Hi Richard, I had to strike a balance between time invested and end result value and I think the final result was worth the 4 hours. The wheel finish was destroyed by years of salt in winter driving. I wire brush grinded each wheel, about 30 minutes each. I think it was a 5 inch wheel, 6 would have been better. I pulled off the wheel weights and protected the valve stem with 1/2" ID PVC tubing. This also worked well so you didn't paint the valve stem. Anywhere the grinder couldn't get, I hand sanded but that was 5 minutes.
Wear a mask and eye protection. Those wire threads love to get you in the face.
Taped off the tire first with 1/4 masking tape, then 1 inch, then I spiraled 2 inch clear packing tape in a gun to cover the tire. Might have been easier to tape paper around after the initial 1/4 inch bead.
Then I painted them. 4 cans, 1 for each wheel with a quarter can left over of each. 3 coats painted vertically but then laid down flat to dry. No runs even with a heavy 3rd coat.
I will protect them further with a poly clear.
