Black Wheels & Rims

Black has had one heck of a run. Ten to fifteen years ago it was close to 90 percent of everything we sold, and even with customers now branching into bronze, gunmetal, chrome, and silver, black is still the most popular finish we sell. Nearly every brand we carry makes a black wheel, in gloss, satin, matte, and black milled. For trucks and off-road, some of our favorites are Fuel Off-Road, Black Rhino, Method Race Wheels, and Hostile. For luxury and performance builds, look at Vossen, Ferrada, Rohana, Avant Garde, and Variant.

Do Black Wheels Show Brake Dust?

Matte and satin black hide brake dust better than gloss. Brake dust is flat, so it stands out more on a glossy wheel because it kills the shine wherever it builds up. That said, brake dust will show on any wheel if you do not keep it clean. If brake dust is a real concern for you, go with a satin or matte finish and ask for low dust brake pads at your next brake service. Ceramic coating the wheels also helps a lot. It keeps brake dust, water spots, and road grime from sticking. One thing to know: ceramic coating adds a little sheen to a matte or satin wheel, but it will not turn it fully glossy.

Are Black Wheels Durable?

Black wheels are generally very durable, but like anything, paint quality varies from one company to the next. The safest bet is to stick with brand name wheels that have a track record of quality. Higher dollar wheels generally use better paint that lasts longer. A few high end brands go a step further and powder coat their finishes for the ultimate in durability, like Vossen's bespoke program and the full Variant lineup. If long term durability is your top priority, powder coat is the toughest option.

How to Repair a Curbed or Scratched Black Wheel

This is where gloss black actually has an advantage. If you curb a gloss black wheel, you can often do the repair yourself. For a light scratch, you can color sand and buff it just like a car's paint, and there is a good chance it comes right out. For a deeper curb, touch it up with a little enamel model paint or spray paint. If the damage is rough, sand or file the rough spot smooth first, then touch it up. For satin and matte wheels, satin black Rustoleum from a hardware store is a surprisingly good match on most of them.

Here is an industry trick worth knowing: keep a cloth and some alcohol handy. While the enamel paint is still wet, a cloth with alcohol wipes it right off, so if you make a mistake or do not like how it looks, you get a clean do over. There are also wheel repair services in most areas. As a general rule, you can touch up or refinish a wheel without replacing it, as long as it is not bent or cracked. We do not recommend repairing a bent or cracked wheel, because at that point it has lost structural integrity and that is a safety issue, not a cosmetic one.

Getting the Blacked Out Look Right

For a true blacked out build, the wheels are just the start. To pull the look together, the lug nuts and all the chrome trim on the car should be blacked out too. One piece of advice from the shop floor: you usually do not need to paint the brake calipers black. On a nice set of Brembos, that little pop of color behind the spokes actually looks great, and most people are happier leaving it.

How to Care for Matte and Satin Black Wheels

Matte and satin black need different care than gloss, and getting this wrong can ruin the finish. Do not use polishes or wax on matte or satin wheels. They can add shine and in some cases damage the finish permanently. We do not recommend any wax or polish on wheels in general, because there are so many formulas out there and some cause serious damage. The big one to never do: never use a polishing compound or buff a satin or matte wheel. It will turn that spot glossy and there is no undoing it. For regular cleaning, soap and water is all you need.