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Are my brake calipers beyond painting?

CivicChick

CivicChick

Messages
53
I've been doing a lot of research in to painting brake calipers and I think mine are well overdue a good spruce up. I'd ideally like to go purple but 1. I can't seem to find the right paint and 2. They're already dirty/rusty red!!

Found this website as Foliatec was recommended by some one else http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/perfo...liatec-brake-caliper-paint-and-engine-lacquer now I can't decide on colour.. whether I'll just have to stick with red.

Any way here's my four calipers. Can't remember which bits they're all on now but I know the very rusty looking one with no paint is on the drivers side. Or is it not supposed to be painted for a reason?

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Just need some advice really please what's best. Thanks guys :D
 
It's all in the prep work. Remove them if you can and have someone to help to bleed the system afterwards if not just wire brush them best Ya can and wipe them down and then give them a good few coats. I normally use a good heat resistant self levelling paint as it's easier to work with
 
They can be shot blasted, use a fine shot though, something like an 80 - 100 grade magnesium oxide, just to take the rust off then as above, some good prep work before spraying.

They would have to be removed though to blast them.
 
I'm in the process of rebuilding mine due to sticky pistons. They are much worse than yours but have come up alright with nothing more than hand tools and a combi drill
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They are now painted too, Yours will be fine mate.
 
Have a search for caliper/engine/high temperature paint on ebay, there's heaps of options.

Painting them in situ is by far the easiest way, completely removing and refurbishing the brakes is not a small job. To give you an idea of what's involved have a look at my build thread (the link is below, where it says 'My Magnificent EP3'), posts 507 to 545 was while I was doing mine.

To paint them in place, just give them a good clean and paint over what is already there. Easy 1 hour job!
 
Think I've found some paint under a tenner on Ebay. You get what you pay for though? Or not the case?

I'd say I have no option but to paint them in situ because I won't be able to get the calipers off myself! So it could end up being a half arsed job but I will scrub them so hard with a wire brush. Jimbo I'm sure in your thread you ended up taking them off and painting the whole thing?

I will easily be able to paint purple over the red colour? Don't want it to suddenly go a weird looking shade. Very fussy in a way!

Everyone's advice is so appreciated. I wouldn't be able to do much other wise!
 
I've just used cheap paint on mine. Pay the extra money and get decent paint! You'll only be disappointed otherwise.
 
Yeah, Messy and I both needed to fully refurbish our brakes. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. HOWEVER, judging by the state of our brakes it's probably something to consider for the future.

You can remove the calipers and sliders without disconnecting the brake lines. Of course you can't take them far, but you can hang them from a bit of wire to make it much easier.

Calipers are attached to the hangers with two 'slider' bolts, hangers are attached to the hub with two bolts. It's worth cleaning and re-greasing the sliders. Some pics below to give you a better idea, red arrows indicate slider bolts, green are where the hangers attach to the hub. These pics also show brakes that were painted in situ, a couple years before the pictures actually. AND, for super bonus points, the pics also show them before and after stripping (pretty bad*ss, I know).





 
I've just done my drivers side front and rear callipers in situ.
Degreaser such as BiltHamber Surfex HD left to penetrate and loosen grease and oils and so forth for 10 mins.
Scrub with a toothbrush or similar.
Rinse and dry.

Wire brush to remove surface rusty, flaky paint.
Paint stripper to remove the red if it needs removing.

Clean again and importantly dry them thoroughly.
Hair dryer would do the trick, warms the callipers up before paint too.

Hand painted mine with smooth silver hammerite and got a fantastic brush stroke free finish.
Look like new, and set the wheels off a treat.
 
JMR said:
I've just done my drivers side front and rear callipers in situ.
Degreaser such as BiltHamber Surfex HD left to penetrate and loosen grease and oils and so forth for 10 mins.
Scrub with a toothbrush or similar.
Rinse and dry.

Wire brush to remove surface rusty, flaky paint.
Paint stripper to remove the red if it needs removing.

Clean again and importantly dry them thoroughly.
Hair dryer would do the trick, warms the callipers up before paint too.

Hand painted mine with smooth silver hammerite and got a fantastic brush stroke free finish.
Look like new, and set the wheels off a treat.
Click to expand...

Pics!!
 
Here you go

10 year old car, so excuse the brown :rolleyes:

Rear calipers






Front calipers








And I hadn't washed the car or the wheels. Before anyone asks. :p

I've since wire brushed the disc edges and brake rotors and applied BiltHamber Hydrate 80 to them (rust eater that protects and is over paintable)
Dries almost black.
 
got around to rebuilding the Brake Carries with new pins and boots, Gave them a quick paint while at it





 
thank you, its free so was worth ago, really nice to paint, the red was to thick so need to rub it down and thin it out a bit.
 
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