Brake refurbishment

[Steve Webb]

Quick question for you all, when you have refurbished split callipers before, did you paint them up individually, or once you had bolted them back together?

My knackered hip\back makes messing about under cars a no-no at the moment but I can probably manage sorting callipers out on the bench.

[AlfaJack]

Once they were bolted together for me.

[Steve Webb]

How did you prep the calipers before you painted them?

I was going to de-rust them, squirt of brake cleaner, and then a rub over with paint thinners.

[wrinx]

Yup, that'll do...avoid "high temperature paint" though, you need the enamel kits.

wrinx

[Steve Webb]

This sort of stuff?

Brake and engine paint (http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/performance/paint/foliatec-brake-caliper-and-engine-lacquer)

[wrinx]

Looks about right, the stuff I used consisted of enamel and hardener...think it was made by Foliatec though.

wrinx

[Steve Webb]

Well the paint for the calipers has arrived, unfortunately the rebuild kit hasn't (fingers crossed for tomorrow) and as I've split the calipers already I need new seals that sit between the 2 halves. So it looks like I'll be waiting a little longer before getting the calipers finished.

Oh and just for a change I've gone for bright yellow.

[sebasteeno]

Is this for Brembos as im interested in this as ive just bought some?

[Varypodaros]

Yellow Brembos on black 155. Nice!

[Steve Webb]

Nope these are for the standard ATEs on my GTV. Finally got some time to finish cleaning them up and rebuilding them this afternoon.
They are ready to paint now

[Steve Webb]

Finally the brakes are all bolted back together, totally overhauled and now painted.

To be honest given the price of the rebuild kit, the price of the paint, and the amount of time taken getting everything apart, then cleaned totally I'd be inclined to send calipers off to be refurbished and painted in the future as the quality of the paint isn't that great in my opinion.

They'll do for now, but aren't as good as I was hoping for :(

[wrinx]

That's strange, mine looked spot on when they were done...perhaps it was too cold for the paint to work properly?

wrinx

[Steve Webb]

What colour did you use? Was it red?

On that site the red paint is ready to use whereas all the other colours need to be mixed with a hardener first.

Despite being cleaned within an inch of their life the paint really didn't seem to cover all that well, even with 2 coats.