How do you paint the calipers?

[SixBanger]

I'm going to order the paint from RKSport, and hopefully do it as soon as they arrive. I was just wondering if anyone can tell me exactly HOW to do it? What is the easiest way without making a mess? How long does it take for the paint to dry? Any other information that I should probably know? I would really appreciate it. Thanks guys!

[eDoog]

search for "paint calipers" and you'll find plenty of threads w/ step-by-step images. Good luck and post some pics when you're done.

[hawgs]

you dont need special paint... any spray paint will do, they dont get that hot.

[SixBanger]

Ok well I found most of the information I needed, but the one thing I couldn't find was how long I have to wait before I put the wheels back on, and how long I have to wait before I can drive again? Also, if anyone has any pictures of their stock salad shooters with their calipers painted black could you post the link? Thanks!

[ June 10, 2003: Message edited by: SixBanger ]</p>

[foshizl]

i painted mine (i dont have salad shooters) but i put my wheels back on after about an hour, and then i just waited (however long the paint can says it takes to fully dry) i think i drove mine after like 4 hrs

[Distephano]

I left mine on the car to paint them.

First I washed them really well. Then I took a drill with a wire brush head on it, and I wire brushed the hell out of them. Then I took some contact cleaner, sprayed them down, and took the air hose to them, to make sure they were clean and dry.

Then I took a plastic bag and put it around the rotor. I also stuck a peice of cardboard in the hole on the caliper, to keep paint from going on the rotor from there. Then I just put on lots of thin coats of paint. I waited till the paint wasn't tacky anymore (Like an hour or so) before I put the wheels back on. Besides putting the car Away, I let them dry over night.

Don't spend all that money on Special paint from RK Sport. Just go get any spray paint, prefreable the High temp stuff though.

[SixBanger]

Is it necessary to wire brush them?

[Distephano]

I would do that, or sand them. Otherwise, you've got a very unprepared surface you are painting on, and most likely will get poor results. You need to get off the layer of rusty stuff on top. Even if it doesn't look like it, the top layer of metal has been oxidized, and will not lend it self well to painting.

[Distephano]

Whoops, forgot to say. I just wire brushed them, cuz I had the little wire brush head for the drill, so it made quick work of it. I also found that easier to do than sand them, with them still on the car. If I would have taken them off, I would have just sand blasted them as I did to my brake drums on the rear.

Remember, the key to making this paint job last, is a well prep'd surface, and many THIN coats of paint. If you do one or two heavy layers, you will not get good results, and chances are, will have rust come though the paint quickly, and you will have crappy looking calipers, and have to re do them. This happened on my brake drums the first time. I sandblasted them, and did maybe 10 thin coats, they are still looking good now.

[silvachris1]

Whatever you do, DO NOT TAKE THEM OFF!!!! I took mine off to do it, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy too much trouble. All the fluid drained out of the entire brake system, even though I put bolts through the brake lines to stop the leak. So needless to say, I've been fighting with that for a while. Not fun, not fun at all. And if you do take them off to paint them, make sure to put them back on the same side they came off. This will save you alot of time and frustration.

[AlienInv8r]

Do you guys paint the entire caliper, or just the front side that you see?? I'm assuming just the front since most of you are keeping it on the car still. I plan on doing mine at some point this summer when I change my brake pads.

[Distephano]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by AlienInv8r:
Do you guys paint the entire caliper, or just the front side that you see?? I'm assuming just the front since most of you are keeping it on the car still. I plan on doing mine at some point this summer when I change my brake pads.<hr></blockquote>

You can paint nearly all of it, with it still on the car. But yeah, worry mainly about what you see [img]smile.gif[/img]