I was thinking about painting my calipers on my '03 and wanted to know if anybody had done this. If you have, what type of paint did you use and what tips would you have?

 

I'm installing new brakes soon, the whole shabang (pads, rotors, ss lines) and I was going to paint the calipers as well. I probably won't at this time because the instructions say to wait 24 hours before use and I simply can't wait that long.

Now there are three types of paint I found. Two are kits; one with a rattle can, the other a brush-on paint. Both have a cleaning/solvent type chemical also. These run a rediculous $50 or so for the kit. The third type I found is just the spray can and I found it at Summit for $6. I'm thinking what kind of cleaner could they put in these kits that would warrant me paying $50? I'm sure you could just use an off-the-shelf cleaner/solvent and do it with the $6 can with the same results. Let me know what you end up doing and I may do the same.

 

I think it would be easier to use the brush on kind so that you would have more control on wear the paint is actually being put down. Even though I will be masking it all off, I think the spray kind might be a pain. I don't want to have to mask off the fender and all. I was going to go to a couple of places tomorrow and see what I kind find. Now the question is, do I want to go all out with red, a little nutty with silver or plain jane with black?

Here is the type of paint I was looking at, but not necessarily from these guys...

http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/g2/caliper_paint.jsp

 

That's not a bad price. I wasn't crazy about the idea of masking it off either, but I'm not sure you'd get a nice smooth finish with the brush on kind. As far as color, I was thinking about red to go with my intake, vacuum hoses and swaybar bushings. But since you can't see any of that unless you look for it, I was probably going to go with black. I don't want to be too flashy.

 

The cleaner is just brake cleaner. You're mainly paying for packaging and marketing. We use high-temp enamel and brake cleaner on the race car calipers. Hasn't failed us yet, and looks great.... I doubt your street calipers will come close to the temps we produce w/ 6 piston calipers and 13 inch rotors slowing cars down from 180+ mph.


J

 

I think the paint is thick enough so that it will hide any brush strokes. from all the photos I have seen, they all look like thay have a pretty smooth finish.

Here is what mine would look like with red.....It does look flashy, but pretty cool.

 

Momo, that looks good. I'll probably end up doing the same type of thing to mine.


what about the stud mounts on the rotor itself. The outer edges of where the wheel actually mounts. If you take a look you'll see what I'm talking about. I am noticing that mine is beginning to rust. Maybe it's the salt water

Has anyone else noticed this on theirs?

Doug

 

I think I know what you are talking about. I can't remember where I read it but somebody else what having the some problem and they painted that part either black or silver. I would think it would help protect it from rusting. I was out and about yesterday looking at different auto and performance shops. Most of them had a caliper spray, VHT, but I also notice they had some VHT sprays for rust prevention.

I wish I were more mechanically inclined or I would take the brakes off myself and spray them. I think you would get a better coat with the spray. I am going to pull a tire off the front and rear just to inspect how difficult it would be to mask it off. I might even take some shots while I have them off.

 

The red looks really good, I may reconsider after all. I think if I were to paint them while they were still on, I would use the brush technique to save some hassle. I was planning to do it when I changed the lines since I could just completely remove them and use the spray. Not sure what I'm going to do now.

Have you thought about doing the rear drums? Don't think I'd like having all that red in back, but I wouldn't want two different colors necessarily either... Hmmm...

 

I knew it! Thanks for filling me in and saving me some green.

 

Mine had disc brakes front and back. If I had drums in the back, i wouldn't paint the drums. Here is what it would look like with both front and back painted.

 

Thanks Momo, that red looks great. I am definitely going that route. I think I will also paint the mounting pedestal connected to the rotor or whatever that things called.

I am not painting it red though!! Going black there.

Thanks for the "chop" work.

Doug M.

 

If you have a good side shot of your truck, send it to me and I'll chop it up for you. momo.75@charter.net

 

Thanks, I'll do that this evening.

Doug M.

 

Damnit, I was rear discs. Wanna trade? I'm definitely not painting the drums red.

 

I posted this a while back and got little help and info. Glad to see it coming back around.

All I need to do is paint the brake calipers with high temp enamel the color of my choice. Do you spray or brush or does it matter?

I had to grind mine down some to keep the wheels from rubbing on my aftermarket rims, nothing big, now they are just yucky looking and I wanted to clean them up.

Advice is appreciated.



Brian

 

I am not sure it really matters. I think it is more of how much trouble to you want to go through. If you spray it with the calipers still mounted there is a lot of masking to do. Of course taking them off would the be the ideal way, but I would be nervous doing this since I have never messed with the brakes before. If you want to do it while they are still mounted, I think brushing would give you a little bit better control over the paint and you wouldn't have to mask as much. I was just about to take my front tire and see how hard it ould be to brush/spray with them still mounted.....

 

Let me know about how hard it looks and what kind of paint you get and perhaps where and the cost.

I need to do this, mine look like since they've been grinded on.



Brian

 

Here is waht the front caliper looks like. I don't think it would be hard to brush it and might not be too hard to spray it, besides having to mask off everything. Now the only problem is finding the brush on paint locally so I can do it this weekend.

Doug, I see what you are talking about now. I think I will spray that part eith black or silver with that VHT stuff.

 

Here is another shot looking from the front to back.