How to Refinish Your Mag Wheels

If you've enhanced your utility vehicle's function and appearance by adding mag wheels, go one step further by accenting them with a touch of color. You can accomplish this goal by refinishing each wheel with an oil-based enamel. Before you start painting, understand one critical point: mag wheels are metallic. This characteristic makes them poor candidates for enamel adhesion. Fortunately, you can condition the wheels to accept a new finish by applying a special primer with an acid base.

Trisodium phosphate cleanser
Coarse plastic brush
Pressure washer
Heavy-duty fabric drop cloths
Masking paper
Professional painter's tape
Metal self-etching spray primer
Gloss oil-based spray enamel

Instructions

- 1
  Scrub the mag wheels with a heavy-duty trisodium phosphate cleansing agent, using a coarse brush. Rinse each wheel, using a pressure washer and wait two to three hours until they dry.
- 2
  Drive the vehicle onto heavy-duty fabric drop cloths. Skip this step if the mag wheels are not on the vehicle.
- 3
  Cover the tires with masking paper, using painter's tape. Skip this step if the mag wheels lack tires.
- 4
  Coat the mag wheels with a thin coat of metal self-etching primer. Maintain an 8-inch distance between the mag wheels and the spray nozzle as you apply. Wait a minimum of four hours for the self-etching primer to dry.
- 5
  Coat the mag wheels with two thin coats of gloss enamel. Maintain an 8-inch distance between the mag wheels and the spray nozzle as you apply. Wait two hours between coats. Wait four hours before driving the vehicle.

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