Painting Calipers

[uk2fans]

I got a 99 GA GT, How can I paint the calipers....what type of paint and whats the process of doing this?

[nice96gt]

please use the http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/images/big_search.gif button :)

[99GrandAMSE]

Hi ... I just used "Rust Paint" and they have lasted great ... you can simply remove the wheel and clean the calipers WITHOUT removing them and then just paint (either with a brush or spray but with spray you will have to mask the various areas INCLUDING the car) ... if you wanted to remove the calipers (like I did), the end result will be better and you can get better coverage but there is more work involved and you will have to bleed the brakes afterwards ... good luck!!

[nice96gt]

Thanks Kelly, I'm lazy because I'm at work other wise there would have been more details... :)

[99GrandAMSE]

Originally posted by nice96gt
Thanks Kelly, I'm lazy because I'm at work other wise there would have been more details... :)

I know that Ryan ... no worries :)

[tenspeed]

Advanced Auto has a caliper painting kit for $8. It comes in black or silver and it is a brush on type so you don't have to mask everthing. I also used it on my rotor hubs to cover/prevent rust from showing through the wheels.

[Dave C]

or, you can buy high temp engine paint and do it with that, but it will probably chip and you'll have to redo it in a couple year.

an alternate option is to paint them with an epoxy kit, sorta like what these guys sell: http://www.g2usa.com/

[levey]

Originally posted by Dave C
or, you can buy high temp engine paint and do it with that, but it will probably chip and you'll have to redo it in a couple year.

an alternate option is to paint them with an epoxy kit, sorta like what these guys sell: http://www.g2usa.com/

I don't think I would go the epoxy route. One thing is for certain...epoxy doesn't stick well to epoxy. So when it comes time to re-paint....or freshen up....it won't stick well, and will probably chip, peel or crack. If you use an alternative...(Rust paint) it will be much easier to touch up when necessary. Try not to use epoxy when you know you have to freshen your coating every other season or so.... It's a PITA.

[JoeyK]

HUH???? If you sand it like your supposed to, epoxy will hold like a mofo to a prevoius epoxy coat. That's how dumpbeds on dump trucks are painted. It's about the toughest combo out there. Epoxy Primer with epoxy paint. I know, I've painted well over 100 of the damn nasty tings.;)

[99GrandAMSE]

JoeyK, the painting machine!! :lol:

[Dave C]

^ :lol:

plus those epoxy kits are lifetime warranty, any chips and you get a free replacement kit.

[JoeyK]

:P I really should clarify this point; epoxy is one of the hardest, toughest finishes. The #1 reason for any failure of a coating layed over epoxy is lack of proper sanding. Reason being it takes about 3 to 4 times the effort to abrade an epoxy surface properly to the point where there's enough abrasion for the next coat to hold or bite into. When sanding cured epoxy paint it's almost like the epoxy is sanding down your sandpaper more than your sandpaper is sanding down the epoxy.:lol:
That's why if I'm using an epoxy sealer before paint I make darn sure I have enough time left in the day to go over it with my top coat(s) (Paint) becuase in 3 to 5 hours time most epoxies cure to the point where you'll be in for alot of work sanding it & if you don't you're in for a mess because the follow coats will almost definately fail & come off.
With all that said, if you don't mind the high price, I highly recomend epoxy for brake calipers. But I'm a cheap ass & am painting only cars now, I have no access to "free" epoxy paint so I used high temp engine block paint instead. :D

[levey]

Originally posted by JoeyK
HUH???? If you sand it like your supposed to, epoxy will hold like a mofo to a previous epoxy coat. That's how dumpbeds on dump trucks are painted. It's about the toughest combo out there. Epoxy Primer with epoxy paint. I know, I've painted well over 100 of the damn nasty tings.;)


I never said the application was wrong or weak.. I just advised against it. Simply because....to the average car owner, it could end up up being a pain. I mean...Let's face it. If you go out and buy one quart of rust paint, that one quart of paint will prolly last you as long as you own the car...depending on how many times you paint the calipers. If you go the epoxy route, you will end up buying a kit every time you want to touch them up, or redo them. As you know, epoxy has a pot life. Once you mix it, you have to use it in about 4 hours. (depending on the product at hand)

So putting it away until the next time you need it, isn't an option.
Plus...as you said. When it does come time to recoat...you have to sand the hell out of it (should really be a light dusting in my opinion) in order for the new coating to stick. That alone is a pain.

I do understand what you are talking about when it comes to coatings on trucks. But that application is a bit different. I assume you are measuring mil thickness (wet and dry), checking for proper viscosity, the solids ratio in the product at hand, and I have to assume you are spraying the epoxy. For you...I can see you using epoxy on calipers. I mean....you know what to do, and what to expect. I would prolly use it to. But that's only because I use epoxy, and or industrial coatings every day.

I still say....for the average car owner....epoxy is a pain. But the choice is up to you. I say...buy a quart of rust paint, (or a high heat coating) paint the darn things, and put the paint away until you need it again.

[SilverGA2001]

Originally posted by uk2fans
I got a 99 GA GT, How can I paint the calipers....what type of paint and whats the process of doing this?

Duplicolor makes a nice caliper kit. Red, Black, Blue, Yellow, Silver. I bought the red, and you get more then enough to do multiple coats on each caliper. I have more then 3/4's of the paint jar left. Best part is you can pick this kit up anywhere, even WalMart.

Duplicolor Caliper Kit (http://duplicolor.com/products/caliper.html)

[tenspeed]

Originally posted by SilverGA2001
Duplicolor makes a nice caliper kit. Red, Black, Blue, Yellow, Silver. Best part is you can pick this kit up anywhere, even WalMart.

That's the kit I got at Advance Auto. It was $7.75 and I'm going to use it on my rear drums.

[Tempest]

Hey, if you paint your calipers, wont it insulate them a bit and cause them to get hotter?

[quadkid]

I wouldnt worry about the heat the caliper takes. Yeah, it gets wicked hot, but there no real fix for it and a layer or 2 or 3 of paint wont make much of an insulator. Since most of the heat comes from the rotor, if youre worried about brake fade, you should just invest in some vented/slotted rotors.

[GrandAmSSE]

Theres a how to on my website for this. :) Check it out.

[PontiacGA]

You can always use paint designed for calipers. It's a lacquer and last a long time and outshines spray paint. Foliatec is the name. It brushes on and comes out smooth. Very easy and great results. I'm always asked what I used for them, even by motorcycles guys. :lol:

[Dave C]

what about powder-coating them? how well would this hold up to chipping? back at home a powdercoating business is starting up...

[quadkid]

theyd be tough to powdercoat just because you have to bake them ... and the rubber boots around the pistons wouldnt hold up too well to an oven.

[RedGrandAm2003]

haha thats what i was thinking. They have specific Brake Caliper Paint by VHT also. :)

[Dave C]

Originally posted by quadkid
theyd be tough to powdercoat just because you have to bake them ... and the rubber boots around the pistons wouldnt hold up too well to an oven.


ga5speed02 was telling me he knows a guy who powdercoats brake calipers. they press out the seals before they begin, then put new ones in after they're powdercoated.

now back to the original question... does anyone know how well powdercoating will stand up to wear and tear?


if powder-coating is durable, I'd rather do that than buy the brake caliper paint and have to fix the chips in it in a few years.

[RedGrandAm2003]

yeah but powder coating is expensive... quite expensive. Correct me if i'm wrong though :)

[tenspeed]

Powder coating isn't the expensive part of the project. Calipers are on the small side.

I would have to consider the fact the the calipers would have to be removed, disassembled, cleaned, sharp edges filed and sanded, powder coated, reassembled, installed and brake lines bled. That's a lot of steps and a few good opportunities to screw something up.

I spent about about a hour each caliper cleaning, filing and sanding. I used the two part epoxy paint for a smooth, hard finish. I still have chips from the "mechanics" installing my snows and resting the rim on the caliper when lining up the lugs.

[quadkid]

they press out the seals before they begin, then put new ones in after they're powdercoated.
ah, that makes sense, i just didnt think anyone would go through that trouble.

Is it expensive? depends on the parts and how well you get along with the guys there. We brought my trucks wheels to one of our PC'ers in RI that had a guy doing wheels as a side business. He charged us $150 for the entire set and they came out awesome.

As for durability, its only as durable as the way you take care of them. Powdercoat has a tendancy to flake away once a nice scratch digs into it. Once that happens you might as well just forget it. BUT, i dont see the calipers having that much of a risk, so as long as they use the right type of powder for high heat then they should be fine.

[RedGrandAm2003]

myself, i wouldnt bother. I'm just wondering on what I should do, either take the calipers off or else just paint them on the car, any suggestions? (probably best to open a new topic but meh... )

[Bouchie11982]

ugh...speaking of calipers...i have to repaint mine :pissed2: mine already chipped!! not even a year went by and they are chipping...
Kelly: what did you use again? It doesn't chip as easily as the caliper paint you can buy from AAP right? (it's in a black box with a red, yellow or blue caliper on teh front)

[XoticGA]

Originally posted by RedGrandAm2003
myself, i wouldnt bother. I'm just wondering on what I should do, either take the calipers off or else just paint them on the car, any suggestions? (probably best to open a new topic but meh... )


When I did mine, I left them on the car... Unless you're super anal about it.. Then take'em off.. But I just painted what was going to be seen :D

[RedGrandAm2003]

what kind of paint did you use katie?

[Bouchie11982]

the dupli-color i believe...th ekind where you can find at any advanced auto parts store

[RedGrandAm2003]

Oh mk. Cuz I'm just lookin around to see what paint to use, that was what i was gonna get. But i donno if i should paint my drums or not. Kelly's were pretty nice... or wait till I find a good deal with getting Disc on the rear.

[quadkid]

Id take them off just so you dont get any on the rotor by accident. Plus you can see what you missed a lot easier.

Pait the drums black or something, never was a fan of colored drums. Who'd want to show off a drum brake?

[RedGrandAm2003]

Coolsters like me :) lolol but I havnt the slightest idea how to take the caliper off/on blah blah blah.

[99GrandAMSE]

Originally posted by Bouchie11982
... Kelly: what did you use again? It doesn't chip as easily as the caliper paint you can buy from AAP right? (it's in a black box with a red, yellow or blue caliper on teh front)

All I ever use is "RUST PAINT" (up here, it is call TremClad but down your way I think they call it Rustoelum or something) ... anyway, all I did was I cleaned the callipers with brake cleaner, dried them thoroughly, brushed on a couple coats (yes, I said "brush" as I wanted a nice thick coat) and then after it dried well, I sprayed a coat of the same color to give a little shine :)

[RedGrandAm2003]

yeah thats totally what i want to do... did you take them off?.... if you sprayed then of course you did, my bad :p

[99GrandAMSE]

Originally posted by RedGrandAm2003
... if you sprayed then of course you did, my bad :p

You can spray them on the care provided you mask everything properly :)

[RedGrandAm2003]

Yeah, but you dont get the inside part of the caliper

[99GrandAMSE]

Originally posted by RedGrandAm2003
Yeah, but you dont get the inside part of the caliper

... you have to remove them from the bracket and support them with a wire or something but you don;t "have" remove remove the flex hose :)

[RedGrandAm2003]

so the whole "hard" thing about taking the calipers off the car is the whole bleeding the brakes?

[Bouchie11982]

uhh i just keep mine on and paint them .....not hard :P

[RedGrandAm2003]

well... biiiiite me :) Its gonna be my spring/summer project when its warm. Too cold right now

[quadkid]

if you dont want to have to bleed the brakes, then just remove the bolts holding the caliper on. You should be able to move it around enough to cover all the sides.

I plan on doing mine too when the weather gets a little warmer.

[Bouchie11982]

LOL Sean...lets have a mod day where all we are doing is touching up our calipers LOL

[RedGrandAm2003]

and we can suran wrap up your headlights :lol:

[Bouchie11982]

LMAO i completely forgot about that...i still have to look at things....im nt sure..like jim said...if that clear plastic paper will do any good

[RedGrandAm2003]

it wont.. Glad suran wrap... where the strong guy.. and... ok i'll shut up now :)

[Bouchie11982]

LOL you do that :P j.k.! no i'll look into the sites i was given and found.

[quadkid]

haha, katie, your on

[99GrandAMSE]

Originally posted by RedGrandAm2003
so the whole "hard" thing about taking the calipers off the car is the whole bleeding the brakes?

... for some people ;)

[RedGrandAm2003]

I am inclined to learn how to do my own brakes thank you very much =) I'm a total neeeeewb with that crap, and its brakes, i dont wanna screw anything up :)

[99GrandAMSE]

... being careful with brakes is a good thing bud :)

[RedGrandAm2003]

Yeah I know, I gotta pick me up a Haynes manual and some GAOC advice when the time comes =)

[99GrandAMSE]

... both are available :)

[mrjoecanadian]

If you do take them off to paint, just DON'T hit the breaks and they should just go right back on :P

[AAS SC/T]

The duplicolor and other brands of caliper paint (G2 and others) will last a very long time I have done my wifes and mine and they look the same three years later and where up here in winter salt land. The brush on is very easy just take of the tires and go for it.

[Bouchie11982]

uhhh i have to correct you Craig....i have duplicolor on my car and they chipped right off. the paint is less then a year old. :lol: im in the process of looking for a different brand

[RedGrandAm2003]

Thats cuz you drive like a maniac!! Your car isnt meant to be doin the whole offroad rally world championship racing thing ;) :lol:

[Bouchie11982]

:rofl: im NOT! i just travel to car shows...that's all....well ok...if you call the NY/NJ travelin "racing" then yea....

[RedGrandAm2003]

Point proven =) Youur gonna get pulled over.. and your car is gonna get taken away.. and... they're gonna give it to me. =)

[Bouchie11982]

well after cleaning my car today, not only did i have some spots to touch up, but i think im gonna have to get a bra for my car :(

[RedGrandAm2003]

oh noes!!! Is it that bad??

[AAS SC/T]

I used the G2 kit and it had no problems at all. Here is a before and after pics.
http://pic10.picturetrail.com/VOL347/2099444/9575366/136523613.jpg
http://pic10.picturetrail.com/VOL347/2099444/9575366/136523606.jpg

[RedGrandAm2003]

Not too bad. I like it :)

[Bouchie11982]

looks good!
:glances down at my car with the chipping caliper paint:

yea...i should look into getting some of that G2 stuff....

[RedGrandAm2003]

Fiqured I'll ask here rather than making a new thread:

I've got a can of the VHT caliper paint, would it look better if i shot a few coats of high heat clear on there?? It'd give it a nice glossy look and be more protected.

[Bouchie11982]

maybe :P

[RedGrandAm2003]

hey! quiet you! or i'll suran wrap your car. :lol: :D

[MPC_05SE]

Painting calipers is by far the easiest route...but powder coating is by far the most durable finish. LOL..but of course I'd say that right?

Seriously, I read some of the comments on the powder coating option and thought I'd throw in my .02 cents.
(1) Typical pricing for calipers should be between $150-$250 depending on the type of caliper.
(2) The caliper does not have to be completely broken down to coat. The boots will hold up under the curing temperatures. Your brakes can and will get a LOT hotter than 350* if driven hard....However, it is definitely better to rebuild them ...and I do .... I mean you are only talking a few extra dollars.
(3) If your powder coating starts to flake off if it gets a little scratch...it was most likely due to poor prep work or under curing.

http://morrispowdercoating.com/Gallery/albums/album10/nissancaliper_web.sized.jpg

-Kevin

[RedGrandAm2003]

yeah, but i dont have 150 - 200 bucks for powder coating for brakes. This isnt some pimped out Nissan. lol... I'll stick with my $8 rattlecan thanks :)

[Bouchie11982]

Mike, he was only trying to help. I think that the picture he used was an example :P

[RedGrandAm2003]

I know. But i'll still stick with my $8 rattlecan, rather than 200 bucks for powdercoat, that'll probably end up getting scratched/chipped(if not done right) anyway.