stormrider

I am on CorvettePilot's waiting list to get a set of his famous powder coated calibers so I went a head and ordered 4 diamond slotted zinc coated rotors from SPPerformance. The rotors came in today and they are dull gun metal gray... (I have chrome thin spoke wheels). I have three cans of VHT clear to coat the hats and slots so my question is how hard is it to remove the zinc coating off the hats and face of the rotors in preparation for coating them with VHT? I want to leave the zinc coating on the back of the rotors and on the fins.

AU N EGL

only real why to remove the zinc coating is to use them.

austin683

perform the "bed in new rotors process" that's posted around here. That will remove the zinc coating.

Stealthy4

The zinc coating is there to prevent rusting and it will wear off where ever the brake pads touch and stay everywhere else...which is where you want to leave it anyway...the back and the fins. The hats are mostly hidden behind the wheel center anyway. If you want to use the VHT, buy a set of NAPA rotors (100 bucks for the set, uncoated) and then paint the hats, backs, and fins...that way they are silver instead of gray...

I dont see why youd want to use vht???

EDIT: i kinda see what you want. you want the back and fins protected by zinc but you want the hats to be bright silver and prtected by VHT. To remove the zinc coating you might be able to get away with 600+ grit sand paper and remove the finish. Id still recommend the NAPA rotors and just VHT the fins, back, and hats...this is what i am in the process of doing now!

bcseitz

I wouldn't even try to remove the zinc. Just get high temp paint and spray them the color you prefer. OR simply send them back and get rotors you like.
I purchased SportBrakes zinc plated rotors but I wanted to maintain somewhat of an OEM look so I painted the hats a high temp black.
Not a great picture but here you go......

stormrider

Exactly! My C5 is pewter otherwise I would paint the hats the same color as the car but VHT doesn't make a pewter paint that I am aware of. Also, I don’t want that dull grey in the slots. The rep that sold me the rotors said I could take off the zinc coat easily with brake cleaner. If he was being straight with me than that seems like a good solution, that way I will still have the zinc coating protecting the unseen parts of the rotor and VHT protecting the visible parts of the rotor. However, the question is can the coating be removed with brake cleaner with out an act of congress.....?

$$$frumnuttin'

HCl + Zn= ZnCl + H In plain language hydrochloric acid. But if you don't know how to work with acids, don't do it.

stormrider

That sounds like it would work but what would it do to the metal? Has anyone tried using brake cleaner like the person who sold me the rotors suggested?

Stealthy4

Give it a try but be careful (the brake cleaner, not the HCl)...since its a liquid, it might be going places you dont want it to...use it on a cloth and rub it on the hat...if it doesnt work, resort to a light grit sand paper/brake cleaner combo...HCl can be dangerous depending on concentration...id stay away from it...

jrose7004

I'd leave them alone.

WKMCD

A little light sanding and then very fine coats. Let each coat dry completely. Finish with a slightly heavier coat.

Worked for me.