wheel paint'. Check your auto parts store for wheel paint. It's made for wheels (rims) and comes in colors. It stands up well to road rash and covers nicely. It is not super glossy so if you want shine, overspray with a compatible clear coat.
Tom
 
Last edited:
Nov 23, 2009
189
3
18
Lakeland, FL
WHEEL PAINT!!!????

You sure it'll work?

Okay, now I am the one being smart. Actually, I hadn't thought of that, didn't know such a think existed. Also, we had a self-etching primer that we used in the body shop years ago by DuPont. I wonder if there's anything like that in a spray can? It was pretty gnarly stuff, we mixed in an acid as a base to help make it stick. The only way to removed it was to remove some of what was under it.