nbd13

Hey everyone,

I was wondering can you paint chrome wheels? I would like to paint them gloss black, but now sure if you can paint chrome wheels and the proper way to do it?

Can someone shed some light on the subject of painting chrome wheels the proper way.

Thanks,

Nick

157dB

Why?
Sell,em and get black rims.
Or have them powdercoated.
You will have to blast all the chrome off,
then prime and paint them. You can't even
rough up chrome and get paint to stick permanently.

A search of Google produced these results:

Chrome does not "wet" at all, so must be completely removed.
And under that is nickel plating, and copper plating, and maybe
electroless nickel plating--and none of them are good for painting onto.
Your plan will probably work after a fashion, but if you can align yourself
with a plating shop who can strip the wheels you might be better off.

Chrome cannot be painted. However, a light sandblasting will remove the chrome and leave the underlying nickel slightly roughened. Some powder coaters have reported good success in powder coating items after this light blasting.

deekum1627

you can paint anythgin but it has to be prepared right

illin

You cannot paint over chrome. You will need to have them dechromed first (chemical and electrical process). I tried bead blasting chrome off before and it is a royal mess and VERY slow process.

Dechroming a wheel should not cost must (maybe $50 a wheel).

Dont try to paint or powder over them as is...it will come off within days of use (if you can even get the tire mounted unscathed).

deekum1627

i didnt think it would be a problom but if thats the case sell them and get new ones

OEWheelsLance

I think it would be easier and more cost effective to sell them and buy new ones. Especially if the chrome was maintained properly. But I agree, if you are going to go though all of that work to paint them, powder coating is the correct way to finish a wheel.

wingman75

Your asking for a big headache and less than perfect results. You will end up unhappy and buying new ones anyway and you will not be able to sell the ruined rims.

clintster77

spray on truck bed liner . Have not tried but I assume it sticks to anything (Try at your own risk) Tell me how it comes out or I will tell you how my chrome bumper on my 81 buick comes out . I'm going to try it within the year (if I make it that far)
Someone stop me If you have any info.

pascal

The idea of chroming is to have a smooth shinny surface that will not allow anything to stick to it, and this from day one.

So no, paint will not stay long at all on chrome.
$50 minimum per wheel, is what it'll cost to have them stripped.
Then, you have to prep and paint and next thing you know, buying new rims will be cheaper.

I don't advise this, unless you're doing something totally custom...

For the bed liner thing, I believe they spray that stuff hot in order to get it embedded in the paint after having it rendered soft...
Good luck trying to soften nickel/copper and other metal... I'd be skeptical if that works.

clintster77

I brushed the bumper with a wire wheel and sand paper so much that the copper is showing through a bit. Hope that would give it some adhesion . I was going to use the diy kind . It's not the hot kind. you have me worried now though..