What color to paint steel wheels

[Sebulba]

Hello All,

Well we are a bit rested up from our 14 hour a day driving for the beet harvest in Minnesota and back to work on the rig.

As you may know I got new snazzy steer tires and now I was looking at dressing up the old steel wheels that have some rust and have been painted multiple times.  I just used engine de-greaser and scrubbed up one pretty good.  I plan on using some rust eliminator on some areas, but this one doesn't look too bad.

Wondering what you think about paint.  I was going to use rattle can paint, maybe the Rustoleum Hammered in White.  I remember a discussion at one time and someone said that the classic white looks the best and that is what they are now.

Just looking for opinions.

Thanks

Seb

[chessie4905]

there are places that recondition commercial wheels cleaned and repainted, used to bee reasonable. check with service mgr at bus company or cintas and see who they send them to. there also some places that clean them up and powder coat.

[Sebulba]

there are places that recondition commercial wheels cleaned and repainted, used to bee reasonable. check with service mgr at bus company or cintas and see who they send them to. there also some places that clean them up and powder coat.

Yup, that would be nice, just not an option now.  I may see if I can find a couple wheels to do that with.  We live and travel full time, so for now, the rattle can option is going to have to work.

Thanks

Seb

[Van]

Bolt em' up
https://youtu.be/N3gFpBPFhuQ

[oltrunt]

I used Rustoleum white on my bus wheels but only because the original wheels were white.  It takes a bit of luv to keep 'em looking good.

On both my Tahoe and Suburban (both fire dept cast offs) I wanted to keep the original look of the HD steel wheels.  I used Dupli-cplor engine enamel Aluminum #1615 which is an exact match for the original silver.  The 1615 hold up better than the Rustoleum and with its semi gloss finish is more forgiving of touch up. I should add that I used the 1615 on the steel grill of my bus and after 12 years it still looks fine.  Jack

[Sebulba]

I used Rustoleum white on my bus wheels but only because the original wheels were white.  It takes a bit of luv to keep 'em looking good.

On both my Tahoe and Suburban (both fire dept cast offs) I wanted to keep the original look of the HD steel wheels.  I used Dupli-cplor engine enamel Aluminum #1615 which is an exact match for the original silver.  The 1615 hold up better than the Rustoleum and with its semi gloss finish is more forgiving of touch up. I should add that I used the 1615 on the steel grill of my bus and after 12 years it still looks fine.  Jack

Ok, good info. 

Thanks

[Sebulba]

Bolt em' up
https://youtu.be/N3gFpBPFhuQ

Ok, that's interesting

Seb

[richard5933]

I painted the wheels on my 4108 white.

First they were sanded and prepped, then coated with an etching epoxy primer. Prep takes lots longer than the actual painting.

After the epoxy primer, I went with Duplicolor Wheel White paint. It went on well and dried quickly to a really nice finish.

I had tried to use their clear coat over the top of the Wheel White, but over about 6 months it developed an off-color to it. Sanded off the clear and re-coated with the Wheel White and it stayed looking great.

[Jim Blackwood]

I wouldn't use a hammertone paint. It will collect dirt in the pockets.

Jim

[Sebulba]

I painted the wheels on my 4108 white.

First they were sanded and prepped, then coated with an etching epoxy primer. Prep takes lots longer than the actual painting.

After the epoxy primer, I went with Duplicolor Wheel White paint. It went on well and dried quickly to a really nice finish.

I had tried to use their clear coat over the top of the Wheel White, but over about 6 months it developed an off-color to it. Sanded off the clear and re-coated with the Wheel White and it stayed looking great.

Thanks, yes prep is the real job.

Seb

[Sebulba]

I wouldn't use a hammertone paint. It will collect dirt in the pockets.

Jim

Hmmm, that is something to consider.

Thought of using that since the surface won't be perfect.

Thanks

Seb

[windtrader]

Bolt em' up
https://youtu.be/N3gFpBPFhuQ

Very cool and surely illegal as hell. With elections knocking on the door, you could have great fun promoting your fav. pols. lol

[richard5933]

Hmmm, that is something to consider.

Thought of using that since the surface won't be perfect.

Thanks

Seb

Perfection isn't the goal, at least it wasn't for me. The wheels came from the factory with surface defects, pitting, etc. For me the goal was getting the surface clean, free of rust, and properly prepped to accept the paint and have it stay put.

The surface imperfections are not visible from a standing height - you have to get down on your haunches to see them - as long as the prep is correct and results in the color coat staying put and rust not coming through.

[Runcutter]

When I was the AGM at a transit system in the early 80's, we started a wheel painting campaign.  The GM's statement was that a bus with clean, white wheels would always look clean, whether or not the rest of the bus had some dirt.  A clean bus, with dirty wheels would always look dirty.

Picture the bus on the left with dirty or dark painted wheels.  They used to be blue.  While transitioning to the new paint scheme on the right, all old paints went through the wheel campaign, a quick way to brighten up the fleet. Even though they're a little dirty, white made a difference.  The bus on the right was the new paint scheme.



Arthur

[Iceni John]

At a recent bus get-together one of the other attendees gave me a good tip for painting wheels with their tires still mounted.   He said to go to your local dollar store, buy several packs of playing cards (one pack needed per wheel), stick them between rim and tire overlapping them to prevent overspray between them, then have at it with your aerosol spray paint of choice.   Will it look like a professional paint job  -  of course not, but if it's a 20/20 paint job it may be good enough.   (A 20/20 paint job looks good from 20 feet away or when driving past at 20 mph!)

John