Painting Rims?

[300SDude]

I would really like to re-paint the wheels on my 116 this winter while I have her put away. They look kind of shabby and the lug bolts could use to be replace from being rusty and such.

Have any of you repainted your wheels, and if so, what did you use? I was talking to someone on the other forum a while back, but can't seem to find the thread. He had purchased something that was specifically for MB wheels. I remember everyone saying DO NOT JUST PRIMER THEM! It's the wrong shade and they will look bad.

So, if any of you have any suggestions or tips, I would love them. I am also planning on getting new tires this Spring. Should I have the tires put on the rims and balanced before or after I paint them? (They will attach weights to the outside to balance them).

Thanks,
300SDude

 

[Oversize]

Paint em with two pack BEFORE fitting tyres. The wheels should be free of weights and valves. Make sure the surface is perfectly clean and dry. I'm not a painter, but I'd say if the surface is very glossy, you may need an etch primer, or some other treatment. If the old paint is peeling, you may need to blast strip the wheels. Bi carb soda might be more suitable than beads, so the wheels aren't damaged. But I would be concerned about a chemical reaction, or remaining residue that might stop the new paint from sticking. Find a tyre shop that you trust won't damage the surface when the tyres are fitted and balanced. Only use painted wheel weights (Wurth) as they won't corrode and damage the paint. Hope this helps. I'll be doing the same job shortly....

 

[300SDude]

My wheels themselves aren't really pealing. They are more dirty than anything. The bolts on the other hand are pealing and starting to be rusty, so they kind of look like crap.

What I would really like is a chromed set like these:


But they want close to $500 and I trade them my original rims to boot.

That's a little more than I am wanting to spend right now. I do like my original rims as well, they just need some sprucing-up to match the new paint job. Kind of like getting a new suit, but you still have on your old pair of tennis shoes.

The paint that is on them is semi-shiny. I have never really "worked" that hard on them when I wash it, for the tires on it are trash, so I haven't devoted that much time to it.

I have noticed that when I do wash them, there is brake dust and road grime on them that washes off the top layer, but the person that had it before me I doubt EVER cleaned the wheels while it was in his possession. (The car was obviously an outside car most of it's life by the way the paint and interior looked when I got it.

There is black, caked-on brake and road grime around the lip of the circumference where the valve is, that seems almost impossible to clean off.

I haven't ever taken the wheels off this car in the 2 years I have owned it. Maybe I will pop one off here this week and see what I can do to clean one up in my basement where it is warm, lol.

I also saw where someone had hand-painted the center cap star (leaving the star silver, but painting the background dark). It actually looked quite nice from a distance and kind of set the wheels off rather nicely.

Thanks for your input Oversize, it is appreciated.

300SDude

 

[Styria]

Hey Dude, nice, shiny and well kept rims play an important role in the overall appearance of your car - never mind the tennis shoes. In Australia, with the yuppies, they're all the fashion, even if dirty - you know, matching discolouring and holes in jeans so designed.

The price of $500.00 you're quoting for chrome plating is actually very reasonable, because you'd pay more in this country - if you could even find a good chrome plater nowadays. As far as painting goes, we have two pack painted with a much brighter shade of silver and this has certainly lifted the appearance of the standard rims with the somewhat drab Astral Silver. Preparation is important, and we have hand-rubbed rims, but it is time consuming, but it is possible. Ideally, bead blasting is the way to go but, again, you're going to run into the cost factor. $100.00 per rim is hardly adequate compensation for the time spent, and cost of materials used.

What I do, Dude, is to regularly clean all rims, inside and out, every few months by removal from the car. Usually, there are small jobs that may require removal and I take the opportunity each and every time to clean and wash the rims thoroughly. I purchased the "Speedy" Alloys fitted to Gleaming Beauty some five years ago, and they are still almost perfectly clean, even on the inside after all this time. In OZ country, one can also purchase 'clean' disc brake pads that hardly leave any dust residue on the rims. Regards Styria

 

[WiSeGuYY]

Hey DUDE

Chrome rims for 500 usd i guess that is low price - but i donno if you really need it, bolts are other story , use WD40 to take them out and soak them to clean them so as the holes to eleminate the rust and put them back , as GODFATHER said do maintenance every couple of monthes to keep clean.

REGARDS

TAREK

 

[Oversize]

I think there was another thread on cleaning wheels a while ago. Have a search for that, because it had some good tips. In a nutshell take the wheel off, find some non-acid wheel cleaner spray on dry. Use a stiff (but soft) long handle brush and a tooth brush to clean off grime. Don't let the wheel cleaner dry and use water to keep wet if necessary. When thoroughly cleaned with the brushes, wash with car wash and warm water like you're washing the rest of the car. On grease n oil use WD40, or degreaser and eucalyptus oil (not sure if you can get it in the US) to remove any tar. Wheel nuts often get damaged when removed and reinstalled and no amount of cleaning will correct the problem. There's often no choice but to have them repainted. Here you'd be lucky to have a set of wheels n nuts painted for $500, so the chrome ones sound like a good deal.

 

[Michel]

There's an online store in Melbourne selling the chrome Bundts (on eBay) for $999 (no trade in).

Here's the link

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/220905525910?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I think they're gorgeous., but if you're after the genuine effect, then they are no good to you.

However, chrome is the easiest to keep clean!

 

[WiSeGuYY]

LOL MICHEL , if DUDE already didn't want to spend 500 USD on those wheels ,what on earth will let him buy the identical set for double amount of money?? plus shipping

REGARDS

TAREK

 

[Michel]

LOL MICHEL , if DUDE already didn't want to spend 500 USD on those wheels ,what on earth will let him buy the identical set for double amount of money?? plus shipping

REGARDS

TAREK

Simply trying to help the economy TAREK...

Rob Peter in order to pay Paul

 

[Styria]

Next to the 15" Bundts, these are probably one of the better alternatives. I see they are brand new, but I wonder where they are manufactured - Italy, Germany, China, Taiwan ? We should remember also that there were several manufacturers producing these Bundts - Fuchs, ARC, Melber come to mind. I wonder if any other member can add to this list. Regards Styria

 

[WiSeGuYY]

LOL @MICHEL very nice point of view about peter and paul .

GODFATHER , i know FUCHS but the rest i never saw them around.

REGARDS

TAREK

 

[Styria]

LOL @MICHEL very nice point of view about peter and paul .

GODFATHER , i know FUCHS but the rest i never saw them around.

REGARDS

TAREK

Hi Tarek, there were indeed a number of manufacturers in Germany that produced those rims. The Melber units were quite heavy, and conveyed a solid feel (more so than others), and I did have a set of 15" Bundts and they had been manufactured by ARC in Germany also. Regards Styria

 

[300SDude]

The chrome wheels are more of a pipe dream......I don't know if I will ever spend the money on them. I just like shiny things, and chrome is an awesome way to make things shiny, lol. (One of the reasons I love my Mercedes is for all the chrome and wood).

I will try and clean them up and see how they look, but most likely, I am just going to buy new lug bolts. (Even though there is another set in the trunk, but they are in pretty bad shape as well).

I was more worried about matching the color than anything. I think there is a place here in the town that we grocery shop in that can custom make you any color of spray paint. I am a fairly good painter and have a nice warm place to do them. Maybe I will check the spare and see what it looks like and then try my handy work on the worst one, lol.

Thanks,
300SDude

 

[Oversize]

I noticed the other day a late model Ford (Territory) that it had painted alloys and chrome wheel bolts. It makes sense, as a chrome finish would be much more durable than any paint. It would only take a couple of goes with a socket before a painted bolt would look rather second-hand. However I'm not sure how good chrome bolts would look on painted bundts....

 

[300SDude]

I noticed the other day a late model Ford (Territory) that it had painted alloys and chrome wheel bolts. It makes sense, as a chrome finish would be much more durable than any paint. It would only take a couple of goes with a socket before a painted bolt would look rather second-hand. However I'm not sure how good chrome bolts would look on painted bundts....

Yeah, not to sure about the chrome on painted. I am assuming new ones are factory silver? (I am hopping that I don't really have to take the bolts off all that often, lol. I only drive this car in the summers, so the new tires will be on there a long time before I rotate them).

$120 for a new set of 20 online. Although they look chromed as well: http://www.mercedesbenzwheel.com/mercedes-bolts-and-spacers-21/mercedes-lug-nuts-20pc-set-14.html

Kinda sickly today, so I am not all that into searching online for them, lol. At least I have an idea of about what it would cost to replace them.

300SDude

 

[Oversize]

Looking a little closer now, it appears most new cars have chrome bolts.... I think it's a good idea.

 

[Michel]

How's that for a colour scheme?

 

[300SDude]

How's that for a colour scheme?

No, no, no, no, no! There is now way in hell I would paint them red! Although, they do not look all that bad as far as looks, but I don't think I would paint mine to match. They would look almost all black then and that would make mine look WAY too dark.

300SDude

 

[Oversize]

Michel your painted Bundts must've been a masking nightmare! I think they look quite good.

 

[Michel]

Michel your painted Bundts must've been a masking nightmare! I think they look quite good.

Not when you have a crafstman as Master Craftsman Jerry...
To you and me it would be, but for him... all in a day's work

Incidentally, I love the way they turned up.
And if I can't sort out soon the wheel problems I have, I will revert to them again.