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Thread: Repainting a steering wheel

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  1. #1
    Registered Member Belair-o's Avatar
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    Repainting a steering wheel

    Hi, hope you can give me some advice on repainting a steering wheel? The plastic wheel was painted a few years ago with a flexible primer, PPG basecoat, PPG Deltron clear, followed by a later clear. There are some runs, and a chip down to the plastic. I sanded some of the runs, and I see in places, the second clear didn’t melt into the first clear, and I get a halo as I sand thru the top clear. Can I sand it down smooth, prime, and do the basecoat, clearcoat again, or?
    Thanks, Doug

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    You sure can - prime, base, clear.

  3. #3
    Registered Member Belair-o's Avatar
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    Thanks for the advice. I was afraid I would need to completely sand the 2nd coat of clear off before re-painting (prime, base, clear).
    Any tips on best painting the wheel? It has a 15" diameter, and I can't get the gun inside the wheel diameter, and it is hard to get good, even coverage, so thinking to mount the wheel on all-thread, spray the wheel bottom, flip the wheel & all-thread upside down, and spray the wheel top (not sure if you follow what I am trying to say).
    Thanks, Doug

  4. #4
    Registered Member Belair-o's Avatar
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    I don't know if you saw my request for any tips on painting the wheel (see previous post)? Anyway, I did buy some 5/8" all-thread, some washers and nuts, and drilled 5/8" holes in a 2x2, so I can support the wheel on the all-thread while I paint (2x2 is clamped to a saw horse). l primed with the wheel mounted vertically, since it was easy to move the rattle can around to get full coverage, and plan on positioning the wheel horizontally while I spray the base/clear, since it is hard to maneuver the gun in the tight space. I will spray the bottom of the wheel, and then pull the all-thread out of the hole in the 2x2 flip it all, and spray the top of the wheel. Hope that it works!
    Regards, Doug

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    Quote Originally Posted by Belair-o View Post
    Thanks for the advice. I was afraid I would need to completely sand the 2nd coat of clear off before re-painting (prime, base, clear).
    Any tips on best painting the wheel? It has a 15" diameter, and I can't get the gun inside the wheel diameter, and it is hard to get good, even coverage, so thinking to mount the wheel on all-thread, spray the wheel bottom, flip the wheel & all-thread upside down, and spray the wheel top (not sure if you follow what I am trying to say).
    Thanks, Doug
    I painted my 16" steering wheel mounted on all thread, but instead of moving it around like you're describing, I mounted the all thread (double clamped to a step ladder) on a slight upward angle (maybe 10 degrees or so), and used a small screw driver to rotate the wheel as I was painting, and that allowed me to paint all of the surfaces easier. The all thread was long, at least 24" long. To rotate the wheel, I inserted the screw driver into the small hole near the center of the wheel, and pushed it either clockwise or counterclockwise.
    Last edited by Bitchin'57; 11-21-2017 at 07:42 PM.

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    All good stuff, this is an area where you improvise with what you have or can get easily.

    I don't know if the previous paint was real automotive base/clear paint applied with a spray gun, but this time around it will be far more durable if you used automotive primer/base/clear, applied with a spray gun rather than a rattle can. The cheap touch up guns that you can buy at Harbor Freight, Northern Tool or similar places would probably do a better job at reaching all the surfaces than a full size spray gun.

  7. #7
    Registered Member NickP's Avatar
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    Pics?! Sounds cool. Keep us posted.

  8. #8
    Registered Member Belair-o's Avatar
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    Thanks you all kindly for the ideas!
    Last time, I used SEM's flexible primer (rattle can) which worked well - did the same this time - after sanding w/600grit, the wheel looks and feels smooth. Last time, I used my spray gun for the base/clear (using DeVilbiss Dekups 9oz. disposable cups, which mount above the gun); I found between trying to get full wet coverage, and keeping the gun a decent distance away from the wheel, I introduced some runs on the clear, plus I haven't painted much with the setup. I figure to use that same spray setup, but will look at trying Bitchin'57's idea on positioning the wheel for spraying. Thanks for the idea on the smaller gun, I recall the gun came with an even smaller paint pot that I will look at as well.
    Thanks, Doug

  9. #9
    Registered Member chevynut's Avatar
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    I bought a HF touchup gun for about $25 and I'm impressed with how well it works. I've painted and primed quite a few small parts with it. I originally bought it for spraying Cerakote Clear on my suspension parts and it worked great.
    56 Nomad, Ramjet 502, Viper 6-speed T56, C4 Corvette front and rear suspension


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  10. #10
    Registered Member Belair-o's Avatar
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    Chevynut,
    Thanks the additional vote for the touchup gun. I figure to setup the wheel today, and mock spray the wheel (should turn out great, in my imagination!), and see if it seems like I will get the maneuverability I hope for. If so, I will spray for real, if not, I will have to order up a small gun. (I am pretty rural, and not close to a Harbor Freight). BTW, I am down the road from you, down in Franktown.
    Thanks, Doug

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