How Long Does Alloy Wheel Paint Take To Dry

How to Paint Car Wheels

past Elan McAfee on

March 04, 2016

While there are many ways to update the look of your vehicle, 1 method that is often overlooked is painting the wheels. It is far cheaper and simpler than changing the entire color of your car or truck, and it tin assist differentiate your vehicle from the sea of similar makes and models on the road. This is a job that can be achieved at home with a picayune work over a weekend or any other fourth dimension yous do non demand to drive for a couple of days since you will demand to remove the wheels from your car or truck in social club to paint them.

Painting your wheels is a relatively inexpensive way to achieve self-expression or switch upward the look of your vehicle, merely you can't just utilise any pigment to do the job. Merely utilize pigment that is designated for wheels then that your hard work volition final without it chipping or flaking under rough atmospheric condition, such as driving through tough terrain and the elements. In the long run, it's worth paying a few actress dollars for the proper product to ensure your newly painted wheels retain their fresh await over time. Here is how to paint your car wheels:

person loosening lug nuts

How to pigment your car wheels

Get together the correct materials - To begin painting your motorcar wheels, yous will need the following: Jack lift (a jack elevator also comes with the car), Jack stands, and a Tire tool.

Tip: If you would like to remove all of your wheels and paint them at once, y'all volition need 4 jacks or blocks to suspend the vehicle in the air and forbid damage from the ground.
Loosen the lug nuts - With a tire tool, utilize a counterclockwise rotation to loosen the lug nuts.

Warning: Practise not completely remove the lug basics at this point. You will want to do this after lifting the car with to avoid the tire coming off and the car falling.
Lift the car with a jack - Utilize a jack lift to raise the tire past at least 1-2 inches from the ground.
Remove the lug nuts - Utilize a counter-clockwise rotation with your tire tool to completely remove the lug nuts.

Tip: Place the lug nuts somewhere where they won't roll away and where you can hands find them later.
Remove the tire - Pull the tire off of your vehicle in a smoothen outward motion using both hands, leaving the jack in identify.
Wash your wheel - To thoroughly launder your bike and tire, you volition need the following materials: Bucket, Degreaser, Drop cloth or tarp, Balmy detergent (such as dish lather), Sponge or cloth, and Water.
Set lather and water - Mix soap and warm water in a container using 1 parts soap for every 4 parts of water.
Clean the wheel - Wash off whatever dirt and debris from both the wheel and the tire with a sponge or material and the soapy mix. Rinse with water and repeat on the contrary side.
Apply degreaser - This production ensures y'all remove more than stubborn particles, such equally brake dust and heavy buildups of grease or dirt. Apply a wheel and tire degreaser to one side of the wheel according to the particular product'south instructions and and so rinse. Echo this stride on the other side of the wheel.
Let the tire air dry - Allow your tire to air dry on a clean drop material or tarp with the side you wish to paint up.
Gear up your wheel for painting - To fairly prepare your wheel for painting, you lot volition need the following: ane,000-grit sandpaper, Cloth, Mineral spirits, and Water.
Sanding - Using the i,000-grit sandpaper, sand off whatsoever rust or uneven existing paint. You may or may not reveal the metallic beneath whatever previous paint or finishing. Run your fingers across the surface to check for it to feel smooth without any obvious bumps or nicks that may mar the appearance of your final product.

Tip: If painting a cycle that has spokes or similar details, you will need to prep and paint both sides of the bicycle for an even advent.
Rinse the bike - Rinse off the resulting grit and dust with water and liberally apply mineral spirits to your wheel using a cloth. The mineral spirits will remove whatever oils that could interfere with the smooth application of your paint. Rinse again with water and let the wheel to thoroughly air dry.

Warning: Mineral spirits can cause irritation on your pare. If you have sensitive skin, wear plastic gloves to protect your easily.
Use primer paint - Before getting started with the primer painting, be certain you have the following: Drop cloth or tarp, Masking tape, Newspaper (optional), and Primer spray.
Use masking record - Place your tire on a drop cloth or tarp and put masking tape on the surfaces surrounding the cycle where you desire to paint. You may also cover your tire's condom with newspaper to protect information technology from accidentally getting some primer spray on it.
Spray primer on the rim - Spray enough primer to evenly coat the surface for the first coat. Apply at least three coats in full, allowing 10-15 minutes of drying time between coats and 30 minutes of drying time after the final coat. For intricate bicycle designs, such as spokes, utilise primer to the opposite side of the wheel also.
Thoroughly shake upward your pigment can - This will mix the pigment and separate clumps inside so that the pigment is more easily sprayed.
Spray the start glaze - Continuing to piece of work on a drop cloth or tarp, spray a thin glaze of paint onto your cycle's surface, so let it to dry for 10-xv minutes earlier moving forward. By applying thin coats of paint, you foreclose dripping, which can mar the appearance of your paint task and nullify your efforts to improve the aesthetics of your wheel.
Use additional coats of paint - Utilize at least two coats of pigment to the forepart side (and reverse side, if applicable), allowing x-fifteen minutes of drying time between coats and xxx minutes after your final coat.

Tip: Refer to your paint brand'south instructions for the platonic number of coats for the best coverage on your wheel. Most recommend 3-four coats of pigment.
Spray a clear coat and identify the wheel back on - Before spraying a articulate coat, get together your Clear protection paint, and a Tire tool.
Apply protection coating - Spray a sparse coat of articulate coat to your painted surface to protect the color from fading or chipping over time. Repeat until you take three coats and permit ten-15 minutes to dry out between coats.

Tip: You should also apply clear coating the inside of your wheels if you applied new paint in that location too.
Allow fourth dimension for air dry - After applying the final coat and waiting 10-15 minutes, allow your pigment task to dry undisturbed for approximately 24 hours. When the bicycle is fully dry, carefully remove the masking record from around the bicycle.
Place the wheel back on vehicle - Place your bicycle(s) back on its hub and tighten the lug basics using your tire tool.

Painting your stock wheels tin create a custom appearance for your vehicle at a relatively low price. If you would like to have this done on your vehicle, you may opt to consult a professional to exercise the job for yous. This may be a bit more costly, but with college quality on your final product. If you lot are willing to give this a shot yourself, painting your wheels can exist satisfying and fun if you lot follow the proper steps.

The statements expressed above are just for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please encounter our terms of service for more details

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