Fire Red Brake Drums

Maritimer

Maritimer

New member
My camera battery needs charging, so no pics.

Anyway, my brake drums were really rusty so as a way of getting some more life out of them I decided to grind them down while I was doing grind and paint around my spare and rear axle and to paint them. I did everything underneath black, but I wanted a bit of color on the truck, and figured red drums behind the five-star spokes would look nice. Plus, if the rust bubbles through it doesn't show up like it would on silver. I like them since the rest of the truck is silver and black down to the last detail, basically.

Well, I was searching this morning about type of paint as I was worried that I should've used a high heat instead of normal rust paint. Whew, I never realized so many blowhards have such harsh opinions on brake components and paint colors. Then I got worried that I did the worst ricer thing I could've done next to lowering it, putting purple lights around the bottom, and putting a surfboard sized spoiler on the roof.

So, what should I do:

1) Continue to be happy and paint the front calipers and disc shield to match.
2) Change it immediately so I'm not advertising shameful drum brakes.
3) Change it when the paint goes bad.
4) Shoot myself.
 
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I think calipers look good painted, mine are painted red but I think that painting drums red are kind of tacky, I painted mine black.
 
I personally think drums painted "look at me" colors look terrible, I'd much prefer them black or even silver. I have no problem with them looking clean and cared for, but why draw attention to drums? Does that make me a "blowhard"?:D

Edit: and if you do paint the calipers, definitely do NOT paint the dust shield red as well, that would look ridiculous IMO.
 
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Paint them black or silver ASAP!

If you are going to have red brake drums, you might as well get some of those stick-on, diamond shaped air vents for your fenders as well.

Just paint them back and we will forget all about this.
 
Showing off drum brakes is the last thing you want to do,it's not impressive from a performance standpoint. It is the "ricer" thing to do.
 
Wow, strong opinions on this. I painted my drums red because I was fixing the parking brakes and found that the drums were super rusty at just a few months old. Red caliper paint is what I had around, so it is what went on. I don't think it looks bad. They really don't stand out very much.

I plan on putting tundra brakes on soon and will paint them red too.
 
I kind of like them. I'm sensitive about wanting to ride a tough good-looking vehicle, though, so I was a little embarrassed once I found out about the "ricer" potential.

My thinking was that any rust bubbles won't show up at all with the red if the rust paint doesn't hold--it was a good ground-clean surface, but not pristine of minor rust color. Plus, my KYB shocks are red and they looked kind of sharp, although I guess they are red to show-off. I only do aesthetics for aesthetics and performance for performance, so I could never figure out making something noticeable just to make everyone know I had it.

So, I might keep them red or I might do them in silver, which I have lying around. If I change the color should I paint right over the red or grind it all off?
 
Maritimer said:
I kind of like them. I'm sensitive about wanting to ride a tough good-looking vehicle, though, so I was a little embarrassed once I found out about the "ricer" potential.

My thinking was that any rust bubbles won't show up at all with the red if the rust paint doesn't hold--it was a good ground-clean surface, but not pristine of minor rust color. Plus, my KYB shocks are red and they looked kind of sharp, although I guess they are red to show-off. I only do aesthetics for aesthetics and performance for performance, so I could never figure out making something noticeable just to make everyone know I had it.

So, I might keep them red or I might do them in silver, which I have lying around. If I change the color should I paint right over the red or grind it all off?
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Your call, but I would expect down the road the red might show through the silver and look like ass. If you have spare time to kill, sanding it down to the metal again would be the way to go IMO.
 
If you like them red keep them red at the end of the day you're the one that's going to drive it not the people saying it looks "ricey" it's your car do what you like with it
 
C C said:
If you like them red keep them red at the end of the day you're the one that's going to drive it not the people saying it looks "ricey" it's your car do what you like with it
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Maritimer, just paint them silver dude, we in this world do care what others think, and even if you dont think it looks ricey it does, you have a nice truck, dont take away from that because of some Drums paint!
 
OK, I think I'll go with silver when I get the time. I like the red, but I'm very sensitive about appearances.

I'll have to go buy another wire wheel since the grinding work I did to the rear axle, and suspension bars, spare tire rails, drums, etc., completely stripped a wire wheel that was rated for 13000rpms and my angle grinder is only 11500rpms. It was a bunched one, too. A hat, mask, and DEFINITELY goggles were in the works. It's funny for the wires to fly off and stick in my arms, though. :50cal:
 
Dous said:
Could be worse, he could have some bro'd out KMC XD wheels or something! Haha

:flamewar:
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WHEELS | KMC Wheels

That one would look nice with my red drums.

The more I think of it the silver will look really nice behind the 5 stars. I think even the dust shield on the front will go well in silver. For some reason the rims are still nice looking even after 11 years up here in salt land.
 
I vote for black. Looks better than rust and does not draw attention to the fact that you drive a vehicle that is too cheap to have 4 wheel disk.
 
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