Painting Hubs/Calipers

[_GRP_]

Hi Guys.

Hope to be getting some new wheels (BE Rotors) soon for my A3 Sportback.
With this in mind, I've noticed the hubs on my car are looking pretty rusty and could do with a tidy up.
Thinking of cleaning them/preping/ and then painting, what are yout thoughts, have other members done this?
Don't want my car to look too 'boy racer' though, just want them looking clean.

Any paint should I be using in particular, obviously heat resistent and should I paint my calipers at the same time?
Wanting it to look subtle, my car is silver so was just thinking black or a gun metal grey if I could get it.

Look forward to yout thoughts/comments.
George

 

[Shadowman]

Hi George,

Quite a few people have done this as the hubs do seem to be prone to rust....the paint to use is Hammerite silver, so you will match the OE colour...they will look clean but not shout at you...PLEASE DON'T DO THEM RED !!!

Not sure on the calipers, but I don't see why they would be any harder to do with black Hammerite as long as you are really careful with the masking-off.

Do a search on 'Hammerite' or 'Hubs' and you should get a fair amount of info from here.

Post pics when it's done and good luck..

 

[rOb_A]

good call shadow man, totally agree

 

[RedDejavu]

do then in black! Mine came up so amazing will post pics up later this evening

 

[cloughy]

as above, I did mine in hammerite smooth silver and then the calipers in a high temp gloss black paint

 

[Ste_Nova]

don't do the face where the wheel bolts on!

 

[nluk100]

Yeah, don't use red paint - I did mine and got carried away!

 

[Shadowman]

Ooops !!!!

 

[poli84]

I did my hubs in silver, came up great although the rust is coming through again after only 6 months!
I used a high temp caliper paint also, will need something better next time!

Here is a write up I did if you are interested:
Brake Disc Rejuvenation - and full details (PICS)

 

[Ste_Nova]

sand blast them first before you paint

 

[minimadmotorman]

Not sure if this is the same on the A3 but on my old mans 3 series when he had the wheels refurbed they powder coated the backs of the rims and painted the mating surface of the hub. Cost him about 3 sets of disks before someone pointed out that the wheels act as heatsinks for the brakes on the 3 series. ended up getting a new set of rims and getting the paint removed from the mating surface.

 

[moag]

use hammerite. Theres no need for high temp paint unless you are tracking your car. High temp doesn't seem to last as long as hammerite also.

Black hubs and silver calipers looks the best IMO. Its also worth painting the brake dust guards as they have a tendency to corrode at the edge.

 

[_GRP_]

Thanks for your help guys. My car's silver and shortly getting some Black Edition wheels, so thinking silver hubs and a gun-metal type grey for calipers & brake dust guide if I can get that colour...

 

[_GRP_]

Will Hammerite work on the calipers, or does it need to be a special heat resistant caliper paint?