Painting wheels with the tires on

Galen · Post by **Galen** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:09 am

Hello, hello, after a long sojourn I am back (despite the fact the no one likely even missed me). Have a question - I need to paint my wheels without removing the tires & want to avoid overspray. Is there another method I can use other than masking off the tire with tape & paper that works?

Thanks,
Galen

Galen · Post by **Galen** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:28 pm

Bob - got your PM, thanks for the advice - although I'd still like to hear any alternatives to taking the tires off, that's not really an option for me at this time.

GregS · Post by **GregS** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:42 pm

The best thing I have found for masking tires is duct tape, masking tape is hard to get to stick.

Post by **wesk** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:45 pm

You can deflate the tire and push the bead inward, Then take a large sheet of masking paper and draw a circle in the middle of the paper that is about 1" smaller in diameter than the outer edge of the wheel. Slip this over the edge of the wheel then re-inflate the tire and the paper will be held firmly in place by the bead. You can do this on both sides if you have the wheel off the of the jeep. Then you can tape the edge of paper back against the tread of the tire or if you do both sides then the tape the edges together.

PhillyM38 · Post by **PhillyM38** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:21 pm

Get a deck of playing cards. Let the air out of the tire and stick the cards between the rim and the bead of the tire all the way around then use masking tape from there on out. I have done this several times on past cars and trucks with stellar results.

rocketeer · Post by **rocketeer** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 5:16 pm

Make a tube out of light cardboard where the opening is the size of the rim. The tube need only be a foot or so long. Lay the tire on the ground, set the tube on the tire so only the wheel is inside the tube. Carefully spray the wheel and remove the tube when finished.

Larry

Cacti_Ken · Post by **Cacti_Ken** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:10 pm

I'm figuring on doing the same with the trailers tires/rims I have for M100. Tires are road worthy for what it will be used for. I don't see the need to take them off.

MODIFIED · Post by **MODIFIED** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:20 pm

get a can of krylon spray silicon/or liquid silicon that is brushable/ possibly armor all. or go to an art supply store and get a jar of " Gum arabic"
via silicone:
-spray some of the krylon in a cup to render liquid silicone
-apply coating on sidewall of tire and behind rim bead (liberally)
-spray your paint on the rim - mask surround wheel-well outer area with hand held piece of cardboard (or the like) as you spray.
-wipe clean the residual with naptha or min spirits if you are using enamel based paint.

nothing will stick to 100% silicone except silicone or rubber. period.

via Gum Arabic:

same process
-then final rinse with hot water and a scotch brite pad.

always test any application upon an inconspicuous area or trashed spare//
hope this works for you.

MODIFIED · Post by **MODIFIED** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:30 pm

then again, it's probably faster for you to just mask and paint, forget the tricks!!

you can get the flexible masking tape at a good paint store like Sherwin Williams or even the H-Depot. This will allow you to make radius masking easier. or just take 2" blue tape and apply 1/8" contact to the tire as you circumnavigate the rim. then press down every 3" or so leaving a tape hump around the rim. then cut a stencil mask with spray opening 80% the size of your rim diam. As hand held Maneuver the mask as you spray with in the tape hump.

then again, it's probably faster for you to just mask and paint, forget the tricks!!

MODIFIED · Post by **MODIFIED** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:32 pm

personally, I like the playing card trick.

Post by **wesk** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:58 am

I think my method is the quickest and the one least likely to get blown away when you fire up the spray gun.

93vetteguy · Post by **93vetteguy** » Sun Feb 02, 2014 7:08 pm

wesk wrote:You can deflate the tire and push the bead inward, Then take a large sheet of masking paper and draw a circle in the middle of the paper that is about 1" smaller in diameter than the outer edge of the wheel. Slip this over the edge of the wheel then re-inflate the tire and the paper will be held firmly in place by the bead. You can do this on both sides if you have the wheel off the of the jeep. Then you can tape the edge of paper back against the tread of the tire or if you do both sides then the tape the edges together.

Wes, That is a great idea!

Painting wheels with the tires on

Painting wheels with the tires on

masking tires for spray