Do I Need To Sand Steelies Before Painting?

**imported_Hulk311** · 03-07-2023, 12:47 PM

I bought five 16" steelies for my Ford Bronco and would like to paint them black.

According to Chris Fix, a famous youtuber, he recommends sanding the steel wheels first before painting them in this video:

How to Paint the Wheels on your Car - YouTube

However, the steelies I bought are take off wheels that someone used for only 50 miles before upgrading their wheels, they weren`t painted.

I am attaching some photos of the wheels so you can see what shape they are in.

Do I really need to sand them first before applying primer and matte black paint? Or can I skip sanding them?

Bonus question:

Can I use Rust-Oleum 249088 Painter`s Touch 2X Ultra Cover as primer
Amazon.com

and can I use Rust-Oleum Black BlackRust-Oleum Automotive 251574 11-Ounce Trim and Bumper Spray, Matte to paint them?
Amazon.com

About how many cans of each product to cover five 16" rims?

**Ron Ketcham** · 03-07-2023, 03:31 PM

Must be clean and sanded!!! Then primer and then the paint applied. 320 is sufficent for sanding. I recommend using Duplicolor primer and their paint. 2 cans od each should be enough.

**Accumulator** · 03-07-2023, 05:34 PM

imported_Hulk311- Per usual, "what Ketch said".

Some prep chemicals like Rust Bullet`s Metal Blast and/or self-etching primers *supposedly* etch the existing paint well enough for primer adhesion, but I can`t bring myself to trust that.

**Ron Ketcham** · 03-07-2023, 05:43 PM

For such as this project, I use Duplicolor`s acid etch primer as it is not only a primer but also functions as an ecoat replacement, provides more corrosion resistance as well.

**Bert** · 03-08-2023, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by imported_Hulk311

I bought five 16" steelies for my Ford Bronco and would like to paint them black.

According to Chris Fix, a famous youtuber, he recommends sanding the steel wheels first before painting them in this video:

How to Paint the Wheels on your Car - YouTube

However, the steelies I bought are take off wheels that someone used for only 50 miles before upgrading their wheels, they weren`t painted.

I am attaching some photos of the wheels so you can see what shape they are in.

Do I really need to sand them first before applying primer and matte black paint? Or can I skip sanding them?

Bonus question:

Can I use Rust-Oleum 249088 Painter`s Touch 2X Ultra Cover as primer
Amazon.com

and can I use Rust-Oleum Black BlackRust-Oleum Automotive 251574 11-Ounce Trim and Bumper Spray, Matte to paint them?
Amazon.com

About how many cans of each product to cover five 16" rims?

Ron Ketcham and Accumulator are far more qualified than I to say this but I believe sanding the wheels before painting is more to scuff the surface to ensure the paint will stick to the surface than to "fix" the wheels so whether the wheels are in great condition is really not a factor when considering whether to sand the wheels.

**Accumulator** · 03-08-2023, 12:20 PM

I can`t help but think about this option, if only because I have a place nearby that`d do it right at a low cost: what about having them abrasive-blasted? That`d give you a prepped surface that should only need wiped down with your precleaning solvent.

**Accumulator** · 03-08-2023, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by Ron Ketcham

For such as this project, I use Duplicolor`s acid etch primer as it ... functions as an ecoat replacement, provides more corrosion resistance as well.

That "ecoat replacement" got my attention, must be mighty good primer for you to say that.

**Bert** · 03-08-2023, 12:21 PM

Ron, I noticed you liked my post so does that mean I am correct that sanding is 99.9999% for paint adhesion rather than wheel reconditioning?

**imported_Hulk311** · 03-08-2023, 08:33 PM

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I`m also thinking about getting them powdercoated. I called a couple of shops nearby and they both are charging $125 per wheel.

I`m worried that if I do paint them and use a touchless car wash, sooner or later the high pressure nozzles will damage the paint. Some of those nozzles shoot out water at a very high pressure.

If I do get them powdercoated should I go with matte, gloss or semi-gloss? The wheels are going on a 2022 white 4 door Ford Bronco. What do you guys think?

**Ron Ketcham** · 03-09-2023, 11:42 AM

Yes.

**Bert** · 03-10-2023, 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by imported_Hulk311

If I do get them powdercoated should I go with matte, gloss or semi-gloss? The wheels are going on a 2022 white 4 door Ford Bronco. What do you guys think?

Without seeing your Bronco, can`t say for sure. Would Gloss draw too much attention to the wheels and distract from the rest of the paint? Granted, I`m not big on flashy wheels like many are so maybe my opinion is not what you are looking for in this instance.

**Accumulator** · 03-10-2023, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by imported_Hulk311

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I`m also thinking about getting them powdercoated. I called a couple of shops nearby and they both are charging $125 per wheel.

I`m worried that if I do paint them and use a touchless car wash, sooner or later the high pressure nozzles will damage the paint. Some of those nozzles shoot out water at a very high pressure.

If I do get them powdercoated should I go with matte, gloss or semi-gloss? The wheels are going on a 2022 white 4 door Ford Bronco. What do you guys think?

SOrta-random thoughts follow:

- I`m not knocking the powdercoating, but remember that it won`t touch up the way paint will (or...at least "can")
- Hight gloss black wheels show marring something awful, and correcting powdercoating is borderline futile IME
- It`s a personal preference thing, but I myself would go satin or semi as matte/flat black wheels aren`t something *I* would want. But that`s just me..
- I wouldn`t expect a touchless to mess with a properly painted wheel, but OK most anything`s possible and if the paint gets chipped it`s be more likely

Oh, and remember that powdercoating is only as good as the person who does it. And I`ve had a lot of professionally powdercoated things need redone (at least once), even when the work was done by shops with good reputations. Lotsa variables in play...

**Ron Ketcham** · 03-10-2023, 06:46 PM

Dupli-Color produces both a gloss clear and a satin clear to apply over the selected base color chosen. This provides a very robust finish, that when correctly applied produces a finish which is very close to OEM finishes, Without the selected clear, may allow the base color to be negatively affected by cleaning chemicals.