painting brake calipers question
05-05-2013, 10:17 PM
#1
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: north dakota
Posts: 92
painting brake calipers question
so i have some caliper paint and am trying to decide the best way to paint them
first of all are the front and rear calipers different in how they come off? i havent touched the brakes in my car yet
secondly ive heard its easier to clean and paint them when they are off the car
is this managable by myself? if so is there a guide on which bolts to remove, etc?
will i be able to completely take the calipers off and give them a good scrub in my apartment or will i just be able to take them off the rotor and hang them with a hanger with the brake line still attached and clean them in the garage?
thanks for any help guys!
first of all are the front and rear calipers different in how they come off? i havent touched the brakes in my car yet
secondly ive heard its easier to clean and paint them when they are off the car
is this managable by myself? if so is there a guide on which bolts to remove, etc?
will i be able to completely take the calipers off and give them a good scrub in my apartment or will i just be able to take them off the rotor and hang them with a hanger with the brake line still attached and clean them in the garage?
thanks for any help guys!
05-06-2013, 12:31 AM
#2
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: GA
Posts: 261
I wouldn't take the calipers completely off the car unless you plan on bleeding the brake fluid. You'll end up with air in the line if you take the calipers completely off.
To get the calipers off its just two 12mm bolts on the back side, and two 15mm bolts holding the braket in. You may need a pry bar or flat head screw driver to help pry the caliper off the rotor. Bend a coat hanger to get them hung in place some how, don't let the brake line itself support the full caliper weight. Cover everything in newspaper, painters tape, or something before spraying. Then I'd do several light coats, letting it dry in between until you get it covered nicely.
Re installing may just be as simple as bolting up the braket and then sliding the caliper back over the brake pads to bolt the caliper back in. Sometimes I've had the problem, like when installing new brake pads, the piston needs to be compressed back into the caliper for it to slide over the brake pads. You'll need to use a larger C-clamp to compress the front calipers. Just secure the clamp on the piston and back of the caliper, tighten until it compresses. For the rear calipers you'll need needle nose pliers or a brake caliper tool. The rear ones have little indentions where the pliers can lock in or the tool designed to fit, and you just twist it to get it compressed (like tightening a bolt). You probably won't have to compress the pistons, just might take some muscle to get them back over the brake pads.
To get the calipers off its just two 12mm bolts on the back side, and two 15mm bolts holding the braket in. You may need a pry bar or flat head screw driver to help pry the caliper off the rotor. Bend a coat hanger to get them hung in place some how, don't let the brake line itself support the full caliper weight. Cover everything in newspaper, painters tape, or something before spraying. Then I'd do several light coats, letting it dry in between until you get it covered nicely.
Re installing may just be as simple as bolting up the braket and then sliding the caliper back over the brake pads to bolt the caliper back in. Sometimes I've had the problem, like when installing new brake pads, the piston needs to be compressed back into the caliper for it to slide over the brake pads. You'll need to use a larger C-clamp to compress the front calipers. Just secure the clamp on the piston and back of the caliper, tighten until it compresses. For the rear calipers you'll need needle nose pliers or a brake caliper tool. The rear ones have little indentions where the pliers can lock in or the tool designed to fit, and you just twist it to get it compressed (like tightening a bolt). You probably won't have to compress the pistons, just might take some muscle to get them back over the brake pads.
05-06-2013, 11:44 AM
#4
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: north dakota
Posts: 92
I wouldn't take the calipers completely off the car unless you plan on bleeding the brake fluid. You'll end up with air in the line if you take the calipers completely off.
To get the calipers off its just two 12mm bolts on the back side, and two 15mm bolts holding the braket in. You may need a pry bar or flat head screw driver to help pry the caliper off the rotor. Bend a coat hanger to get them hung in place some how, don't let the brake line itself support the full caliper weight. Cover everything in newspaper, painters tape, or something before spraying. Then I'd do several light coats, letting it dry in between until you get it covered nicely.
Re installing may just be as simple as bolting up the braket and then sliding the caliper back over the brake pads to bolt the caliper back in. Sometimes I've had the problem, like when installing new brake pads, the piston needs to be compressed back into the caliper for it to slide over the brake pads. You'll need to use a larger C-clamp to compress the front calipers. Just secure the clamp on the piston and back of the caliper, tighten until it compresses. For the rear calipers you'll need needle nose pliers or a brake caliper tool. The rear ones have little indentions where the pliers can lock in or the tool designed to fit, and you just twist it to get it compressed (like tightening a bolt). You probably won't have to compress the pistons, just might take some muscle to get them back over the brake pads.
To get the calipers off its just two 12mm bolts on the back side, and two 15mm bolts holding the braket in. You may need a pry bar or flat head screw driver to help pry the caliper off the rotor. Bend a coat hanger to get them hung in place some how, don't let the brake line itself support the full caliper weight. Cover everything in newspaper, painters tape, or something before spraying. Then I'd do several light coats, letting it dry in between until you get it covered nicely.
Re installing may just be as simple as bolting up the braket and then sliding the caliper back over the brake pads to bolt the caliper back in. Sometimes I've had the problem, like when installing new brake pads, the piston needs to be compressed back into the caliper for it to slide over the brake pads. You'll need to use a larger C-clamp to compress the front calipers. Just secure the clamp on the piston and back of the caliper, tighten until it compresses. For the rear calipers you'll need needle nose pliers or a brake caliper tool. The rear ones have little indentions where the pliers can lock in or the tool designed to fit, and you just twist it to get it compressed (like tightening a bolt). You probably won't have to compress the pistons, just might take some muscle to get them back over the brake pads.
the kit i bought is actually a brush kit so i wont be spraying, but still might be a good idea to tape some stuff
do you know of some good solutions to use to clean them really well? ive read that this is the most important step to getting them painted properly and i want to make sure they are spotless!
05-06-2013, 01:25 PM
#5
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: GA
Posts: 261
Probably just a stiff brush, old rags, and a good de greaser. They sale brake parts cleaner at auto part stores, it's in a spray can like w d40. I use purple power to clean my engine bay and that is a pretty good de greaser, also sold around auto parts stuff.
05-06-2013, 03:23 PM
#6
I have never dealt with stang brakes since i just got my stang like 2 days ago. I've seen some nice covers from AM that come in many different colors. The price is Skyhigh but if that doesnt bother you, then just order a set of those covers and they will look sick on your calipers 
I did in fact painted my calipers on my Eclipse GSX, and it took me about a day to finish everything completely. If you will remove your calipers then you will need to bleed them once you put them back in because you are going to have air inside, this isn't a hard task to do, you will just need a buddy to help you out there because by your self you wont be able to twist a bleeder and press hard on brakes at the same time. It is possible though. My calipers were already painted yellow and i wanted them red, so i bought an acetone to remove old paint, but i didn't buff it or anything, basically removed the old paint and sprayed them couple of times. De-greaser is a must if you want the paint layers to lay on the caliper properly without having the paint to chip off the caliper later on. If you will decide to take calipers off the car, know that when you will be bleeding the calipers it will squirt brake fluid, and from my own experience if that brake fluid will get on to your calipers it will mess up your new paint.
I did in fact painted my calipers on my Eclipse GSX, and it took me about a day to finish everything completely. If you will remove your calipers then you will need to bleed them once you put them back in because you are going to have air inside, this isn't a hard task to do, you will just need a buddy to help you out there because by your self you wont be able to twist a bleeder and press hard on brakes at the same time. It is possible though. My calipers were already painted yellow and i wanted them red, so i bought an acetone to remove old paint, but i didn't buff it or anything, basically removed the old paint and sprayed them couple of times. De-greaser is a must if you want the paint layers to lay on the caliper properly without having the paint to chip off the caliper later on. If you will decide to take calipers off the car, know that when you will be bleeding the calipers it will squirt brake fluid, and from my own experience if that brake fluid will get on to your calipers it will mess up your new paint.
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