Painting Calipers

[Anthrsckmnd]

I am wondering how big of a job it is to re-spray brake calipers? To be real thorough, (removing them, and re-spraying) what kind of job am I lookng at? Also any paint brand/type suggestions would help, I am looking for either silver or gunmetal color paint for this. thanks in advance.

[jblack]

Easiest way to do this is to remove the calipers from the car, take the calipers to a body shop that has a bead blaster, have them bead blast the calipers and brush paint them with the epoxy paint you can get from Pelican Parts (www.pelicanparts.com). Inspect the seals and replace as necessary. I went to home depot and bought 4 bolts to thread into where the lines go into the calipers so no crap gets into the caliper. This is a great time to go to stainless lines, if you are so inclined. Bleed the brakes, and you are set.

[Digitalwave]

Easiest way to do this is to remove the calipers from the car, take the calipers to a body shop that has a bead blaster, have them bead blast the calipers and brush paint them with the epoxy paint you can get from Pelican Parts (www.pelicanparts.com). Inspect the seals and replace as necessary. I went to home depot and bought 4 bolts to thread into where the lines go into the calipers so no crap gets into the caliper. This is a great time to go to stainless lines, if you are so inclined. Bleed the brakes, and you are set.

Good info. I painted mine with VHT Brake Caliper paint though. Its a lot more expensive than your average spray paint, but it rocks. Very durable, and the spray cans from VHT are the best I have ever used.

[royalflush313]

you don't really need to take the calipers off if you are lazy :D (as long as you are not a perfectionist)

I did this on my last car, never took the calipers off, turned out great, using VHT paint.

[Digitalwave]

you don't really need to take the calipers off if you are lazy :D (as long as you are not a perfectionist)

I did this on my last car, never took the calipers off, turned out great, using VHT paint.

So you just spray painted all over your rotors, pads, pistons, rubber dust boots, etc.? I bet that looks superb :roll:

[royalflush313]

you don't really need to take the calipers off if you are lazy :D (as long as you are not a perfectionist)

I did this on my last car, never took the calipers off, turned out great, using VHT paint.

So you just spray painted all over your rotors, pads, pistons, rubber dust boots, etc.? I bet that looks superb :roll:

do you know what masking tape and newspaper are? Works wonders when you want to cover stuff up that you don't want painted.

My calipers turned out great. (this wanst on my e30)

[Digitalwave]

Why spend all that time masking when all that holds the calipers on are 2 bolts and 1 brake line?

[royalflush313]

for reference on painting using tape and newspaper etc, i did a quick search and found this:





Sure, its probably not perfect (as I mentioned above), but it looks good. Good enough in my eyes, and if I ever painted my calipers again, I'd repeat the same procedure.

[royalflush313]

Why spend all that time masking when all that holds the calipers on are 2 bolts and 1 brake line?

good point. Masking isn't a time consuming procedure though. Whichever way works. Whatever method one prefers is what one should follow. I'm not saying that one is better than another.

[Anthrsckmnd]

What sort of surface prep did you guys do to ensure a long-lasting finshed job?

[Jordan]

Removed from car, fully disassembled, degreased, sand blasted, neutral bathed, and powdercoated.

Then honed bores, polished pistons and full rebuild.

Anything less is halfass IMO.

[Matto]

Anything less is halfass IMO.

The day Jordan does anything alfhassed is the day freezes over :D I wish I had the patience you do to do stuff the right way.

[StereoInstaller1]

Hey Jordan...got a spare set o' calipers? I can get them blasted and powdercoated, along with the spare valve cover and intake manifold Saanen left me.

I have never had VHT caliper paint last more than 2 years, removing the caliper, spraying with carb cleaner, wiping down with wax and grease remover and spraying. (yes I masked the seals).
I have also never had it last less than 2 years either.
Luke

[jblack]

BTW -- the paint I suggested in the second post from Pelican is called G2 - it is a 2-part brush on epoxy- just work quickly - as it will "goo" up pretty fast, and you have to let part of the caliper dry to paint the other side, so it is a bit of a battle.

And Jordan is right - that is the extreme method - but the best. Problem is, it will take a few days (or a week) to get all that work done. If your E30 is not a daily driver, that is the way to go. If you can take it out of service for 1 day, go with my plan. If you have an hour to kill, grab the spray paint and the newspaper. Each will give you the return on your time you put into it. I am just scared to death using high temp spary paint anywhere near my car-- overspray is a bitch!