Painting Calipers on the car

[Naylor2006]

Idealy I would like to remove them and have them blasted then painted but that's alot of work for four Calipers if I change my mind and think it's looks rubbish.

 

So my question is with a wire brush and hammerite paint would it be possible to paint them whilst fitted? Taking the wheel off of course.

[VanHeaven]

you can do it with the wheels off but you will not get a really good job it is only a few bolts and one pipe on each to remove spend the extra few mins and remove them

[JC]

Yes, i took the bolts out, 2 15mm, and popped it on an axel stand and did it that way. the enamel stray from b&q is quite good too and cheap

[Hezz]

just get 'em masked up and painted, if you like them then do 'em properly

[Craig855S]

Yes you can do them whilst theyre fitted, it will take 5 minutes longer to do them with the pads out and sitting on an axle stand (therefore not needing to bleed them) and itll take half an hour longer to completely remove them from the car so you can do them all over...However, since you only see 60% of the caliper when the wheels are on i'd go for the axle stand option...In fact, some day soon i will be doing mine a dark grey

[Naylor2006]

Yes you can do them whilst theyre fitted, it will take 5 minutes longer to do them with the pads out and sitting on an axle stand (therefore not needing to bleed them) and itll take half an hour longer to completely remove them from the car so you can do them all over...However, since you only see 60% of the caliper when the wheels are on i'd go for the axle stand option...In fact, some day soon i will be doing mine a dark grey

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

Surely you can get to most if it still though, bar the inside edges you can get all round back?

 

What's the best for paint stripping and cleaning without ruining anything?

[Ahmotorsport]

Just take the caliper off, it's not as if they're a mission to do. They'll look better too. Edited July 27, 2011 by Ahmotorsport

[shawdreamer]

they can be done in situ.

 

however try and remember these general tips of my own.

 

1. their standard calipers

 

2. their not ferrari callipers so their not red

 

3. their not lamborghini calipers so their not yellow

 

4. their not brembo calipers so their not green

 

5. despite what the sheep believe, on a ford escort standard gordy coloured brake calipers peeking through alloys DO NOT look "cool", they look like standard gordy coloured brake calipers

[Naylor2006]

they can be done in situ.

 

however try and remember these general tips of my own.

 

1. their standard calipers

 

I guess soo

 

2. their not ferrari callipers so their not red

 

No but the front two are painted yellow already and the rears are stock

 

3. their not lamborghini calipers so their not yellow

 

See answer to 2.

 

4. their not brembo calipers so their not green

 

Ive seen more red brembos then green

 

5. despite what the sheep believe, on a ford escort standard gordy coloured brake calipers peeking through alloys DO NOT look "cool", they look like standard gordy coloured brake calipers

 

I am picking the car up friday and the front calipers have already been painted yellow but the rears have not and Bongo's calipers look the bid nis

 

Anyway, I need to know the best way to strip back to the metal or at least so I can make a good job of painting them, fluid based stripper stuff or just wire brush?

 

Anyone got a guide with pics on how to paint and take apart the calipers. Im an IT infrastructure worker and taking apart servers etc is childplay to me but taking apart mechanical stuff always scares me!

[shawdreamer]

they can be done in situ.

 

however try and remember these general tips of my own.

 

1. their standard calipers

 

I guess soo

 

2. their not ferrari callipers so their not red

 

No but the front two are painted yellow already and the rears are stock

 

3. their not lamborghini calipers so their not yellow

 

See answer to 2.

 

4. their not brembo calipers so their not green

 

Ive seen more red brembos then green

 

5. despite what the sheep believe, on a ford escort standard gordy coloured brake calipers peeking through alloys DO NOT look "cool", they look like standard gordy coloured brake calipers

 

I am picking the car up friday and the front calipers have already been painted yellow but the rears have not and Bongo's calipers look the bid nis

 

Anyway, I need to know the best way to strip back to the metal or at least so I can make a good job of painting them, fluid based stripper stuff or just wire brush?

 

Anyone got a guide with pics on how to paint and take apart the calipers. Im an IT infrastructure worker and taking apart servers etc is childplay to me but taking apart mechanical stuff always scares me!

 

wire brush (preferably on a angle grinder to save your arms)

 

there's no trick to it.

 

wire brush the shite off (whether that be paint or simply brake dust).

 

clean off the remaining dust and residue with a cloth dipped in thinners/debjizer/petrol (try and avoid contaminating the pads or disc face in the process).

 

allow the solvent to vaporize (half an hour - 1 hour)

 

depending on the paint your using you can go ahead with colouring or priming then colouring.

 

make sure that the paint your using is capable of handling large shifts in temprature and specifically high levels of heat.

 

have fun........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.......painting them silver or black (hint hint)

[Hezz]

just dont go pink!!

[Naylor2006]

they can be done in situ.

 

however try and remember these general tips of my own.

 

1. their standard calipers

 

I guess soo

 

2. their not ferrari callipers so their not red

 

No but the front two are painted yellow already and the rears are stock

 

3. their not lamborghini calipers so their not yellow

 

See answer to 2.

 

4. their not brembo calipers so their not green

 

Ive seen more red brembos then green

 

5. despite what the sheep believe, on a ford escort standard gordy coloured brake calipers peeking through alloys DO NOT look "cool", they look like standard gordy coloured brake calipers

 

I am picking the car up friday and the front calipers have already been painted yellow but the rears have not and Bongo's calipers look the bid nis

 

Anyway, I need to know the best way to strip back to the metal or at least so I can make a good job of painting them, fluid based stripper stuff or just wire brush?

 

Anyone got a guide with pics on how to paint and take apart the calipers. Im an IT infrastructure worker and taking apart servers etc is childplay to me but taking apart mechanical stuff always scares me!

 

wire brush (preferably on a angle grinder to save your arms)

 

there's no trick to it.

 

wire brush the shite off (whether that be paint or simply brake dust).

 

clean off the remaining dust and residue with a cloth dipped in thinners/debjizer/petrol (try and avoid contaminating the pads or disc face in the process).

 

allow the solvent to vaporize (half an hour - 1 hour)

 

depending on the paint your using you can go ahead with colouring or priming then colouring.

 

make sure that the paint your using is capable of handling large shifts in temprature and specifically high levels of heat.

 

have fun........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.......painting them silver or black (hint hint)

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

I was hoping blue to match with the hoses i wanna get and paint the rocker cover the same. IF it does look wak I will be going black or silver i promise.

 

Can a numpty like me take apart a caliper, I think i'd rather do that, can get up close and more personal then? Bit worried about the bleeding part n stuff.

[shawdreamer]

they can be done in situ.

 

however try and remember these general tips of my own.

 

1. their standard calipers

 

I guess soo

 

2. their not ferrari callipers so their not red

 

No but the front two are painted yellow already and the rears are stock

 

3. their not lamborghini calipers so their not yellow

 

See answer to 2.

 

4. their not brembo calipers so their not green

 

Ive seen more red brembos then green

 

5. despite what the sheep believe, on a ford escort standard gordy coloured brake calipers peeking through alloys DO NOT look "cool", they look like standard gordy coloured brake calipers

 

I am picking the car up friday and the front calipers have already been painted yellow but the rears have not and Bongo's calipers look the bid nis

 

Anyway, I need to know the best way to strip back to the metal or at least so I can make a good job of painting them, fluid based stripper stuff or just wire brush?

 

Anyone got a guide with pics on how to paint and take apart the calipers. Im an IT infrastructure worker and taking apart servers etc is childplay to me but taking apart mechanical stuff always scares me!

 

wire brush (preferably on a angle grinder to save your arms)

 

there's no trick to it.

 

wire brush the shite off (whether that be paint or simply brake dust).

 

clean off the remaining dust and residue with a cloth dipped in thinners/debjizer/petrol (try and avoid contaminating the pads or disc face in the process).

 

allow the solvent to vaporize (half an hour - 1 hour)

 

depending on the paint your using you can go ahead with colouring or priming then colouring.

 

make sure that the paint your using is capable of handling large shifts in temprature and specifically high levels of heat.

 

have fun........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.......painting them silver or black (hint hint)

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

I was hoping blue to match with the hoses i wanna get and paint the rocker cover the same. IF it does look wak I will be going black or silver i promise.

 

Can a numpty like me take apart a caliper, I think i'd rather do that, can get up close and more personal then? Bit worried about the bleeding part n stuff.

 

 

 

calipers are pretty easy to whip off (2x 13mm bolts at the rear and the brake hose coupling)

 

if the bleeding is the greatest concern then don't fret, Its pretty straight forward and can be aided and limited by tightly clamping the brake line rubber hoses (In assuming you don't have braided obviously) before detaching the coupling from the caliper, this essentially means the only air to be concerned about will all be contained in the hoses very end.

 

When refitting, re-attach the coupling first, pop the bleed nipple ready and have a mate hold the brake pedal down as much as is possible, then unclamp the hose, the main slug of air should be dispelled straight away, close the nipple and have the mate release and hold the pedal down again before opening the nipple again for a short moment.

 

works best if you have a clear jar you can expel the fluid into, that way way you can easily see any air bubbles still in the system.

 

keep going till you cant see any air left and the pedal becomes notably firmer and your done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

....some low speed tests might be worth doing before ya go flooring it down the local motorway though.

[Naylor2006]

Mate, your a gem, I really appreciate that and yeh it does sound really easy.

 

3 questions left and one of them is fecking stupid.

 

1: Is the bleeding done with the engine on or off, because if it's off I assume once it's bled you won't be able to push the pedal down any further <--- Stupid question out the way and I probably should have googled it to save embarrassment.

 

2: Do you do one remove paint and refit one brake at a time or can you do all four then refit and bleed one at a time, what's the best way to do that?

 

3 Being that the rear brakes only do what 30% of the braking is the bleeding method the same for them, the hand brake needs to be off right too?

 

Thanks for not laughing in advance.

[shawdreamer]

Mate, your a gem, I really appreciate that and yeh it does sound really easy.

 

3 questions left and one of them is fecking stupid.

 

1: Is the bleeding done with the engine on or off, because if it's off I assume once it's bled you won't be able to push the pedal down any further <--- Stupid question out the way and I probably should have googled it to save embarrassment.

 

Engine isnt required, the brake system is a purely manual hydrolic system and is not power assisted

 

2: Do you do one remove paint and refit one brake at a time or can you do all four then refit and bleed one at a time, what's the best way to do that?

 

If you have enough clamps for all pipes, go for it, but yes you have to bleed each line individually and one at a time.

 

3 Being that the rear brakes only do what 30% of the braking is the bleeding method the same for them, the hand brake needs to be off right too?

 

same bleeding method for all wheels, handbrake is a purely simple cable system and doesnt effect the bleeding process in any way

 

Thanks for not laughing in advance.

Edited July 27, 2011 by shawdreamer