Painting Callipers

[willowsdad]

Right i've scoured old threads but can't find what i'm looking for. I've decided to paint my brake callipers red, and hammerite smooth looks ideal. But do i need to take them off to paint them, or can i just mask up and do them on the car? And anything i need to be careful of? Other paints may be considered but i'm set on the colour. Thanks.

 

[brough74]

Just mask them up on the car and it will be fine, or free hand if your good. Hammerite is ideal

 

[TimG]

In the past I have painted them on the car, masking up the bits you want to avoid. Only thing you'll find is its a lot harder to get them clean enough to pain them 'well', as everything is coated in break dust and this will mix with the paint and ruin your finish if your not thorough/careful!

 

[Rogue-24-84]

spray it with break-cleaner , scrub it with a wire brush spray it off again, mask everything around it and go for it, i used high temp red spray paint from halfords... about £6 for a big can, easily did all 4 and there's some left over!!

 

[45bvtc]

POR 15. Do NOT go anywhere else...

Been there, done that: Hammerite will go brittle and start to fall off within 12-months.

POR 15; brush on to get a smooth long lasting finish.

POR 15. Believe me...

 

[Helifella]

Don't Halfrauds do specific caliper paint kits? I'm sure I did my Pug 106 GTi brakes years back.

I'm thinking of doing mine too, is red still accepted as the "in" colour for the calipers?

With an Ibis White S-Line Black Edition, i'm thinking the red stripe in the wing badges will tie in nicely...?

 

[jonnysimm]

I have painted mine too but i did mine in bright orange because i have black wheels. got the paint off e bay give it a good clean with brake cleaner and wire brush and paint away looks good but you will have to do it a few times ive done mine about 3 times now but they are hard to get the black brake dust off. im happy with mine and ive not had any of it fall off or go brittle.

 

[willowsdad]

My cars red so I thought red or black and black seems a bit pointless, so red it is. And the mrs saw some brembos on a golf gti and said she liked it. I reckon red with the ibis white too. I've never seen anyone try white, but there's probably good reason cos they wouldn't be white for lon!

 

[Rogue-24-84]

Don't Halfrauds do specific caliper paint kits? I'm sure I did my Pug 106 GTi brakes years back.

I'm thinking of doing mine too, is red still accepted as the "in" colour for the calipers?

With an Ibis White S-Line Black Edition, i'm thinking the red stripe in the wing badges will tie in nicely...?

yeah i think the do its about 25 quid... and im 99% sure if you peeled the label off it'll be the same can underneath lol, porsche brakes are still red from the factory now. so i guess there still in? im thinking of doing mine gold tho?

 

[willowsdad]

Gold should look nice on a dark car. There's no reason for people to stick to red just cos it's the in colour. If it suits your car try it, you can always just re-do it if it looks cack.

 

[FranA3]

My cars red so I thought red or black and black seems a bit pointless, so red it is. And the mrs saw some brembos on a golf gti and said she liked it. I reckon red with the ibis white too. I've never seen anyone try white, but there's probably good reason cos they wouldn't be white for lon!

ash-b has white callipers on his they look nice but his car is lava grey , i painted mine silver as i didn't want to do them red haven't got the brakes to show off lol

 

[willowsdad]

ash-b has white callipers on his they look nice but his car is lava grey , i painted mine silver as i didn't want to do them red haven't got the brakes to show off lol

I'm lucky the 3.2 has got reasonably big brakes to start. I thought everything on ash's car was dark. I reckon white will look the nuts, but keeping it clean must be a mare.

 

[FranA3]

I'm lucky the 3.2 has got reasonably big brakes to start. I thought everything on ash's car was dark. I reckon white will look the nuts, but keeping it clean must be a mare.

show off lol , was thinking of putting some bigger brakes on the front so it looks better the 1.6 brakes are tiny they look lost behind my wheels can't imagine what its going to look like when i get my 19's lol , everything is dark apart from the brakes take a look through his thread I'm sure he has some pics on there

 

[willowsdad]

show off lol , was thinking of putting some bigger brakes on the front so it looks better the 1.6 brakes are tiny they look lost behind my wheels can't imagine what its going to look like when i get my 19's lol , everything is dark apart from the brakes take a look through his thread I'm sure he has some pics on there

You need to find a 170 tdi in a breakers and take the brakes, they're a decent size. I'll take a look at ash's thread when I get home, I never get bored of looking at well modded and shiny cars.

 

[FranA3]

You need to find a 170 tdi in a breakers and take the brakes, they're a decent size. I'll take a look at ash's thread when I get home, I never get bored of looking at well modded and shiny cars.

yeah i will have a hunt around soon , loads of breakers around cardiff will try and find other bits too

 

[willowsdad]

yeah i will have a hunt around soon , loads of breakers around cardiff will try and find other bits too

What bits have you got in mind? Saw the pics of your rs earlier very nice. Must've been weird going to a 1.6.

 

[nomis72]

Try a wire brush bit in a drill or dremel to clean the calipers,what about painting them yellow?give a bit of contrast.

 

[FranA3]

What bits have you got in mind? Saw the pics of your rs earlier very nice. Must've been weird going to a 1.6.

not sure yet got a few things i want to do but not saying till they are done if they even get done that is lol , lol yeah it was a bit strange from that to this but this car is cracking on fuel so am not going to moan at all thats why I've still got it 4 years on

 

[WAFTER]

Just mask them up on the car and it will be fine, or free hand if your good. Hammerite is ideal

On numerous cars over the years I have painted callipers using heat resistant (red) engine paint. Unless you race the car it does not burn off and keeps it's colour.

 

[WAFTER]

Oh please - brakes in this instance is spelt BRAKE not BREAK !!!!!

 

[audigex]

Who cares? It's hardly leading to confusion.

 

[willowsdad]

Oh please - brakes in this instance is spelt BRAKE not BREAK !!!!!

Funny how sometimes the silliest things annoy you. I hate it when people use to instead of too! And yet I know my grammar isn't perfect, and probably quite often wrong. I also find it annoying to watch my better half type at a thousand words a minute, only to delete half of it at the end to correct her spelling mistakes! Moan over.

 

[nally]

any one got any pics on them done would like to do mine silver or black in the summer

 

[Jord]

I painted mine satin black with high temp paint from halfords, have used the same pot for all three of my cars now, only cost about a fiver

 

[TDI_TIM]

The reason paint "flakes off" and "chips" is because you are not sealing them with high temp clear lacquer.

If you just paint them (spray or out the can) then the paint is exposed to the elements. Once they are on and the paint is dried apply a few coats of high temp clear lacquer and your brake colour will last a lot longer.