How can I paint my wheels?

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xhaust50

New member
I'm looking to paint the wheels on my talon. They are etched in spots, and the color is slightly off on one. It was probably replaced by the previous owner. Anyway, I've never done this before and couldn't find much on it in a search, so he was my rough plan:



1. Clean wheels with an APC.

2. Sand wheels with (?) grit sandpaper.

3. Spray wheels with 2 coats of primer.

4. Spray wheels with several coats of wheel/engine paint.

5. Spray wheels with several coats of clearcoat.



Questions:



Does this plan look alright? What grit sandpaper should I use? And how long should I wait between clearcoating the wheels and putting them back on the car where they will be exposed to the heat of the brakes? Thanks.
 
The other, easier option, would be to have them bead blasted by a shop, and then paint them yourself. It will probably come out better anyways.
 
Thanks for the responses. This car is a beater so I'm not going to take it to anyone, just want to see what I can do.



Still curious about how long I should let the wheels dry for before I put them back on the car, and also if I can use a sealant immediately afterwards or if I have to wait. Lastly, after the wheels are painted is it okay to use a wheel cleaner when needed or should I keep it to regular car wash soap? Thanks.
 
I painted wheels before with a can of spray paint. Just, remove the wheel from the car, wash it real good with a nice harsh soap or solvent. Wet sand with 500 grit to smooth out any imperfections and rough up the surface for paint and mask the tire real well. Spray on a light mist coat and let it dry a minute until it's tacky and almost dry and then spray on 2-3 more coats and you are done. If you want more shine, spray on a clear coat. I know what you mean about not wanting to invest too much, afterall, you can get some decent used take off wheels with new tires from a new car for a few hundred bucks if all goes horribly wrong.
 
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