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Plated calipers???

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Old Apr 27, 2003 | 07:40 PM
  #1  
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Default Plated calipers???

My front calipers look like thier nickle plated or something. Is this usual? I never seen em in catalogs as plated. These are definatly coated with something. Looks like nickle. What are they?
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Old Apr 27, 2003 | 08:55 PM
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Default Re: Plated calipers??? (Jvette73)

Have a picture? Are you sure that someone hasn't sprayed them with silver paint?
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Old Apr 27, 2003 | 08:58 PM
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Default Re: Plated calipers??? (79VetteMike)

Heck no..no paint. Plated for sure. Shoulda took a pic earlier when I had the wheels off. Maybe i can reach under there and snap one anyway. Gimmi a few mins.
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Old Apr 27, 2003 | 09:08 PM
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Default Re: Plated calipers??? (Jvette73)

If they are after-market aluminum or stainless calipers they might be polished. I've heard of anodizing them, but not chrome plating. I assume you mean chrome plated.
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Old Apr 27, 2003 | 09:25 PM
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Default Re: Plated calipers??? (Jvette73)

Theyre kinda dirty in this pic but they're definitly not crome and not painted.

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Old Apr 27, 2003 | 09:32 PM
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Default Re: Plated calipers??? (Jvette73)

Looks irridium plated, like high grade bolts. Holds off corrosion. I'd say it's a good thing but don't know why those would be plated and not others. Are they rebuilt?
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Old Apr 27, 2003 | 09:42 PM
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Default Re: Plated calipers??? (Jvette73)

Maybe powdercoating?
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Old Apr 27, 2003 | 09:44 PM
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Default Re: Plated calipers??? (Black Snowman)

These calipers were on the car when I bought it so I dont know thier origin. I have rebuilt them twice. Once with the standard lip seals, then again recently with the VBP o-ring conversion. Workin better than ever now. They are dirty in the pic. When all cleaned up they kinda gloss like nickle or somethin. I guess I made a mistake by saying "Plated" The surface is more permanant than that. They look just like sterling silver when they're all cleaned up. They are sleeved in the bores.
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Old Apr 27, 2003 | 09:47 PM
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Default

They look like they are made of aluminum to me.
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Old Apr 27, 2003 | 09:53 PM
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Default Re: (45ACP)

Nope ...not aluminum. Ive had these apart in my hands and I know aluminum. Much heavier than that. Not soft like aluminum.
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Old Apr 27, 2003 | 09:59 PM
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Default Re: (Jvette73)

They're definately covered with something. If they are that close to silver I can't even guess as to what it would be.
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Old Apr 28, 2003 | 03:16 AM
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Default Re: Plated calipers??? (Jvette73)

i tried to get my rear calipers plated but the guy at the shop told me that cast will not hold the plating. i had to paint them!!!

i'm sure there is some in here that has tried to plate their calipers.....did it work??

Rod :cool:
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Old Apr 28, 2003 | 01:21 PM
  #13  
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Default Re: Plated calipers??? (Jvette73)

If if is bright it could be Bright Zinc Chromate plating. This is what alot of bolts have.
You can also get Yellow Zinc Plated. That is what my 4 stainless calipers had. The finish is not very thick or shinny so I helped it along with matching gold paint.
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Old Apr 28, 2003 | 02:59 PM
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Default Re: Plated calipers??? (Jvette73)

Most likely it's some kind of zink plating. It is very inexpensive to do.
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Old Apr 28, 2003 | 03:40 PM
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Default Re: Plated calipers??? (burners)

looks like zinc plating, the zinc will be shiney at first but becomes kind of dull and whited with time. Easy to do, I zinc plated all the bolts, nuts and misc. little parts from my car.



Also, zinc washed my rotors



it didn't come out really nice, probably because I didn't have them heated up properly. I was hoping to zinc plate the inside of the vanes so they wouldn't show rust.. I failed :( They will be refaced.





It was shiney at first, but as you can see it has become a little dull over time.
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Old Apr 28, 2003 | 07:42 PM
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Default Re: Plated calipers??? (Jvette73)

My rears are plated. I bought them from Florida Corvette Caliper back in the early 80s. They plated the calipers at that time and claimed that it was better than paint. The plating eventually does start peeling off. Mine are over 20 years old and still holding up well.

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