Methods for painting calipers???
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
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From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
Methods for painting calipers???
Hey guys, I plan on painting my calipers and wondering how many of you just left the calipers on and masked the area, or if you completely removed the caliper.
If leaving the caliper on, do you have enough flex to get behind the caliper as well?
Thanks
If leaving the caliper on, do you have enough flex to get behind the caliper as well?
Thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,119
Likes: 156
From: Huntington tx
Pull caliper loose but don't disconnect the brake line, mask off the wheel well and surrounding spindle. Paint what you can reach, let dry enough then turn caliper around and do what you missed. Unless you intend to go to a NCRS Judged show, it'll be fine.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 934
Likes: 44
From: west bloomfield michigan
Best to take them off. you can not get behind the caliper to paint. and do it right, if you take them off than you can spray them and they will come out much better, and smoother. (GINO)
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,162
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From: Bel Air MD
I left mine on the car. Cleaned them with Simple Green. Painted with rustoleum Sunrise red using a foam brush. Applied about 4 light coats and painted everything that i could see and reach. That was 9 years ago and they still look good.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,181
Likes: 286
From: Puyallup Washington
There is no need to remove the caliper from the brake line. Remove the caliper from the rotor and support it so it does not hang by the brake line. Clean it well. I used a wax and grease remover. When they are clean rough the surface of the calipers with a scotchbrite pad. Then clean again. Then mask what should not be painted and spray one side of the caliper with at least 2 coats. When the paint is dry turn the caliper over and paint the other side.
I had the paint store mix Electron Blue paint for me and put it in spray cans. High temp paint is not needed unless you are really giving the brakes a good workout, such as track racing.
I had the paint store mix Electron Blue paint for me and put it in spray cans. High temp paint is not needed unless you are really giving the brakes a good workout, such as track racing.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: Melville NY
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When I painted mine, I just took them loose from the caliper bracket, supported them to keep the weight off the brake hose, then cleaned them well and painted them. Turned out great and yes, you can do the back side of the caliper with them still attached to the car.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,710
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From: Langhorne PA
When I did mine, I went another way. I took the brake pads out and reassembled the caliper on the bracket. I was then able to feed newspaper around the rotor and spray the entire brake assembly. Took emery cloth (like sandpaper) on a flat block to bring out the "Corvette' letters. When all was dry, I replaced the brake pads. No prob.
Dan
Dan
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: It's true money can't buy happiness, but it is more comfortable crying in a Corvette than on a bicyc
St. Jude Donor '13
I painted one with no primer. Took more paint to look right. Then used primer, the other three looked great with two coats. I hand painted my letters with a super fine brush in a walmart brush assortment. I used duplicolor red caliper paint. It's slightly darker than torch red but only a real ana vette guy would say anything about it. Besides a nice coat of brake dust and you'd never know
Pro
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 671
Likes: 10
From: Tulsa OK
I used the G2 kit from Mid-America but I used a 1/2" artist's brush instead of the cheezie brush supplied. I cleaned with the supplied brake cleaner and a wire brush in my electric drill, masked off the pads and bolts and applied 4 light coats. It didn't look very good for the first couple of coats but by #4 they looked very good. Later the same day, I removed the masking tape and just touched the Corvette script with a fine sanding drum in my Dremel tool. I didn't paint my brackets for fear of running out of paint, which was a mistake. There was plenty of paint but by the time I realized that fact, it was too late.
Okie
Okie
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,211
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From: Vancouver B.C.
I bought the G2 kit direct from G2 . I used LeMans Blue Metallic as a complementary colour for my pewter coupe. I bought a couple of artist's brushes, put the car on jack stands and removed all the wheels because once mixed, the epoxy paint has a limited working life. I used the supplied cleaner and some stiff brushes and rags to clean the calipers and brackets. I left them hooked up and did minimal masking; Yeah I probably missed a few spots on the backs, but they look fine with several coats and unless you pulled off the wheels and took a mirror to inspect the backs of the calipers you will not see any flaws. I had lots of paint for the brackets and calipers; two or three coats were enough. When the paint was fairly dry I used a smooth mill bastard file to clean the paint off the Corvette script. I just held the file perfectly flat against the letters and smoothed the paint off leaving the bare aluminium script showing. The file left the lettering smooth and shiny. it contrasts well with the navy metallic paint.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,454
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From: Pittsburgh PA
Pinched the brake hoses with vise grips and took mine off. You have to be careful and just get enough pressure to keep the fluid from coming out but not damage the hose. Shops do this all the time.
I then got some bolts that threaded in to block the ports, masked the pistons and boots with duct tape and into the blast cabinet. Then a coat of epoxy primer and a couple coats of single stage urethane I had left over. I just took a sanding block with 400 wet and took the paint off the letters.
Not the average DIY job I admit. Funny thing is someone evidently put Z06 calipers on at some point. I thought they were just painted red but when I took them off it was evident that it was a factory job. I didn't care for the red on a blue car...just clashed to me.
I then got some bolts that threaded in to block the ports, masked the pistons and boots with duct tape and into the blast cabinet. Then a coat of epoxy primer and a couple coats of single stage urethane I had left over. I just took a sanding block with 400 wet and took the paint off the letters.
Not the average DIY job I admit. Funny thing is someone evidently put Z06 calipers on at some point. I thought they were just painted red but when I took them off it was evident that it was a factory job. I didn't care for the red on a blue car...just clashed to me.