[strawintogold]

You know, the ones that look like you bought them at Target? I'd like to remove them and paint them black. My DH insists he can do it without removing them.

I'm, uh, opposed to that. He's out of town and I want to do it tomorrow. I get a little freaky controlling when anyone does stuff to MY stuff. It's not pretty.

So you could totally contribute to marital bliss and make my rims look better if you'd help me out. I thought you could just pry them of, like with a butter knife.

Apparently this is not the case.

 

[strawintogold]

Forgot to ask, these are plastic, right? From what I'm reading about how to take them off, I'm not even sure you can call them rims, hubcaps? bear with me, I'm a novice. Any spray paint recommendations?

 

[GaryS]

Yes they are hubcaps and you have to jack the car up and remove the lugnuts to get the hubcaps off.

 

[strawintogold]

That sucks. Maybe the whole paint them while they are still one thing isn't such a bad idea.....

 

[GaryS]

That sucks. Maybe the whole paint them while they are still one thing isn't such a bad idea.....

Only if you don't care how they look.

 

[strawintogold]

Wait, why would I have to jack up the E to remove a hubcap?

 

[Yoda E SC]

take the lugs off one at a time and snap the little plastic ring off that holds the cap on, then put that lug back on (assuming this is how they are like the old civics). repeat 20 times and you have the caps off without having to jack up the truck. or just jack it up one wheel at a time and take all 5 off and put them back on.

 

[strawintogold]

Ok, that makes sense, thanks! What kind of paint would you recommend and I'm guessing a primer?

 

[GaryS]

take the lugs off one at a time and snap the little plastic ring off that holds the cap on, then put that lug back on (assuming this is how they are like the old civics). repeat 20 times and you have the caps off without having to jack up the truck. or just jack it up one wheel at a time and take all 5 off and put them back on.

That will work. Just don't lose any of the black plastic rings and be sure to put them all back when you are finished. They are what holds the plastic hubcap to the wheel.

 

[jtispoindexter]

plastic and paint are odd fellows , sometimes they get along , other times they are oil and water , prep work is essential , there is a product that promotes adhesion for paint to plastic , I think this was to remedy the ' FORD ' issues of the seventies , as plastic composition changes , so must the paint process... ask a local body shop , they will probably sell you the correct process , or an auto supply shop , they have access to one step paint to match , color and clear coat in one can , nothing ventured , nothing pains you ;-)

 

[redwing blackbird]

Check Fusion for Plastic by Krylon. I have used it on some plastic paint jobs around the house and have been happy with the results. I think I have read of EOC folks using this stuff in a few threads.

http://www.krylon.com/products/fusion_for_plastic/

 

[Yoda E SC]

Check Fusion for Plastic by Krylon. I have used it on some plastic paint jobs around the house and have been happy with the results. I think I have read of EOC folks using this stuff in a few threads.

http://www.krylon.com/products/fusion_for_plastic/

ditto. i would not spray anything from a spray can that didnt have krylons name one it (or SEM, etc but you arent gonna find that stuff at lowes, walmart)

 

[strawintogold]

We have an Auto Track I am becoming rather familiar with. I'll check there first.
The there is Home Depot but no freakin way I'm going there on a weekend but less a holiday weekend.

 

[Yoda E SC]

We have an Auto Track I am becoming rather familiar with. I'll check there first.
The there is Home Depot but no freakin way I'm going there on a weekend but less a holiday weekend.

stay away from that crustolium "wheel" paint if you happen across that. tried some of that years ago when a buddy brought it to me and just wanted them to "look good enough to sell" SEM makes great stuff if they have any of theirs at the part place you go to, but if you go to a home store or a walmart i think your best bet would be the krylon fusion stuff.

 

[King of Canada]

I've got Krylon Fusion in 3 different colors on the inside and out of my E. Works and looks great. Def. the way to go, although I'd expect lots of chips if you're going to paint hubcaps. Just imagine all of the rocks jumping up and hitting them. :-(

 

[Yoda E SC]

Just imagine all of the rocks jumping up and hitting them. :-(

you guys have jumping rocks up there in canada?!?!?! awesome i have to come check that out

 

[strawintogold]

Well, they had the Fusion but only in gloss. So now I'm off on some mission to find flat. But then the husband got involved and now it's all complicated.

"Why don't you just wait until we get rims?"

Well, gee, hon, this is a $7 fix and we are stone broke.

*grumble grumble*

 

[King of Canada]

Well, they had the Fusion but only in gloss. So now I'm off on some mission to find flat. But then the husband got involved and now it's all complicated.

"Why don't you just wait until we get rims?"

Well, gee, hon, this is a $7 fix and we are stone broke.

*grumble grumble*

You could always just take the hub caps off and go with steelies until you get rims?

Not that familiar with the climate in N. Virginia, but do they salt the roads there in the winter? If so, steelies would fit right in anyway.

Check your local Craigslist for used wheels:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/search/?areaID=10&subAreaID=&query=5x114.3&catAbbreviation=sss

 

[strawintogold]

You know, I don't know whats under there, but I like that idea. See, it's like this. DH drives a BMW. When that dies (it's got 165,00) he wants another BMW.

He thinks the E is a silly car but I love it, right, so it's my car. But he wants to 'make it better' because he's a good guy and he feels bad we had to trade in my higher model and now I don't have sunroof, blah, blah.

I am not a fancy person, not a high maintenance wife. I just hate the freakin hubcaps. But he gets all I don't know into it? Like this...

me:" Ok, do you think I'll need more than one can of spray paint?"

him "Why don't you paint is a dark charcoal instead of black?"

me "Cause they have black and that's fine."

him "It's not glossy is it, glossy will look terrible."

(bear in mind I'm at the store on my cell)

me "Ok, but they don't have flat, I'm fine with glossy."

him "There s a car paint store in Woodbridge (far away) I can go there, let me take care of it."

me "No, really, it's fine"

and then it's like he wants to do me this favor because he's a good guy but all I wanted to do was spray the damn hubcaps with a can of glossy black paint.

Now it's 'he'll get me rims when we have money' well. that's so low on the list of money things to get when we have some. But if I insist he'll paint them. But then he'll feel bad cause they aren't 'real rims'.

It's some bizarre Gift of the Magi thing,lol.

So yeah, tomorrow when he goes out with the boy. I'm taking them off. I'll like it, really, he'll hate it because it doesn't look 'right'. But that's ok, because I really will be happy.

Marriage is interesting. We've been married over ten years and I've learned to be careful what i wish for cause he'll run with it,lol. He's a good man.

 

[strawintogold]

You could always just take the hub caps off and go with steelies until you get rims?

Just wanted to give you a big THANK YOU! The man actually LIKES the steelie look better than the painted hubcap idea. So it's easy and free and I'm happy and he doesn't feel like it's not good enough.