Painting white rims chrome???

[ArkBoater]

Ok guys. My trailer has the rims pictured below and they are in really good shape for a boat that is 19 yeas old...

My question, on the other side, I have a spare mounted about 1/2 way between the current wheel and the trailer tongue and the rim on the spare is white. This is not a mechanical thing at all. Purely a cosmetic thing. But have any of you had any experience with using the chrome spray paint and painting a white rim? Any suggestions? Thanks ya'll!

 

[MrBigStuff]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

I never painted a white wheel but I've used the spray bomb chrome a number of times. I was never able to get a bright shiny chrome finish. It always seems to come out dull. At least duller than real chrome. My suggestion would be to buy a can of the paint and spray it on some scrap metal to see if you like the finish.

 

[PondTunes]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

my vote is no on spray bomb chrome. It won't hold up well either if you have to use the spare, one chrome wheel should be less than 80 bucks!

 

[ArkBoater]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

I never painted a white wheel but I've used the spray bomb chrome a number of times. I was never able to get a bright shiny chrome finish. It always seems to come out dull. At least duller than real chrome. My suggestion would be to buy a can of the paint and spray it on some scrap metal to see if you like the finish.

Good idea. I wonder which would look better with the real/shiny chrome....White or dull chrome.

 

[ArkBoater]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

my vote is no on spray bomb chrome. It won't hold up well either if you have to use the spare, one chrome wheel should be less than 80 bucks!

Thanks for the idea but that's $80 when a $5 or under chrome spray paint could (notice I say could ) do the job. If I have to use the spare and the paint comes off, no big deal. Just sand or wire brush the chipped paint off and re-spray. I would have to do that many, many times to reach the $80 for a chrome rim. Just my opinion though. If I can't find chrome paint to do the job, I'll just leave it white rather than spend $80. Maybe I'll just move the placement of the spare so it's not seen.

 

[PondTunes]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

that 80 bucks probably includes a tire, you could find the rim for much less i bet! Either way gluck!

 

[rndn]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

The chrome spray is really just silver/grey and will not look like chrome.

 

[rndn]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

You could always buy one of those vinyl spare tire covers you see on rv's. At least then you wouldn't see the white rim.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

You could always buy one of those vinyl spare tire covers you see on rv's. At least then you wouldn't see the white rim.

Yep, its what I would do, and the cheapest. all kinds of styles too. Or for $20, go to Wallyworld and get chrome plastic hub caps? Just check your rims for fit first

 

[ArkBoater]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

Yep, its what I would do, and the cheapest. all kinds of styles too. Or for $20, go to Wallyworld and get chrome plastic hub caps? Just check your rims for fit first

Hey, maybe they have those plastic spinners for my tire size! I'd get 3 if they had them.

I like the tire cover idea, may have to look into that....only one thing though. How woud that do if it gets into the water? A few of the rams I use are not steep so you have to get way back on them and the spare sometimes goes under about 1/2 way. Maybe I ought to just move it to the front....maybe here where the red circle is. I'd still have the white rim, but it wouldn't be in the same view at the other tires.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

Maybe I ought to just move it to the front....maybe here where the red circle is. I'd still have the white rim, but it wouldn't be in the same view at the other tires.

excellant idea, and spray it black to match the trailer.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

You could check into any local place that does powder coating. The rim can be coated with a metallic powder that looks exactly like forged chrome (that's what all the vintage car folks are using nowadays for shiny stuff).

If you prep the wheel yourself (clean it up, remove any burrs, etc) then all they have to do is sandblast it and acid dip, then powder coat. I dunno on cost, but I'd bet less than $80.

Personally I'm gonna pick up one of the cheap powder coating rigs at harbor freight and an old electric oven... it's just too useful to be able to do coatings like that at home.

Erik

 

[ebry710]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

I still like the tire cover. It keeps the tire like new. It can match the boat. Less chrome to polish and it done. There are hundreds of styles, colors and logos. In fact there are even chrome tire covers.

 

[ocb_dave_ocb]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

I will tell you that spray chrome is JUNK... But a white wheel looks bad too as a spare if you have chromies... I have a hard time with that too..LOL O.C.D.

ANYWAY here is my suggestion for you, MUCH cheaper than buying or having the wheel chromed..

Buy a wire brush, and some sand paper.. Turn that baby into polished silver...

Here is a valve cover I did for a Toyota Celica

 

[ebry710]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

I will tell you that spray chrome is JUNK... But a white wheel looks bad too as a spare if you have chromies... I have a hard time with that too..LOL O.C.D.

ANYWAY here is my suggestion for you, MUCH cheaper than buying or having the wheel chromed..

Buy a wire brush, and some sand paper.. Turn that baby into polished silver...

Here is a valve cover I did for a Toyota Celica

What are you coating it with?

 

[ocb_dave_ocb]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

What are you coating it with?

You don't coat it you polish it..

First sand with 120 grit sand paper, then use a medium steel wool..

Then you polish with an abrasive wheel and black rouge, then a less abrasive wheel and white rouge.... Then a smooth wheel and jewlers rouge..

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

I don't think I'd want even chrome rims on any of mine here, the salt eats the chrome way too fast. I've always either gone with galvanized or galvanized with liberal amounts of paint on top. I had a chrome rim for a spare for a while, it's now solid rust, and rusted to the point where most likely after this season it's getting trashed, the best part is that it's never been off the spare tire bracket. It don't get dunked when launching and it don't sit where it can hold water, but it's got the type of rust that swells up and flakes off all over. It's only about 5 years old and the tire even newer. It was a spoked style chrome trailer rim that came with one of my trailers. I figured I'd use it for a spare since they tend to get ripped off a lot, I wouldn't feel as bad if someone stole an odd rim, let alone one that's well rusted. It's appearance is probably why it's still there. The lock and cable rusted off a few years ago.

 

[ArkBoater]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

Maybe I ought to just move it to the front....maybe here where the red circle is. I'd still have the white rim, but it wouldn't be in the same view at the other tires.

excellant idea, and spray it black to match the trailer.

Excellent idea on the black!!!! That would make it blend right in with the trailer and at least that way it would blend in with something.

 

[ArkBoater]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

Ok guys, I measured last night and it seems the tire is a little wide (25" from outside to outside) to fit at the red circle below. It won't quite fit (a little too close for me) between the post and the boat hull and my boat will probably hit it when tailoring the boat. My question, could I mount it on the bottom of the trailer at the same spot? Like upside down? I don't see any problems with it dragging or anything like that. What are ya'lls thoughts?

Upside down at the red circle on the bottom of trailer?

 

[rndn]

Re: Painting white rims chrome???

I have seen boats with the spare mounted in that position. Mounted there you won't care what color the wheel is, or at least no one will see it. You could also mount it on the top of the same location. It looks like the boat will not come near it.