Rusty Rotors - replace or paint?
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 31
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From: Naperville Hellinois
Rusty Rotors - replace or paint?
My 10 coupe had some rust on the rotors when I got it and its just driving me up the wall. They aren't solid rust, its just some around the centers of the rotors, but very visible when the car is sitting still. Do I go through the effort to pull them and paint them or just replace them? It looks like replacements are about 100 bucks a pop...
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,250
Likes: 2
From: Escondido Ca
Easy...hell, you can paint them on the car. Pick your color and mask off,
be careful and you are done. Did mine 5 years ago and still look GREAT!
I did high temp silver....easy as eating pie!
be careful and you are done. Did mine 5 years ago and still look GREAT!
I did high temp silver....easy as eating pie!
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A litle time and materials = problem solved 
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I would just paint them. No sense replacing a perfectly good set of rotors if you don't have to.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2012
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right on brother!!you dont even have to cover the disk - just dont over spray on it ...the pad once engaged will clean any residue...for real,,, this is a 30 min job.ok maybe an hour job..while you are at it, you can paint the calipers and the wheel barrels too!!
Last edited by veloz; Sep 3, 2013 at 07:24 AM.
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My 10 coupe had some rust on the rotors when I got it and its just driving me up the wall. They aren't solid rust, its just some around the centers of the rotors, but very visible when the car is sitting still. Do I go through the effort to pull them and paint them or just replace them? It looks like replacements are about 100 bucks a pop...
I would certainly trust him to do the other work you needed too…
Tolero Apto Victum
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Woodlands TX
If you do end up replacing these rotors, take a look at these - http://shop.performanceafx.com/C6-Z51-Corvette_c15.htm
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 3
From: Jupiter Florida
This will cost you a bit more, but IMO zinc coating gives a more comprehensive coating (vs just painting) to minimize rust. If cost is the main factor then this option (which will run you about $70) no need to consider.
The rust is coming from two primary sources... of course the rotor and then the hub assembly.
First the hub... need to remove rust and then treat...I found Fast Etch the best way to go to remove rust and then coat with a phosphate coating
Before
After
A complete treatment is to have the rotor media blasted and then hot dipped with zinc...this way all surfaces (including the cooling veins... spray painting will not cover) get treated
The rust is coming from two primary sources... of course the rotor and then the hub assembly.
First the hub... need to remove rust and then treat...I found Fast Etch the best way to go to remove rust and then coat with a phosphate coating
Before
After
A complete treatment is to have the rotor media blasted and then hot dipped with zinc...this way all surfaces (including the cooling veins... spray painting will not cover) get treated
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,366
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From: Needham MA
My new ceramic brake pads are in the mail (to reduce brake dust), and today I spoke with a Chevy dealer and a very reputable body shop------the Chevy dealer's body shop flat out will not paint the rotor hats as they don't have the high temp paint (even if their service shop has the wheels off doing the pads)--this was straight from the boss; the body shop said I didn't need hi temp engine or caliper paint---then at the end when I said I wanted them painted black he said he believed they had some hi temp black paint around. A 2nd dealer said to call them back tomorrow and by then he will know if his parts manager can get in some hi temp paint----if so, he will skip his body shop and paint them himself when doing the brake pads. Is there a brand of paint I should ask them to use, and if I have to get it myself, where can I buy it? It can be a real pain when you can't do this work yourself. Thanks