How to paint your brakes

[HoldenManDan]

Mate, do yourself a favour and get some purpose made brake caliper paint. VHT make some good quality stuff.

Good luck with it mate!

 

[bumskins]

Pull out the pads and keep them somewhere safe. Using two spanners (if you don't have the real tool like most people), jimmy the piston back in by putting each spanner on opposite sides and resting the middle(ish) bit of the spanner on the caliper. Use them like jimmy bars aka crowbars and apply even pressure to make sure it goes in straight. It will not go in if it isn't straight so don't worry about "what if they aren't straight and I won't be able to brake". It will not go in unless straight. May take a while if not used to it but shouldn't take to long if you have your spanners in the right spots. You may need to move them around a bit to keep even pressure for the full circumference of the piston. All this will let you put your pads back in properly. You now no how to change your brake pads too.

What a battle! Ever heard of just inserting a G-clamp into the caliper and winding the old pads back in, to retract the caliper piston? ;-)

The man advised me that painting your brakes (using caliper paint available at these types of retail stores) will actually void/not pass a roadworthy as the painted caliper 'traps' more heat in. So i am assuming this could possibly lead to premature brake fade or other problems on standard soft brakes. What does everyone think of this?

Load of rubbish, the brake calipers are only there to hold your brake pads in place on the rotor not primarily to remove heat...that's what your brake discs are for.

 

[VS FTW]

Ive read thorugh everything and no one has mentioned it, do i need to use a primer and then clear coat afterwards? im painting my engine cover but same diff i think?

 

[Richard Moss]

May I suggest that for anyone who is unsure about how much to remove, how to take out the pads, doesn't want to mask up etc. that you consider hand painting the calipers with a good quality brush? A 1/2" (1.25-1.5cm) camel hair brush would do nicely and the joy of using a good quality brush is that you will have few, if any, brush marks left in the paint and you don't have to mask anything up or worry about overspray.

As for the paint "trapping heat in the caliper" - relax, it isn't an issue and surely even the Aussie Nanny-state Police won't worry about something like that!

 

[itsagixa]

May I suggest that for anyone who is unsure about how much to remove, how to take out the pads, doesn't want to mask up etc. that you consider hand painting the calipers with a good quality brush? A 1/2" (1.25-1.5cm) camel hair brush would do nicely and the joy of using a good quality brush is that you will have few, if any, brush marks left in the paint and you don't have to mask anything up or worry about overspray.

As for the paint "trapping heat in the caliper" - relax, it isn't an issue and surely even the Aussie Nanny-state Police won't worry about something like that!

smartest thing anyone has said so far, less work, less mistakes possible, ya dont need to pull your brakes aprart and you dont need to mask everything up +5000000000

 

[RIP 05]

Can you buy pots of VHT paint to brush on?

 

[HoldenManDan]

Can you buy pots of VHT paint to brush on?

Dont know dude, but i sprayed mine without any hassles. What i have done to touch up chips on the calipers from time to time is just spray some paint into the clean spray can cap and use a small brush to touch up the chips.

Hope this helps!

 

[social]

After thread digging for the how to, this is my result;

Rears

 

[VYMAD]

Good job, looks tops.