Removing calipers for painting + few qns

Hi Guys,

I'm going to be painting my calipers in the next few weeks, and was wanting to know if anyone knows how to completely remove them from the car.

I've read the DIYs which involve this process such as Trav's DBA rotor install & other DIYs on brake pad change, but it seems everyone just undoes one bolt, and swings the caliper aside. I on the other hand actually want to detach the whole caliper from the car to paint it properly. If its not possible then I'll mask around it with newspaper and spray away.

Also is it fine if I leave the brake pads inside the caliper while painting it, so the outer side of the pads (which you can see when looking at the wheels) gets painted too?

there are two bolt to remove the calipers buddy
http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/9...tledkv2.th.jpg
sorry bout the sh*tty diagram but yeh two bolt attaching the caliper to the mounting bracket on your arms. undo them. You'll have to remove it from the brake line aswell if you wanna actually take it from the car. I dont see why painting the pads couldnt be dont. although i dont think it would look good and it might get stuck to the caliper.

thnx newmski...although I was under the impression that there is something else holding the caliper to the car besides those 2 bolts.

As can be seen from the pictures in trav's DIY on changing rear rotors http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthr...=paint+caliper, the bolts are undone but the caliper itself is still hanging on to something.

Good point about the pads sticking to the caliper

Im seriously starting to lean towards masking everything...as taking it on / off is a big-az hassle...and knowing my luck...something will screw up...haha

There are 2 bolts which hold the caliper to the frame. And there are 2 more bolts that hold the frame to the hub.

Mask off any moving parts on the caliper. That means, no painting the piston. Be careful not to get paint on the banjo bolt area.

yeh you can take the fram bolt and just the the caliper on the frame...

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Originally Posted by aaronng

There are 2 bolts which hold the caliper to the frame. And there are 2 more bolts that hold the frame to the hub.

Mask off any moving parts on the caliper. That means, no painting the piston. Be careful not to get paint on the banjo bolt area.

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Cheers mate...do you by any chance have a pic of where these 2 bolts are that connect the frame to the hub? Also which is the banjo bolt area?

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/7357/3gs9.jpg

At the end of the day I want my calipers to be painted like so....only in GOLD!:thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Ru$kI

Cheers mate...do you by any chance have a pic of where these 2 bolts are that connect the frame to the hub? Also which is the banjo bolt area?

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It's behind the hub/disc area. Put your car on jackstands, take off the wheel, pop your head behind the rotor (wear a mask or hanky around your nose. The dust is bad for health.You'll see the frame held by 2 bolts to the hub. It's straight forward... but very tight both in space and the bolts. :)

As for the banjo bolt, just follow the brake line to the caliper. Where the line meets the caliper, it's held on by a bolt. That's the banjo bolt. You don't want any paint in between the caliper and the brake line fitting. On the bright side, if you ever mess up your paint and get some there, just take a small piece of cloth, wet it with some brake fluid and use that to get it off. DON'T GET ANY BRAKE FLUID ON YOUR PAINT!

Thnx a million mate!! :thumbsup:

No problem! Post pics when you are done. :)

Sure thing. Planning to do this in 3 weeks or so, during my mid-semester break (24th - 30th Sept). So will post pics after

Hopefuly if all goes 2 plan, ull be able 2 check it out at the Stanwell Tops meet:thumbsup:

why not just spray it with it still on? just cover the rotor, lines and splash guard in newspaper.

yeah thats what u should do just spray degreaser on the calipers first and hose them off and maybe whipe them with thinners so it cleans all the grease off

i know it may be kinda scarey at 1st if you havnt had much mechanical experience but brakes are SOOOO easy!!!

i'd recomend taking your pads out to paint the caliper and just paint the pads seperately. otherwise when u take the pads out later to change them you may chip or pull paint off the caliper where the paint has bonded to both.

oh yeah, there is something else holding the caliper to the car other than the 2 bolts.... the brake fluid line ;)
so unless you wanna risk air in your brake fluid and have to bleed your brakes after reinstalling your calipers, just mask off and paint it while still on the car.

you can take them off without unconnecting the brakeline.

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Originally Posted by n/a

why not just spray it with it still on? just cover the rotor, lines and splash guard in newspaper.

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yeah ^ taking them off is a waste of time and fluid imo. just mask what u dont want sprayed and clean/prep and paint.

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Originally Posted by egSi

yeah ^ taking them off is a waste of time and fluid imo. just mask what u dont want sprayed and clean/prep and paint.

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Yep...iv realised thats the best way...im planning to undo the 2 bolts...take out the brake pads...then mask everything around it and spray away (ill be doing 4 coats).

Does anyone know how long I should wait for each coat of paint to dry? And how 2 spray it on...ie horizontal motion..or vertical...etc?

check the instructions on the back of the can ;)

oops... thats if u'r using a can.

make sure you use some high temp paint. They do make caliper paint also

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Originally Posted by hyrpm

yeah thats what u should do just spray degreaser on the calipers first and hose them off and maybe whipe them with thinners so it cleans all the grease off

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been told that degreaser is a no no :thumbdwn: something to do with melting the barke lines?

Can someone verify this? coz I've been told by my mechanic and my paint / panel beater guy that degreaser is the way to go!...plus it seems many people on here seem to agree with it.

I wasnt exactly going to apply the degreaser to the brake lines anyway...but just incase would like some clarification on this.

Oh and yea I will be using VHT High Temp Paint to paint the calipers :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by n/a

been told that degreaser is a no no :thumbdwn: something to do with melting the barke lines?

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i sprayed them w/o the degreaser, sprayed 2 coats.

the 1st coat will bubble as there was a bit of crap on the calipers, but the 2nd filled it up and it's fine.

dont forget pics when ya done ;)