TTT's New Rims & Tires

Well I chemically stripped and primed and painted (thanks Will!) my new stock steel rims (thanks Daisy!) black in the past few weeks and on Friday I got my new 32” KM’s (thanks Kirk!) mounted on them and had them put on my truck ...

:)

Still need to strip and prime and paint my spare rim ...

:)


BTW - My front Skid Row plate is missing because Kirk and I replaced my steering centerlink and tie rod ball joint assemblies, and installed my EOE tie rod adjusters and a Rancho steering stabilizer ... and I haven't put the SR plate back on yet.

:)

Really cool spot about 15 mins. from our new house in Western MD ... not sure what it used to be, but it's big enough to put a plane in it and old enough to have been used in the early 1900's.

:)

:)

I wish there was a way to put more than one pic in per post ... if you need me to delete any of these, just say so.

Looks Awesome!

What type of paint did you use?

Originally posted by rhombus
Looks Awesome!

What type of paint did you use?

I knew I forgot to put something in there ...

Primed with 2 coats and painted with about 10 coats of Semi-Gloss Black Rustoleum. I put on 2 coats of paint per night for about a week.

Dammit T,

That was my next Mod!

By they way, everytime you use TTT I can't help but think (o)(o)

or maybe (o)(o)(o) :eek:

Originally posted by Schludwiller
Dammit T,

That was my next Mod!



The only tough part is using the chemical stripper ... old clothes, gloves, etc. That stuff is nasty if you get it on your skin or if you breathe it in. Other than that, wasn't too hard at all. Putting so many coats of paint on them gets a little boring but it's worth it if you want the blackout look.

:smoka:

So those are just stock Steel XE wheels? Cheap and easy way to make "custom wheels"!

Cool Ride Mr T!

Does Coolerman have instructions with his kits that electrical novices can understand?

Thanks!

Originally posted by rrdstarr
So those are just stock Steel XE wheels? Cheap and easy way to make "custom wheels"!

Indeed. I looked into the black Rockcrawler rims, but the offset and the cost and a couple other things made me keep re-thinking them ... then I was offered these stock rims for DIRT cheap so I couldn't pass them up. A little more work, but I like them a lot.


Cool Ride Mr T!

Does Coolerman have instructions with his kits that electrical novices can understand?

Thanks!

Thank you sir. Contact Coolerman (coolerman@qx.net) about instructions, as I was lucky enough to have him install both kits for me when he came to visit our area about a month ago. :D Thanks again Coolerman!

i think those pathy rims would look good blacked out too!

Hey Mr. T

As you know I'm running the black RC rims. They are great for 31s, and the deal I got on them with tires couldn't be passed up (Thanks Will). Are your old rims the proper offset that would allow 33x10.5? Are you going to sell your old rims? I love the look of them :D

Damn it just when I thought I was done painting stuff on the X. What kind of chemical stripper did you use on the wheels. Can I do the same thing to the stock XE alloys or is there a problem with that.

Did you paint both sides of the rim? Also, did you paint inside the rim as well, and if so how. Looks great.

Just looking at the pics again T and I think that you have to tint your front windows and paint the roof rack black.

Then you can say:

"None...None more black.."
:)

Looks nice, now if the law would just let you tint those front windows.

up to 35%. I think Mike used to have tinted windows but took it off because he didn't like not being able to see out of his side windows properly. I would have to agree with him and that it really makes seeing during night runs a pain.

Originally posted by rrdstarr


Does Coolerman have instructions with his kits that electrical novices can understand?

Thanks!

The kit is very simple to install, it will take more time to figure out where you are placing the switch and to mount the switch than to run the wires.

Originally posted by Schludwiller


or maybe (o)(o)(o) :eek:

Like in Total Recall....

Originally posted by Goliath the X
Hey Mr. T

As you know I'm running the black RC rims. They are great for 31s, and the deal I got on them with tires couldn't be passed up (Thanks Will). Are your old rims the proper offset that would allow 33x10.5? Are you going to sell your old rims? I love the look of them :D

Yep, the Pathy rims are the same offset as the X rims, stock or alloys. Alas, they have already been claimed by another MAXC member (a couple months ago actually). Sorry.

Originally posted by VaderX
Damn it just when I thought I was done painting stuff on the X. What kind of chemical stripper did you use on the wheels. Can I do the same thing to the stock XE alloys or is there a problem with that.

I can look it up tonight and post back tomorrow, I don't remember the brand name.

No idea if you can do it to the alloys and get the same results, but I don't really see why not.

Originally posted by KillerX
up to 35%. I think Mike used to have tinted windows but took it off because he didn't like not being able to see out of his side windows properly. I would have to agree with him and that it really makes seeing during night runs a pain.


Yep, mine were done to 20% to match the rest of the factory tint and I never had a problem with Johnny Law. But it was just too dark for my tastes, so I took it off a couple months later.

Originally posted by rhombus
Just looking at the pics again T and I think that you have to tint your front windows and paint the roof rack black.

Then you can say:

"None...None more black.."

:)


Yeah, I may get them tinted again. Not very high on my priority list right now ...

I've already taken the "Xterra" stickers off the roof rack, and I have thought about stripping the powdercoat off the rack and painting it to match the rims (as well as painting the bumpers and the safari rack to match) ... depends on how many projects I have to do this winter. And it also depends on my motivation ...

:bonghitte


:D

Thanks everybody for your kind words. I've been working on these for a while and it feels good to have them done (all except my spare, which I'm working on this week in the evenings).

For anyone else who wants to ask (there have been about 6 people in the past 24 hrs.), my Pathy wheels are already sold. Sorry. :)

Originally posted by VaderX
Damn it just when I thought I was done painting stuff on the X. What kind of chemical stripper did you use on the wheels. Can I do the same thing to the stock XE alloys or is there a problem with that.

I just got a second set of XE's. I've been thinking about getting them blacked out (or graphite) for a while. Now I've got the rims to experiment.

Mike,

Looks really nice! I was looking into the AR 767's, but also didn't like the offfset. I may have to do the stock steel wheels thing. I had seen on XOC that there was some Canadian dealership selling stock steels for $25.00 CDN! That's like $18.00 US!! I never heard back though.

Originally posted by S-works
Mike,

Looks really nice! I was looking into the AR 767's, but also didn't like the offfset. I may have to do the stock steel wheels thing. I had seen on XOC that there was some Canadian dealership selling stock steels for $25.00 CDN! That's like $18.00 US!! I never heard back though.


Thanks.

I got these rims through a Canadian friend for almost nothing. :D

Originally posted by PlayHard
Did you paint both sides of the rim? Also, did you paint inside the rim as well, and if so how. Looks great.


I painted the inside of the rim too. I did not paint the entire rim however - I left the 1/2 of the rim closest to the axle alone. You'll never notice it, and it would have made for twice as much work.

Thanks!

The Tall T brand new (about 2 weeks old) with 20% tinted front windows ... no BSM's, step rails still on, stock tires & wheels. Oh the horror! :)

Originally posted by VaderX
Damn it just when I thought I was done painting stuff on the X. What kind of chemical stripper did you use on the wheels.


For those who are interested, the chemical stripper I used on my rims is called Savogran Heavy Duty Superstrip and it is in a white, yellow, and blue 1 gallon can.

do you apply the stripper w/a paint brush?

Originally posted by Philosopher
The Tall T brand new (about 2 weeks old) with 20% tinted front windows ... no BSM's, step rails still on, stock tires & wheels. Oh the horror! :)

Snifff...sniff....out little T is all grown up now. :)

Originally posted by puffdc
do you apply the stripper w/a paint brush?

Yep ... there is a list of stuff you'll need written on the side of the can. I put on safety glasses, old jeans, an old long sleeve shirt, and thick rubber gloves. I poured a bit of this stuff (which has the consistency of syrup) into an old coffee mug and used a small paint brush to apply it to the rims. Then I used a drill with a wire brush bit to remove the stripper and coating on the rims. As long as you're careful, it works great. Get any on your skin and IMMEDIATELY wash it off with plenty of soap and water.

FYI - the 1 gallon can that I have has done 8 rims (Will did this same thing to his rims) and there is still more than half left in the can - a little goes a long way.

TTT or anyone else who attempts this it probably wouldn't hurt to use a respirator or have a fan blowing that stuff away from you!!!! Pretty nasty stuff! We use chemicals like that at work a lot. MPK, MEK.....

Originally posted by rrdstarr
TTT or anyone else who attempts this it probably wouldn't hurt to use a respirator or have a fan blowing that stuff away from you!!!! Pretty nasty stuff! We use chemicals like that at work a lot. MPK, MEK.....

Yeah no kidding. I used it outside and still got a couple big whiffs of it. Makes your eyes water to say the least.

I'm going to be trying to paint mine without using the any stripper.
I'm just going to ruff up the clearcoat and then paint.

XCanuk - painted his rims a few weeks ago and they seemed to turn out pretty good.

His instructions were to use a high heat paint for the first two coats and then whatever color you want after.

I will post pics once I'm done.
Should be doing it in a few weeks.

someone's blacked out X. (http://www.xterraownersclub.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=36&t=000531)

Originally posted by Matt Peckham
someone's blacked out X. (http://www.xterraownersclub.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=36&t=000531)

Black? There seems to be a lot of yellow on that truck. :flipa:

Originally posted by Schludwiller


out little T

Is that like "Down strumpet!" ???

:huh:

Originally posted by rhombus
I'm going to be trying to paint mine without using the any stripper.
I'm just going to ruff up the clearcoat and then paint.


Okay, good luck.