Set the wheel on the bottom of an inverted trash can, a stump, five gallon
bucket, whatever. Get some masking tape, or painter's tape, or whatever tape
suits you that will adhere decently to the tire but doesn't leave a bunch of
residue when you pull it off. Tape around the rim, just letting the edge of
the tape lap the rim. Use a bondo spreader, a butter knife, your thumbnail
or whatever works for you to ease the lap of the tape into the crease at the
bead. Get a plastic trash bag of an appropriate size and pull it over the
tire. Carefully trim a circle out of the bag at the middle of the piece of
tape on your tire. Run another piece of tape around the edge of the cut-out
onto the tape on the tire. Paint. Rinse and repeat. If you're reasonably
careful you can re-use the bag.

Good luck,
Robert

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Lewis" <kdlewis_wating_time@ALLVANTAGE.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 11:57 AM
Subject: Re: Painting Alloy wheels

> Loren,
> You will have to at least remove the wheel from the van. I would try to
> make
> a mask from a large piece of cardboard. Build a large protractor with an
> Exacto. I have made a perfect circle that snuggly fits the wheel.
> Ken Lewis
> http://neksiwel.20m.com/
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Loren Busch" <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2006 3:59 PM
> Subject: Re: [VANAGON] Painting Alloy wheels
>
>
> RE: Wheel Paint
> While on the subject, does anyone have a good method of painting alloy
> wheels WITHOUT removeing them from the van?  Mine need painting but I'm
> not
> in a position to remove them and do it the right way.  Any ideas that have
> worked?