Question on painting steel wheels

[Curt C]

Got some 15 inch steel smoothies and GMC hub caps. I'm going to paint them black. Are you supposed to paint the portion of the wheel that is covered by the tire? To be honest I have never painted raw steel wheels before.

[Donaldo]

It's probably easier to get paint everywhere, I did. Paint is not only decorative, it protects, prime and paint.

[Curt C]

Thanks. I just did not know if it would affect the tires ability to seat correctly.

[joedoh]

if you have raw steel you want paint everywhere, even condensation from the air inside the tire will cause the rim to rust.

I usually buy my smoothies from summit, they come grey primered, so you dont have to paint them inside and out.

[Coupeguy2001]

Be sure to use some durable epoxy paint.
When you pop the caps off, you want the paint to stick.
All the early wheels have some sort of commercial paint that does not come off easily.

[Curt C]

I am planning to use an enamel.

[hogfarm]

what about powder coat?

[whitedog76]

I'll second the powder coating method. It'll probably last 10x longer than any paint. Not to mention it's durable.

[Hover]

I got a guy to paint mine, thinking being that they can easily be touched up I feel needed. Also had more control over the colour if that makes sense.

[Curt C]

The ease of touch up with paint was my thinking too. My paint is not perfect on the truck so I don't want the wheel paint to be 100% either.