Hubcap misery.....

[06YarisRS]

Originally Posted by bentjazz

06YarisRS, this just might be the best option at this point. I'm really kind of liking the black steelie look on my black Yaris, but I'll have to angle grind all of them and then paint them. If I decide not to go that route (mainly because I'm lazy), I think those Amazon hubcaps are my answer. Thank you.

No problem. I'm assuming you have 15" wheels? I looked for the same Toyota style caps in 14" and couldn't find them. My winter wheels are 14".

[2008RedHatch]

I've gotten used wheel covers for 20$ for one, or for all four, from salvage yards, or online.

Whichever bone yard buys my wrecked 2008 will have some in the seats for picking. It had 15" steels.

[bentjazz]

Update. Found some OEM hubcaps on Ebay for a very decent price. I really liked the steelie look on my black Yaris.....at night. In the daylight, however, the steelie rust comes through quite nicely and makes the car look rough. Keeping the steelie look would require a bit too much work on my part. If I had more time, maybe. But I don't have time to angle grind and paint the steelies, unfortunately, so it's back to the hubcaps. Thanks for all of the great input, guys.

[bentjazz]

Update, part deux. Ebay hubcap purchase didn't work out, afterall. Will be going with 06YarisRS's Amazon recommendation or I might still do the steelie thing if I can free up enough time to angle grind and paint them.

[06YarisRS]

Originally Posted by bentjazz

Update, part deux. Ebay hubcap purchase didn't work out, afterall. Will be going with 06YarisRS's Amazon recommendation or I might still do the steelie thing if I can free up enough time to angle grind and paint them.

Good luck with the project. If you plan to paint the steel wheels, are you planning to use a disc or a stiff wire wheel? I've restored several sets of steel wheels. It's much easier to do this obviously with the tires off and will make for a more long-lasting job


The process I use is basically:

1) thoroughly wash wheels (2 - 3 times with a LOT of dish soap. Rinse and repeat until a paper towel or cloth pics up no contamination. Thoroughly dry. Heat gun works great.

2) wire wheel and coarse sand paper for all rust spots, then an overall wheel sanding with something like 240 grit.

3) 2 - 3 applications of rust converter on all rust spots, about 15 minutes between each application.

4) repeat step 1

5) prime converted rust spots with a decent high build primer. Closely follow drying/curing times.

6) resand the entire wheel with 240 or finer grit.

6) Apply a light dust coat of paint. Then, apply 2 - 3 medium wet coats following drying times.

Using this process yields the best finish and longest lasting results. I always give my steel wheels an occasional blast of light rust proofing, but I drive through salt, slush and sand all winter long.

[dogsridewith]

Magnum Sharpie for black steelies

[bentjazz]

I plan on using a stiff wire wheel attached to my angle grinder, 06YarisRS. Just curious, how long does it normally take you to do all four steelies? And how long does this kind of paint job last before rust reappears? Thanks so much.

[SirDigby]

hubcaps look soooo cheap. idk why people even keep them...
3/4 inch beauty rings in stainless steel are $50.

[DarkShadowFox]

100$ for hub caps, time to start stealing them and selling them LMAO.

[Maritime]

Ha, I went to CT to buy 4 14" hubcaps on sale for $35 for my new to me steel wheels and winter tires until I could do the paint with cards trick. Went home, put them on. Ended up back at CT later the same day for another purchase, was in the store for 15 mins came out and 3-4 of my caps were gone. waste of $35 bucks plus tax. I'll do the paint and I like those chrome rings. kimona Where did get those? Ebay/Amazon?

[06YarisRS]

Originally Posted by bentjazz

I plan on using a stiff wire wheel attached to my angle grinder, 06YarisRS. Just curious, how long does it normally take you to do all four steelies? And how long does this kind of paint job last before rust reappears? Thanks so much.

Sorry, I missed this. Normally an afternoon but I go about other stuff during drying/curing times. I have a set of steeliess for my van that were done about 3 winters ago and they are holding up great. But, like I said, I keep them rustproofed. The paint on steelies from the factory is really cheap, with the more expensive OEM wheels being only slightly better.

Regarding trim rings, they look great but really only when clean. Trims rings in the winter is a bit of a waste IMO. I would avoid chrome-plated steel in favour of stainless steel, or even chrome-plated ABS. Plated steel will inevitably show rust when used in winter/salt conditions. Whichever trim rings you go with, lay a couple good coats of wax on them. I used acrylic paint sealant.

[bentjazz]

Thank you, 06YarisRS. I've bought the paint and primer, and am now just waiting for the temperature to get above 50. I think I'm going to skip the rings. My Yaris is black with tinted windows, so I think a fresh paint job on my steelies will make a world of difference compared to what they look like now. If I like the final look of freshly painted black steelies with the color of my car, I'll go with it permanently. If not, I'll buy the hubcaps you linked. Just curious, how do you rustproof your steelies?

[birdnation]

I also recently installed these, and they fit perfectly on my 2017. to be determined if they fall off or not, but they seem to fit pretty snugly.

https://www.amazon.com/Alpena-58259-...dp/B00TO7MXG4/

[06YarisRS]

Originally Posted by bentjazz

Thank you, 06YarisRS. I've bought the paint and primer, and am now just waiting for the temperature to get above 50. I think I'm going to skip the rings. My Yaris is black with tinted windows, so I think a fresh paint job on my steelies will make a world of difference compared to what they look like now. If I like the final look of freshly painted black steelies with the color of my car, I'll go with it permanently. If not, I'll buy the hubcaps you linked. Just curious, how do you rustproof your steelies?

Great! I was going to mention buying a satin black as opposed to gloss. Satin tends to hide imperfections where gloss will highlight even the smallest scratches/chips etc. Plus, satin has a more OEM look and the less shiny a paint is the better the bonding between coats. As far as rustproofing, I just intermittently spray the faces of them. When I rotate my wheels, I'll brush off the dirt on the inside of the wheel barrel (tends to collect a lot of dirt) and spray those too. In the summer (I have summers off) and looking for something to do, I'll degrease the wheels, spray them off and reapply rustproofing. It's also a good time to touch up and small spots or chips.

Just a quick tip in painting: Make your first coat a very light bonding coat. Let it dry but not fully cure. Subsequent coats are heavier, but don't rush them. The paint has to gas off but not cure before the next coat is applied to promote chemical bonding. 50 seems a bit low in temp. Following can directions will definitely make for a longer-lasting job. Same holds true for your primer coats. If it is cooler out, I might use a hair dryer to heat the rim itself, not directly on fresh paint as you'll create a skin and it won't cure underneath. The key with spray can paints is lots of dry airflow/sufficient time between coats, not heat. This may sound like a little overkill, but it's what's proved to work best for me. I abhor rusty rims as they ruin the look of an otherwise good looking car.

Trim rings do look awesome. I definitely consider the use of trim rings and some sort of center cap in the spring, summer and fall. I may yet for my 2008.

[bentjazz]

Those look very nice, birdnation. Thanks.

06YarisRS, thank you for the tips. Should I wait just a couple of minutes between coats? Like yourself, rusty rims bother me. And now that it's my rims that are rusty and without hubcaps, man it's really bothering me. I'll be a lot happier once I get this done....

[bentjazz]

I finally got around to angle grinding, priming, and painting my rusty wheelies. I couldn't stand looking at them another day. I like the hubcapless look on my Yaris, and think I'll stick with it now that the wheelies look decent without any rust and a fresh coat of paint. Thanks to everyone for their input on this post, and thanks to kimona for walking me through the process of posting my pics.

[bentjazz]

A few more pics.....

[kimona]

Excellent! Now get some trim rings.