The chrome rims on my Tacoma are pretty rusty. What's the best way/product to get rid of the rust? Would I be better off stripping off the chrome and painting them? I live in a VERY dusty, windy area and the stray cats like marking them. Nice eh? Anyway, tried removing rust and it keeps coming back. Any help is appreciated!

?? Are these a true chromed steel wheel at all? I thought only alloys or painted steel were used as originals on about everything?

If real chrome - steel wool removes rust and good ole WD-40 shines them up ok but it will return periodically.

I've used the by brand Rustoleum "Hammered" Silver for wheel by brush that looks factory and so far has lasted a salted road area here looking pretty good over this Winter.

If aftermarket chrome wheels they don't hold up well in my experience and I'd probably paint them,

T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston

No they are not the original rims. Bought them off of a buddy. Any suggestions or tips on painting them would be appreciated. Thanks for your help. By the way, is the cat pic in reference to how the local strays have taken a liking to my rims? Just kiddin.

If you are sure you've given up on the chrome (I would) then just rough it up a bit with sandpaper and use the "Hammered Rustoleum Liquid" with a brush with wheel laid flat - did that myself inside and out on steel wheels as said - excellent and no sign of doing by brush!

Funny - just out there in Google land looking for the pics of the paint cans and it showed tons of Tacomas done with either the black or the silver which I'll put below!

Hey - No my kitty didn't and doesn't do that She has been my site avatar for a long time now and runs the place just like kitties will!


That's a quart can (gold shown) of the stuff. Home Depot's here stock the stuff.



That's a redo in paint (silver)



There's one in black. Needs a diff color center cap or something IMO for looks.

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Can says right on it that it's self priming as in paint right over rust! Chrome may be a bit more feisty to stick without some roughing up.

FYI - Did all five 16" rims in and out on a GM truck with one quart and still had plenty left! About $11-12 bucks for the paint as a liquid needs lacquer thinner for clean up. Dries to handle in no time too. I'll touch up my own this Spring as needed AND redo outer lip if rebalanced and weights moved......

T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston

Right on! Thanks alot for all the info & advice. I think I have given up on the chrome. It seems to get worse each time I clean them up. I've seen some Tacomas with the black rims & think I'll go for that. Mine's dark green. Thanks again & by the way, I've got a 12 yo big, black cat with an attitude. I attached a picture if you want check it out. Or tried to anyway!


(This post was edited by landshark on Mar 11, 2009, 2:48 PM)

Pics are a trick here and don't always just work as you just saw. Here's one of my Kitty on "Crack" no doubt - she'd scare away your strays!
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T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston












(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Mar 11, 2009, 3:02 PM)

That would work on some of them for sure! Hey, got another question for you. Can I swap the passenger side seat belt assembly over to the drivers side? The drivers side one sometimes locks up and it takes forever untill I can get it on. No, thats not frustrating AT ALL!!!! Thanks again.

It's just a maybe on the seat belt. Hmmmm? I'd try to take a look at the mechanism if practical to see if it's worn, dirty or something you could do about it that's obvious.

Make a new thread with year and exact body of this thing and just post it up top in "General Discussions" - will catch more attention there. Depending on year and more there's a lot of possible issues with a seat belt with warning lights, air bag if equipped may sense passenger presence etc so for now it's a total "dunno" from me,

T

Ps: Check with a dealer - some safety items have limited (barring abuse, prior accident etc.,) "forever" warranty??
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston