Painted calipers?
Pro
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 540
Likes: 0
From: fort lauderdale florida
im paintiing my calipers tomorow.
currently facing an issue taking the wheels off.. lol.. .but i bought a yellow caliper heat resistant paint..2 cans should easily paint both wheels with 4-5 layers per wheel.
i plan on taking the wheel off.. .but not the calipers.
plenty of newspaper and tape to make sure no overspray.
currently facing an issue taking the wheels off.. lol.. .but i bought a yellow caliper heat resistant paint..2 cans should easily paint both wheels with 4-5 layers per wheel.
i plan on taking the wheel off.. .but not the calipers.
plenty of newspaper and tape to make sure no overspray.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,486
Likes: 1,659
From: Las Vegas NV
I just did mine... Duplicolor brush-on style brake caliper paint kit.
Take the wheels off. Spray caliper liberally with brake cleaner. Scrub any grease/dirt buildup off the calipers to get a clean surface to paint. Hold the caliper sliding pins with a 18mm open end wrench, while removing the 15mm bolts from the back of the pins. Wiggle the caliper off the disc. No need to remove the pads.
Set it up on top of the upper a-arm (cover the a-arm, rotor, etc with paper to keep drips off) so that you can get paint to the entire caliper. Do NOT let the caliper hang from the hose!
Don't forget the blue loc-tite on the 15mm bolts upon reassembly.
Take the wheels off. Spray caliper liberally with brake cleaner. Scrub any grease/dirt buildup off the calipers to get a clean surface to paint. Hold the caliper sliding pins with a 18mm open end wrench, while removing the 15mm bolts from the back of the pins. Wiggle the caliper off the disc. No need to remove the pads.
Set it up on top of the upper a-arm (cover the a-arm, rotor, etc with paper to keep drips off) so that you can get paint to the entire caliper. Do NOT let the caliper hang from the hose!
Don't forget the blue loc-tite on the 15mm bolts upon reassembly.
Last edited by Kent1999; Aug 19, 2007 at 09:58 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 264
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
I just did mine... Duplicolor brush-on style brake caliper paint kit.
Take the wheels off. Spray caliper liberally with brake cleaner. Scrub any grease/dirt buildup off the calipers to get a clean surface to paint. Hold the caliper sliding pins with a 18mm open end wrench, while removing the 15mm bolts from the back of the pins. Wiggle the caliper off the disc. No need to remove the pads.
Set it up on top of the upper a-arm (cover the a-arm, rotor, etc with paper to keep drips off) so that you can get paint to the entire caliper. Do NOT let the caliper hang from the hose!
Don't forget the blue loc-tite on the 15mm bolts upon reassembly.
Take the wheels off. Spray caliper liberally with brake cleaner. Scrub any grease/dirt buildup off the calipers to get a clean surface to paint. Hold the caliper sliding pins with a 18mm open end wrench, while removing the 15mm bolts from the back of the pins. Wiggle the caliper off the disc. No need to remove the pads.
Set it up on top of the upper a-arm (cover the a-arm, rotor, etc with paper to keep drips off) so that you can get paint to the entire caliper. Do NOT let the caliper hang from the hose!
Don't forget the blue loc-tite on the 15mm bolts upon reassembly.
Did mine a year ago, same procedure. Still look great. Got the kit at Walmart. Nice cheap mod.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,658
Likes: 827
From: FORT LAUDERDALE FL
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 764
plain old "sunrise red" rustoleum will work just fine. the myth is that you need some sort of hi-temp paint. not true. did mine with one rattle-can (two coats) for about $4. it's been a year now, and around 5-7K miles, still looks great. 
Pro
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 530
Likes: 2
From: Colorado Springs CO
Bingo. Only thing I would add is make sure they are cleaned with brake cleaner or some other solvent, remove solvent with windex or something like that, then shoot them with a coat of Rustoleum primer. I painted mine two years ago with no visible signs of paint deterioration to date (11K miles). Jack the car up, take the wheel off, mask the rotor and anything else you don't want to be red, then mask the wheel well with newspaper and masking tape for overspray, and have at it! Scrape off the Corvette letters with a single edge razor blade when dry, and it'll look like you masked them! HTH.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 764
Bingo. Only thing I would add is make sure they are cleaned with brake cleaner or some other solvent, remove solvent with windex or something like that, then shoot them with a coat of Rustoleum primer. I painted mine two years ago with no visible signs of paint deterioration to date (11K miles). Jack the car up, take the wheel off, mask the rotor and anything else you don't want to be red, then mask the wheel well with newspaper and masking tape for overspray, and have at it! Scrape off the Corvette letters with a single edge razor blade when dry, and it'll look like you masked them! HTH.
- like any paint work, the key to success is the prep. i was doing a complete brake overhaul on my 85, and prior to the painting, i bead blasted the calipers...
i'll be painting the calipers on my 08 (if it ever gets here) - probably disconnect the caliper from the mounting bracket, mask, and have at it.
Last edited by Joe C; Aug 21, 2007 at 05:54 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 8,205
Likes: 40
From: Tucson AZ
- like any paint work, the key to success is the prep. i was doing a complete brake overhall on my 85, and prior to the painting, i bead blasted the calipers...i'll be painting the calipers on my 08 (if it ever gets here) - probably disconnect the caliper from the mounting bracket, mask, and have at it.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 216
Likes: 8
From: Orlando FL
I calipers my rotors on my C5, I bought a can of the brush on rustolium, left the calipers mounted and masked off everything near and used a paint bruch. This was a clean way to go an no worrys about overspray. Then after they were dry (24hrs) I then took a razor blade and removed the paint off the letters. It looked great and I put probably 80K on the car with the calipers painted and no problems
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,644
Likes: 12
From: Sin City NV
I calipers my rotors on my C5, I bought a can of the brush on rustolium, left the calipers mounted and masked off everything near and used a paint bruch. This was a clean way to go an no worrys about overspray. Then after they were dry (24hrs) I then took a razor blade and removed the paint off the letters. It looked great and I put probably 80K on the car with the calipers painted and no problems
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 91
Likes: 1
From: Edmond Oklahoma
I bought body color spay paint - Monterrey Red. Carefully covered the car with an older (but soft) car cover. Pushed the cover in and behind the rotor and caliper assembly. cleaned all with degreaser, then used newspaper, tape, etc. to mask the rest off. Painted the top hat with a flat black. Painted the caliper with Monterrey Red, while still on the car. One can for all four calipers. Used razor blade while still a little damp to scrape off the letters. 4,000 miles later, still looks great. Lots of compliments. Calipers match the car.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,075
Likes: 6
From: Wilmington NC
I bought body color spay paint - Monterrey Red. Carefully covered the car with an older (but soft) car cover. Pushed the cover in and behind the rotor and caliper assembly. cleaned all with degreaser, then used newspaper, tape, etc. to mask the rest off. Painted the top hat with a flat black. Painted the caliper with Monterrey Red, while still on the car. One can for all four calipers. Used razor blade while still a little damp to scrape off the letters. 4,000 miles later, still looks great. Lots of compliments. Calipers match the car.