Detailing wheel wells

[Shane731]

Once it warms, I will be doing full details on our cars as time permits. One of the things I would like to do is detail (or paint, whatever) the wheel wells on a couple of our cars. Take a look at the wheel well in these pics:

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/photopost/data/500/medium/P4270367.jpg

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/photopost/data/500/medium/P5150452.jpg

I want to get them looking black again, and dressing them isn't working. I have both black paint in an aerosol can and truck bed liner. Which would you recommend? Any special prep work I need to do (other than cleaning real good and making sure they're dry)? I know people paint them, but I wondered if the bed liner would hold up better. Do I need to mask anything off? Thanks!

[Harleyguy]

Are those well wheels inserts ?? If you don't understand that can the wheel wells be removed.Most newer cars have plastic inner wheels or a heavy fiber type material.To be honest i wouldn't paint them after going though some good puddles i bet the paint will start to wear off.And as road rocks hit them they will chip.You may be making more work then you want.Just clean them up really good with a product like amazing roll off.

[Shane731]

No, they aren't removable. They're just like a textured material. The front wells have a plastic removable lining, but not the rear wells. And it's the rear wells that I want to fix.

[Grizzly]

Your best bet is to get either Rhino lining or LineX sprayed in the rear wheelwells. LineX is extremly durable stuff and can withstand whatever is thrown up in the wheelwells IMO. I got the bed of my Siverado sprayed with it about a year ago, cost $500 but was well worth it. You could have them do it for $100.

[Rsurfer]

Just remove the wheels, clean well and spray some CG Bare Bones.

[sullysdetailing]

I used flat black painton my rear wheel well of my truck. It came out pretty good. Just take off the wheels make sure you clean the wells very well and mask off the surrounding area

[richy]

or maybe try some undercoating spray...you can probably get it in a can.

[dood786]

i used a nice formula of apc, agitated with a brush, rinsed, then dried.

I then repeated the process and coated with adams undercarriage spray


before

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa248/dood786/06092009888.jpg

after

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa248/dood786/06092009889.jpg

[rwright]

or maybe try some undercoating spray...you can probably get it in a can.

This. The rear fender/wheel wells have undercoating, that's why it's textured. Let me find the exact product number but 3M makes aerosol undercoating.

Edit* Here's the product: 3M Underseal Rubberized Undercoating 08881 or 08883

[ziggo99]

Go with the truck bed liner route. My dad bought a cheap can at Wal-Mart and he's only had to reapply to his 2008 Silverado once and looks good.

[Shane731]

This is what I have:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/../gallery/data/500/medium/P1310050.jpg (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/16181/size/big/cat//ppuser/24886)

You would recommend I use the undercoating spray as opposed to the paint or the truck bed coating?

[dood786]

Those products are paints?
So you going to spray over the dirt and scuffs?

[rwright]

This is what I have:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/../gallery/data/500/medium/P1310050.jpg (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/16181/size/big/cat//ppuser/24886)

You would recommend I use the undercoating spray as opposed to the paint or the truck bed coating?

If possible, find something that you can spray each of the products on to see which finish you are after. The undercoating is currently on your car. Also as stated, clean your existing material before spraying anything over top.

[Grizzly]

I think you should have somebody else do it. I was going to do it by myself, but for only a $100 the LineX dealer made it look like brand new. Plus I watched them do it and they did a much better job than I would have done. He also said its not as easy as it looks.

[Shane731]

Those products are paints?
So you going to spray over the dirt and scuffs?

No, I'll clean under there first.


If possible, find something that you can spray each of the products on to see which finish you are after. The undercoating is currently on your car. Also as stated, clean your existing material before spraying anything over top.

Good idea. Anything else I need to do other than cleaning? Maybe take a Scotch Brite pad to the wheel wells to get rid of scuffs and stuff like that? (Don't worry, I'll use a different one than the one I use on the paint. :laughing: :D)