j-dub

In effort to somewhat improve the look of my 96 4runner, I want to paint my fading center caps. Attached is a before pic.

So far I cleaned off all the old paint with steel wool and painted one of them with Dupli-Color light slate. It came out to light, it looked like primer. I tried a grey, and it came out to dark.

Does anybody know what color I should use?

DuB

Cool username! My initials are JW so JDub is one of my nicknames

In regards to the color, I can't really help you out much. I'd just go to Home Depot and see what they have. Maybe a silver might work? I think the high temp silver paint I used on my bulbs might match...

Come to think of it, my caps are fading as well :pat: Maybe I ought to do this as well.

AznSky

or you could do what this guy did and just paint them black

j-dub

My initials are JW as well, hence my nick name as well. I ended up not having to much luck finding the right color. So far I put a base coat on with the medium grey and have put a few light coats of the slate color. They are still to dark, but oh well.

MTL_4runner

I think this is a common problem cause mine are going too.

I would love it if someone out there knew the correct factory paint to match the original color.

......or had some new color that looked very good (sorry black doesn't cut it for me.... )

SLC Punk

I used a standard Krylon silver. I think I put on 3 coats, then 4 coats of clear. It took me a week to do

MTL_4runner

Nice job man!

Did you hand paint the red or just mask it off?

Does the krylon have a pretty hard finish?

SLC Punk

I used Testor's red model paint. Did it by hand, it was pretty easy. I sprayed all of the silver on. Then painted the "T" red, then did the clear coat.

I did it last year, and they still look like new! I think it has to do with the clear coat.

I painted my dad's center caps on his 96 Runner about five years ago and used Testor's silver and no clear. About 6 months later, they looked faded again. I painted his the same time as I did mine (left his "t" factory gray) and his are also holding up just fine. I think that you need a good coat of clear to protect it...

MTL_4runner

Very cool.....thanks again for the tip!

j-dub

slc punk, thanks for the standard Krylon silver tip. This is what I was looking for.

I will give it a shot and let you guys know how it works out.


Jeremy

j-dub

After the Slate grey turned out to dark, I gave them a few more coats of Standard silver, they look much closer now. Check out the pic!

Vato Loco

Looks real good, who is the paint made by? My centercaps are starting to fade.

Jonathan

Yeah SLC Punk did it the right way. I did the same thing to my 96 and it looked great and held up well until my world class Toyota stealership scratched the hell out of them when taking my wheels off.(they didn't remove the center caps before they tried to remove the lugnuts ) Oh well they replaced them with brand new ones so it all worked well for me It's absurd those stupid caps cost like $25 bucks a piece

X-AWDriver

I just bought my 4Runner and the caps are the same way;I'm gonna try the silver w/red inlay on the "T" also since that looks sweet.

j-dub

Vato Loco, the paint I used was Dupli Color silver. I also put several coats of clear over that in attempt to make it last.

I tried to paint the logo a dark grey, but it was not working out for me. It kept getting to clumpy, maybe I should have thinned the paint first.

Anyway, it was an easy project, all of you should easily be able to repeat my results.

Vato Loco

You have any pics of the whole wheel and tire?

Fink

This must be a common thing for 3rd Genners...three of my buddies had this happen to them as well...they used the same kind of paint as SLC and it turned out AWESOME.

And it holds up really well too...they have been wheeling about 10 times each and all they did was use some wheel wash and a brush and they look brand new.

Post some more pics man...pics are good

Fink

j-dub

I can post more pics tomorrow cool?

j-dub

OK, sorry for the delay.

CLin9383

wow that looks really great! my rims are all dirty and scratched up..anyway to make them look new? what do you guys use to clean your wheels?? thanks!

p.s. this is a noob question, but do you have a pic of the spray can? i'd like to replicate this as close as possible..