Proper techniques for painting calipers?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 108
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From: Tulsa, OK
Proper techniques for painting calipers? 1) Best way to clean them?
2) On orr off the car?
3) How many coats of high temp paint?
4) Is clear coat necessary?
Thanks
<small>[ September 09, 2002, 11:31 AM: Message edited by: USMuscle ]</small>
2) On orr off the car?
3) How many coats of high temp paint?
4) Is clear coat necessary?
Thanks
<small>[ September 09, 2002, 11:31 AM: Message edited by: USMuscle ]</small>
Administrator
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 45,841
Likes: 5
From: Earth
Re: Proper techniques for painting calipers? I can tell you what I did. I'm not certain what the best way.
1. Simple green with a scrub brush. Use a dremel then sandpaper.
2. Leave the brake lines intact but remove the caliper from the rotor. I think it would be difficult leave them on. I've seen it done though.
3. High temp paint is unnecessary, but you might as well do it just in case. I put a coat of primer on and 3 coats of paint.
4. I put on the brushed chrome decals from afterthoughtsauto.com and I clear coated over them
to hold them in place. Protects them as well.
Hope that helps. I have a few pics in my sig of the caliper painting job.
Dan
1. Simple green with a scrub brush. Use a dremel then sandpaper.
2. Leave the brake lines intact but remove the caliper from the rotor. I think it would be difficult leave them on. I've seen it done though.
3. High temp paint is unnecessary, but you might as well do it just in case. I put a coat of primer on and 3 coats of paint.
4. I put on the brushed chrome decals from afterthoughtsauto.com and I clear coated over them
to hold them in place. Protects them as well.
Hope that helps. I have a few pics in my sig of the caliper painting job.
Dan
Teching In
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Broken Arrow, OK
Re: Proper techniques for painting calipers? 1. Wheel cleaner with wire brush and water
2. On the car, unbolt and hang the calipers with coat hanger wire
3. I used 500F paint, 4 coats
4. Clear coat only necessary to hold decals in place
2. On the car, unbolt and hang the calipers with coat hanger wire
3. I used 500F paint, 4 coats
4. Clear coat only necessary to hold decals in place
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
From: Kings Park, NY
Re: Proper techniques for painting calipers? I used brake dust cleaner and a wire brush to clean off the calipers first. Then I masked off all the surrounding areas of the car and brake assembly so no spray paint would get anywhere it wasn't supposed to be. If I remember correctly, I did about 3 or 4 coats. I did not use a clearcoat, but when I re-do them, I will use a clearcoat.
After over a year, the paint still looks good, but not as good as I think it would look with a clearcoat.
<img src="http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~bg24149/images/CarPictures/caliper2.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~bg24149/images/CarPictures/camaro20.jpg" alt=" - " />
After over a year, the paint still looks good, but not as good as I think it would look with a clearcoat.
<img src="http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~bg24149/images/CarPictures/caliper2.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~bg24149/images/CarPictures/camaro20.jpg" alt=" - " />
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County, NJ
Re: Proper techniques for painting calipers? Once you have the calipers off, you should also remove the mounting brackets and rotors and paint those too. If you have upgraded rotors with a zince wash the rotor part is of course not necessary.
To paint the rotor, give it a good brushing with a wire brush to get the loose rust off then if the surface is still rough, use a medium grit steel wool pad and spray the paint into the steel wool and rub that onto rotor. This is a detail tip I picked up from "dream car garage" and it works well. Buy rubbing the paint in with the steel wool especially around the rim of the rotor you get excellent adhesion. Once the first rubbed in coat dries a bit, you can spray on successive coats. I used a piece of cardboard (pizza box top) cut into an O ring to mask off the braking surface. I did mine in flat grey like the original almost 1 year ago and they still look great.
To paint the rotor, give it a good brushing with a wire brush to get the loose rust off then if the surface is still rough, use a medium grit steel wool pad and spray the paint into the steel wool and rub that onto rotor. This is a detail tip I picked up from "dream car garage" and it works well. Buy rubbing the paint in with the steel wool especially around the rim of the rotor you get excellent adhesion. Once the first rubbed in coat dries a bit, you can spray on successive coats. I used a piece of cardboard (pizza box top) cut into an O ring to mask off the braking surface. I did mine in flat grey like the original almost 1 year ago and they still look great.
