Caliper Paint

[Big-Tom]

Hi all, I put a set of C-5 wheels on my 90 Vert and now that the Calipers are visable I think they need some attention..
My question is how to paint them? What color would look good?

[ToolGuy]

I can't see you pics from work here, won't allow me.

I cleaned, sanded, and wire brushed my rotors and than used good old Rustoleum paint. It can handle the hotter temps just fine. At least two coats are needed too. I also took mine off the brackets but did not disconnect the brake lines.
Mothers products work the best I've found at removing brake dust. Used them many years when detailing cars, still do.

[LLC5]

Originally Posted by ToolGuy

I can't see you pics from work here, won't allow me.

I cleaned, sanded, and wire brushed my rotors and than used good old Rustoleum paint. It can handle the hotter temps just fine. At least two coats are needed too. I also took mine off the brackets but did not disconnect the brake lines.
Mothers products work the best I've found at removing brake dust. Used them many years when detailing cars, still do.

ToolGuy has the right way to clean and paint, it takes a bit of time and the calipers need to be spotless to adhere the paint properly.

Red in my opinion is the best color for calipers, but I am a bit biased... :)

[froggy47]

I like red, but these days it's whatever you like on the car.

[Smmmokin']

I think powder coating is the ultimate way to go. IMHO.

[LLC5]

Originally Posted by Smmmokin'

I think powder coating is the ultimate way to go. IMHO.

It is the best for color adhesion but only if the installer preps it properly and knows what he is doing. I know that it is possible to reuse the caliper seals and dust boots when powder coating, but the fact is that any time you disassemble a caliper new dust boots and seals should be installed for safety reasons after the powder coating, so you should account for that cost wise.

[Big-Tom]

Thanks for the replys. I'm thinking gloss Black, although Red looks good it would be the only Red on the car. The interior is also Black. I think that instead of sanding the calipers I might just get some nice clean rebuilt ones from NAPA and paint them.

[froggy47]

Powder coating involves heat curing, right. How much, not sure, depends on the process.

Some say the powdercoating (as opposed to paint) creates an insulation that holds heat in.

Probably not what you want a caliper to do (hold heat in).

If someone were to powdercoat calipers, I would also rebuild the caliper, the rubber seal(s) inside each cylinder

and the dust boots and the caliper pin seals.

I would not want to leave those seals inside each cylinder on my calipers after they had been subjected to some unknown temp. in an oven, and I know they are a high temp resistant seal of course, because calipers are designed to get very hot, but still.

Personally, I'd clean them really good & rattle can them with some quality caliper paint.

:)