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with an aerosol spray bomb!
Before:


After (note the overspray):


Now, after all winter long, they look worse than before. Maybe come warmer weather I'll get some flat black paint. Yeah, I later sprayed the centers that were previously taped off when I chucked the center caps for the raw lug nuts look.

Actually, I would like to get some standard steel wheels like the spare is mounted on, the kind you see on police cars and taxis.

That's an ok silver color but it did come out looking like it was spraypainted. I wish Dutch Boy still made their chrome spraypaint, that's the best. It doesn't actually look like chrome but it's a nice silver color. I use it on my hubs without center caps. Some day it will run out and I'll be bummed.

Aerosol Plasti-Dip is popular for wheels and it really does come out looking nice, but there are few color choices.

Have you checked http://car-part.com and self-service junkyards for the wheels you want? They should be $25 each, or less. Found 15 inch steelies for my wife's car at the yard closest to my house (and even on the route to the shop that mounts my tires) for $15/each.

When spray painting anything, preparation is the key. This is especially true if you're using a cheap rattle can to paint something like wheels. Did you sand off the rust before you painted? That's important.

To get decent results, I'd pretty much sand those wheels all around, making sure to remove all the small rusty spots down to bare metal. In fact, media blasting would probably be your best bet. After that, I'd clean them and then clean them again. Once they are nice and clean (and dry), coat them with a self-etching primer. Two or three coats would be even better. Now you're ready for paint. You basically have two options for rattle can painting. You can go with your basic single stage (1K) paint that you'd find pretty much anywhere, or if you're willing to spend a few bucks more for a much more durable paint, get yourself a 2K spray can. These have a button on the bottom of the can that releases the two-part components and you just shake the can to mix the paint before spraying. You can get this is both colors and clearcoat, which is something else I'd recommend. The clearcoat will give you that nice glossy finish and also protect your paint job from stuff like road salt during winter driving.

It's not to difficult to get professional results when painting wheels if you just take the time for preparation and you're willing to spend a few bucks primer and decent paint.

Good points, but me and paint don't get along (probably because I am too lazy to do it right). One reason I didn't post this in the detailing section is because this was more of a ghetto paint job and I didn't care one way or the other. Yeah, I need to shop for the standard police style wheels and thought to put them in service when I need new tires. Gotta hit Craigs List and there are a lot of junkyards around here too. There is a tire shop will sell me used for $35 each, a bit steep but easy. maybe they will work a better deal if I am buying tires from them too. Considering the rusted out seam at the bottom of the passenger door, and the rust at the bottom of the tailgate, etc, it is not like I am trying to have a really clean looking ride. One of the beauties of a pickup, it looks better as a beater than most cars do.

Yeah, I kinda figured that you didn't want to put too much effort into it, considering the fact that you didn't even remove the wheels from the truck before painting them. Still though, for anyone else who might be on the fence about refinishing their own wheels, I gave my best advice from stuff I learned over the years. I've refinished wheels that look (and last) like they were done professionally.

You don't want anyone saying - "Nice Wheels - look to be worth more than the rest of the truck!"

If you ever want to get a can of spray paint in a hard-to-find color, I'd recommend this place:

http://www.automotivecolorsupply.com/Contact-Us.html

They can make up what you need and put it in a can while you wait.

Also a lot of metal chipping and peeling off from rust, so was hoping the paint might hold them together until I get replacements.

Eyes wear I M going 2 buy my son a sandblaster, so I can use it!

Rope-Pusher wrote:You don't want anyone saying - "Nice Wheels - look to be worth more than the rest of the truck!"

If you ever want to get a can of spray paint in a hard-to-find color, I'd recommend this place:

http://www.automotivecolorsupply.com/Contact-Us.html

They can make up what you need and put it in a can while you wait.

very interesting. I have a similar color on my rims and was thinking of repairing them and painting them...though I kind of wanted to match the tanish silverish color that you had aswell.