Painting Plastic Wheel Covers

[JohnGunn]

The wheel covers on my new 1994 Aspire have some of their silver coating scrapped off. What can I use to either touch up those areas or completely repaint them?

Thanks for any help.

John Gunn
Coronado, CA

[wybnrml]

I used Dupli-Color High Performance Wheel Coating on my steel wheels but the can says it can be used on plastic wheel covers also. So far the paint has held up really well. They only had one shade of Silver and it has a light metallic in it.

[JohnGunn]

Thanks, wybnrml. In researching this question I saw how nice your wheels turned out.

Since the paint you used works on plastic, I'll definitely check out the color. From your pictures, it looks close enough.

Where does one find Dupli-color paint?

John Gunn
Coronado, CA

[wybnrml]

I got mine at NAPA but Autozone and Advance Autoparts carry it also.

[Festiva Time]

I just used regular Krylon on chromed plastic wheel cover. It changed them from obvious fake looking "rims", to a "custom rim" look! The paint has held up very well after a year.

Paint the whole wheel cover, then add any "touches". Touching up just does not work well.

Stay away from any paint that says it's like chrome, it can not be created. Chrome is super smooth, paint is made of course pigments. It won't even work for touch up.

[stevewl1164]

How can you make sure the paint will stand up to the heat generated by the brakes? Is there prep work needed other than cleaning them real well and letting them dry? Does painting them make them more likely to warp from the heat?

[Britstiva]

First thing, make sure you sand them smooth!! You will have to use a fine grit sand paper on them no matter what.

Then I'd suggest either the Dupli-color mentioned above or rustoleum.

[crazyrog17]

I used the cheapest brand metallic paint at my local ACE Hardware. I know it was just over $2 a can... Looks pretty awesome on my girlfriend's 323. Her steelies and caps are shinier than anything else on the car, haha.

[JohnGunn]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I've gone from thinking I might get by just touch them up to believing, with a little more effort, I can turn them into something I can admire and be proud of.

Of course, before and after pictures here when I get them finished.

John Gunn
Coronado, CA

[Charlie1717]

How can you make sure the paint will stand up to the heat generated by the brakes? Is there prep work needed other than cleaning them real well and letting them dry? Does painting them make them more likely to warp from the heat?

When I sprayed my steelies I got some regular semi gloss black Rustoleum brand spary paint. Which was not meant for high heat and I've never had issues with heat (I even had a dragging brake for a while!) But it has held up very well and looks good and I didn't even prep the rims so with some prep they can look very good