Stock-ish wheel color question

[Tbruz]

2004 Tahoe with 255K miles.
Eighteen years of Northeast winters have been pretty rough on the finish of the wheels.
I'm not into replacing all four wheels/rims with refurbished ones for $600; but a quick paintjob would make the rims look 100% better.
Anyone know what the stock rim color( hopefully with a paint code as well) is supposed to be?
Google search isn't helping me out.
Thanks in advance.
Tbruz

 

[MassHoe04]

Are they base model steelies?

Here is a site to order from...

Base Wheel Color Selector | Base Wheel Paints | Touch Up Zone

Find the perfect base color for your wheels in our selection of base wheel paints. From classic to vibrant hues, we have a shade to suit every style!

www.touchupzone.com

 

[Tbruz]

Thanks for info- They are not steelies but the stock machined aluminum rims , I think they are called 5196.

 

[gooffeyguy]

Didn't know that machined aluminum had a paint color code?

Are they like these?

 

[Tbruz]

These are mine.

 

[MassHoe04]

These are mine.
View attachment 369130

Yeeeah... No. This would have been cast alloy, machined on the face and clear coated. If you are looking to spend hours and hours, you might be able to bring them back. Maybe a good cleaning, light sanding and some black Plasti-Dip might be the best option.

I have similar rims. The finish is slightly better, but a couple of the rims have the outer lip chewed off. I am keeping my eye out later this year for some take-offs on Craigslist. I have seen nice late model rims with new tires on them for $800 - $1k. That is what I am kind of thinking at this point. But for now, I am riding on the old rims and old tires. Rough as they are.

 

[Logan5]

My rims were looking bad (not that bad, but close). I took a twisted wire wheel and my angle grinder and went to town. I pulled off the balancing weights and just wire wheeled all the rust and crap away and it gave it a slight brushed metal look. I sprayed them with some clear coat when I was done.

Nothing spectacular (you gotta spend the serious time to re-polish them if you want that shiny look back) but worlds better than rust and brake dust corrosion.

I did this shortly before getting new tires, otherwise I'd have had to get re-balanced.

I kind of wished I had just dropped the $$ and gotten new big rims cuz now I want 18s or 20s, but having just put new tires on my 17's I am locked in for 50k miles lol.

 

[MassHoe04]

Crappy as mine look, especially with 245 tires on 16 inch rims... I really don't want to put any time (or money) into cosmetic improvements on what I have now. The edge is so bad on one, I don't even know if I can mount new tire on it if I wanted to.

These junkers were a swap I made for the Torque Thrust 20's that came with it in October. The 285/50 R20 sport tires were just too slick and too fat for winter here! So I swapped even for these beater rims with narrower and better tread.

I'm happy to wait for the right set to come along on Craigslist or Marketplace nearby. I hope to get into some decent 17's or 18's. I know 20's are the new thing, but in New England... I really like putting a bit more sidewall between me and the craters come pothole season. That season has extended to about 10 months out of the year now.

@Tbruz wheels actually look pretty good!

 

[Logan5]

Crappy as mine look, especially with 245 tires on 16 inch rims... I really don't want to put any time (or money) into cosmetic improvements on what I have now. The edge is so bad on one, I don't even know if I can mount new tire on it if I wanted to.

These junkers were a swap I made for the Torque Thrust 20's that came with it in October. The 285/50 R20 sport tires were just too slick and too fat for winter here! So I swapped even for these beater rims with narrower and better tread.

I'm happy to wait for the right set to come along on Craigslist or Marketplace nearby. I hope to get into some decent 17's or 18's. I know 20's are the new thing, but in New England... I really like putting a bit more sidewall between me and the craters come pothole season. That season has extended to about 10 months out of the year now.

@Tbruz wheels actually look pretty good!

View attachment 369240
View attachment 369241

The pot-hole aspect is a really good point. Roads around here are so bad I need all the help I can get to keep those impacts from shaking the rest of the vehicle apart.

17s sounds just about right.