So I was Bored

[cstarky15]

So I was bored and didn't want to sit inside when the sun was still out for the last few times. I looked for something to do and saw my stock wheels just sitting there. Well this is what they were, and what they are now:

When I first got the car:



After Tonight:

[AudiWxGuy]

How did you do that?

[D.C. Designs]

^ x2

[cstarky15]

How did you do that?

Cleaned the wheels (soap/water/wheel cleaner), Sanded them down with 320 paper and water (by sanded i went through and tried to get it a little rough for the primer to catch on). cleaned and wiped dry. 3 layers of primer, 5ish coats of Duplicolor Wheel Paint (found at your local hardware store) Graphite was the color i used, 2 Clear coats just to be sure.

For the center caps, I did the same thing but took out the rings and the outer ring out and plasti-dipped those and when all was done just snapped them back together.

[dubfreak75]

Can you post a full pic of the car with them installed?

[cstarky15]

Can you post a full pic of the car with them installed?

I'll see what I can do tomorrow for you. They weren't fully dry so i was careful with the one i put on and wanted a quick pic to see how they looked on. Tomorrow they should be fully dry!!

[jimmya4]

AHH i want to do this so badd. worried about depreciation of the value and everything. too cheap to buy new rims though. did you just use tape to prevent the primer from hitting the tires? cant wait to see pictures of the whole car.

[cstarky15]

AHH i want to do this so badd. worried about depreciation of the value and everything. too cheap to buy new rims though. did you just use tape to prevent the primer from hitting the tires? cant wait to see pictures of the whole car.

Ha, I hear you. I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out but I lreally like how they turned out. Once you sand there is no going back. There was a write up on Audiforums a while back and the guy used notecards standing verticle and little bits of tape to hold them all together. He, as did I, put them in the little lip opening between the tire and wheel. It worked out extreamly well. Nothing on my tire. I would also put something down under them as i didn't so i have 4 circles on my garage floor. Oh well.

[Clown4]

HAWWT.
looks so much better than the stock color~
looks nice with and without the wheelcap!

[Sharkfin]

Pretty good DIY, just use those as the winter wheels anyways. Can't wait to see how the finish holds up and some full car pics

[yettavr6]

Damn, those look really good. I want a set now! I might have to go get a used set off ebay and do this for a set of winter wheels. I have the Ti wheels with summer tires so i'm gonna need to do something soon.

[Doctor]

Nice...I hope they dont start chipping here and there...
I will paint mines the ritght way on Monday...However it will cost a biiiiiiit more

[G18]

lookin good....love the contrasting color on the center cap

[turbo4s]

looks great man. you did a great job. thumbs up

[cstarky15]

Yeah they will be the winter wheels. We shall see how they hold up. The tires need a shine up and the car needs a wash. But as promised.....

[dubfreak75]

looks pretty tough, nice job!

[Doctor]

mmmmmmmm....very nice without the center caps on...

[Josh_877]

Ive been thinkin about doin this for a while but i dont have the balls to do it myself. i like how the stock dual 5 spoke wheels look on a lowered car and when they are dirty (that grey color) they look sick.

[whitevdub]

looks good...i like the stock rims on your car better than i do your other aftermarket rims. this color just blends in with your car, its great. nice job

[Bllzll]

damn i absolutly love it. i think gunmetal looks great on light silver cars... i would do this in a second but i dont want to make my car so difficult to sell when i get rid of it one day.. so id rather just save for other rims..

but damnnn i love it! some spacers would look spot on

[cstarky15]

damn i absolutly love it. i think gunmetal looks great on light silver cars... i would do this in a second but i dont want to make my car so difficult to sell when i get rid of it one day.. so id rather just save for other rims..

but damnnn i love it! some spacers would look spot on

Thanks. Glad everyone likes them! I was thinking about spacers. If I could get some used I would do it. But I don't think I'll buy them new.

I too was worried about resale but figured I would try and sell to another fellow audi lover that would like everything i've done to it, instead of parting it out.

[whitevdub]

so you said the audi rings in the center caps just pop right out?

[Elohite]

Digging the centercapless look.

[UnkleGatsby]

Sick! looks aggressive. If you leave the center cap off you should get some colored lug nutz. I suggest red or somethin. I did this to my car also.

[jba]

Looks awesome, nice job!

[EMAXX]

Those look really good. I've been thinking about painting mine, but like many people have said, I just don't have the balls to do it... Do they look shiny or is it more of a flat finish when you look at then close?

[4Rings3Liters]

They turned out very well, I painted my stocker on my B5 gunmetal also and I loved them.

[A4natomical]

nice. you should have taped the tire off so the paint didnt get all over the tires. you can definitely tell.

you can scrub off the paint on the tires though with a little elbow grease

[cstarky15]

so you said the audi rings in the center caps just pop right out?

Yes, Just flip them over and you will see 4 tabs that hold it in place. Kind of hard to get at i just used a screw driver and it worked fine.

Those look really good. I've been thinking about painting mine, but like many people have said, I just don't have the balls to do it... Do they look shiny or is it more of a flat finish when you look at then close?

Far away they look flat but as you get really close to them they are a little shiny from the clearcoat

nice. you should have taped the tire off so the paint didnt get all over the tires. you can definitely tell.

you can scrub off the paint on the tires though with a little elbow grease

It is just the clear because i had run out of some and then found some more and had already untaped everything and said screw it. But in person they don't look bad and it rained and took most of it off!

[Nico]

Looks incredible - totally transforms the car. Good work.

[AvantNoir]

JOBWELLDONE!

I'm currently working on the same project. Mostly to fix the curb rash.
Trying to decide on color. Tried the graphite. Like it, but, I've already stripped it off to reshoot black. Wife wants me to put them back to silver.
I might wind up going with graphite now that I've seen it on your car.
Like the contrast of the rings on the center caps. Excellent idea.


Just call me Mr. Page 2

[fusionx]

looks really good dude very good job. Any way you can post some pictures with the center caps on? I think it would look 10x better with them on

[Vorsprung]

Looks really good. I kinda like em without the centercap on.

[gervi]

That looks really badass, definitely very original. I think Audi should of sold the A4 with wheels in that color. I always liked gunmetal wheels on our Quartz Gray cars and it helps to hide the ridiculous brake dust that builds up on our wheels.

Really good job man, with spacers and a drop they look like race spec wheels.

[cstarky15]

looks really good dude very good job. Any way you can post some pictures with the center caps on? I think it would look 10x better with them on

I'll see what I can do for you.

That looks really badass, definitely very original. I think Audi should of sold the A4 with wheels in that color. I always liked gunmetal wheels on our Quartz Gray cars and it helps to hide the ridiculous brake dust that builds up on our wheels.

Really good job man, with spacers and a drop they look like race spec wheels.

I hate the brake dust its aweful. I agree that they should have come this way from the factory! I wasn't sure how they would look on the grey car but I think i now want my summer wheels similiar to these!

[jahciple]

Can you post a full pic of the car with them installed?

x2

[Sharkfin]

x2

He did post full car pics up above

[Erocko]

very cool. I think I like them without the center caps as well. Great job. That really sets off those wheels, then, in turn, your ride. Sick

[john@fifteen52]

Very nice color choice! I don't think this will hurt the resale value later (at least, not as much as black wheels would) as long as the finish holds up, but it won't cost much to give them a good recoat after a while.

[SilverB7FL]

they look really good! I love gunmetal on silver and grey colored cars. You'll have to let us know how they hold up over time. I hope they don't get rock chips.