Caliper and Brake Paint

S

sr3tlaw

Member
Good news! I'm picking up my car tomorrow and I got a complete rear brake job including rotors, pads and calipers.

I'm looking to paint the calipers red. My thinking is since they're new I don't really have to clean them super intense. I'm also wanting to paint, what I think, is the brake drum. I'm referring to the circular piece that seems to rust on many vehicles.

There are a handful of older threads on this topic so I'm reaching out to the folks who have done it. I don't want to take anything off but the wheels.

Thoughts?
 
Register to hide this ad
Prep is always key. Sand, wire brush, clean, and clean again before painting. I would take the calipers off as best as you can and carefully paint them, most people do a horrible job when painting them.

Careful to mask off the rotor faces where the pads will be contacting, you don't want paint there. Also consider that painting the rotors may trap more heat in them than you want.

Honestly, while it's much more expensive and labor intensive; I would recommend you get it done right and have the calipers powder coated if you really want them to look good. But paint works too.
 
[MENTION=66389]BlackWorksInc[/MENTION]

Thanks for the great info. So you're saying to take off caliper partially and still sand and wire brush them? Is powder coating them something I could do myself?
 
I would remove the caliper as if you were doing a brake job and maybe bungee cord it so it hangs in the wheel well. Then tape off the pistons (really just the rubber boots and such) and then carefully paint the calipers (do multiple coats if spraying, use light brush strokes if using a brush), let them dry and put them back on. This way you don't need to disconnect the brake lines from the calipers (which you would have to bleed the system if you did) and still get a good looking caliper without getting a bunch of paint on the rotors and other things in that area. The key is good prep work, make sure you clean it in something like a mild soapy water mix, then rinse it off and dry it very good OR using a good brake cleaner and then wiping it down with a clean cloth. If the surface prep is not done well the paint will not adhere correctly. I also believe some of those paints have specific instructions so follow the directions.

You technically could powder coat at home (if you had a spare oven and the proper setup), but I would outsource that to a shop. The other thing is that you'll need to take apart the calipers and remove all the rubber components, mask off the bores, and such to do it right. This is a bit more work than I would expect most people to do, so it's probably not an option for you.

Here's a video for VHT to help give you an idea of what to do painting wise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TdKpTQ8gII
 
Last edited:
Ok, I guess I'll be buying a torque wrench if I'll be loosening any critical bolts? I've never taken a caliper out but I'm sure there are several guides with steps to do so.

And back to basics - what advantage does powder coating have over spray or brush?
 
Powdercoating is basically melting a special plastic layer onto a surface. It's typically far more durable, chemical resistant, and lasts longer than most painted surfaces; most aftermarket bumpers and high-end components are powdercoated vs. painted. Similarly, most high end brake systems such as Project Mu, Brembo, StopTech, ect. are powder coated.

Powder coating - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But like I said, going that route can be somewhat expensive and a bit technical vs. getting good caliper paint that will last you a while.

It's about 91ft·lbf to torque the big bolts holding the caliper to the steering knuckle in the front and about 77ft·lbf to torque the bolts holding the rear calipers to the axle. I'm sure there's a few brake caliper replacement threads to help you out. Best of luck. :)
 
Ok, I guess I'll be buying a torque wrench if I'll be loosening any critical bolts?
Click to expand...

You don't need a torque wrench. Just tighten them as tight as you can with a 1/2" ratchet. I think the bolt heads are 14mm.

I would remove the caliper completely and paint it on a bench. That way you know where the over spray is going.

But you do need to clean it real good. New calipers usually come with a light oil coating to help prevent rust. Also make sure you use a primer. The paint also needs to be able to handle high temps. 200+ degrees is very possible on a caliper after some hard braking.
 
MikeInNH said:
You don't need a torque wrench. Just tighten them as tight as you can with a 1/2" ratchet. I think the bolt heads are 14mm.

I would remove the caliper completely and paint it on a bench. That way you know where the over spray is going.

But you do need to clean it real good. New calipers usually come with a light oil coating to help prevent rust. Also make sure you use a primer. The paint also needs to be able to handle high temps. 200+ degrees is very possible on a caliper after some hard braking.
Click to expand...

^^^ exactly! Auto parts store carry the caliper paint just for that. Always wondered if the paint for engine blocks would work.
 
If you decided to completely remove your calipers and get them powder coated remember to remove the pistons, boots and seals. They will melt in the oven when the powder coat is curing. I've seen posts on other forums where people forget to and oh its a pain to fix.

I'm actually thinking of powder coating my calipers next year if i swap to the 5th gen ones. Good luck and post pics when you're done!
 
Used G2 also, really happy with it!
 

Attachments

  • Brakes.jpg
    Brakes.jpg
    136 KB · Views: 686
B480 said:
Used G2 also, really happy with it!
Click to expand...
That looks fantastic man. I don't plan on taking off the caliper as bleeding the brakes sounds like a nightmare.

[MENTION=15388]B480[/MENTION] [MENTION=66389]BlackWorksInc[/MENTION] @mcallen [MENTION=77033]J053619[/MENTION]


To my understanding after taking off my rear tire there are just two 17mm nuts to remove and the caliper should come off. Does anyone have a picture of of the rear brakes to identify proper nuts?
 
Thank you [MENTION=101314]sr3tlaw[/MENTION]! The paint goes on with a brush so i think it would be fairly easy to do on the vehicle as well. It is a little thin at first till the activator has time to work, but other than that it stays right where you paint it on, no drips or runs at all.
 
[MENTION=15388]B480[/MENTION] [MENTION=66389]BlackWorksInc[/MENTION]


So which nuts need to be removed to take off the caliper ??
uploadfromtaptalk1433606224476.jpg
 

Attachments

  • uploadfromtaptalk1433606224476.jpg
    uploadfromtaptalk1433606224476.jpg
    134.6 KB · Views: 330
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

Total: 349 (members: 1, guests: 348)

Forum statistics

Threads
278,310
Messages
3,554,077
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Share this page

Trending content

Back
Top