[DIY] Painting brake caliper

**Michael_1882** · 16-07-2010 01:32 PM

+1 for taking the caliper off.

The most important step is CLEANING. If you don't clean the calipers properly the paint will look shit, and the only way to clean it properly is to fully submerge them in a bucket. It is also a good excuse for a break fluid change and bleed, or some new braided lines

**ekay1** · 01-08-2010 05:02 PM

How do you take the calipers off? And is there anywhere i should avoid painting on the caliper? Great guide btw! im going to try this weekend ^^

**tylerjames** · 08-08-2010 10:02 PM

Hey, I've been wanting to do this for so long,
Just didn't realise exactly how simple it was.

Didn't want to make a new thread, but wanted to show how mine turned out.
Note, this is like my 2nd post on here, let alone first DIY and I am by no means a mechanic. so, please forgive any level of n00b.

Car: 1996 Honda Civic VTi
Tools: Jack, degreaser, newspaper, tape, 'M3 Brake Calliper' paint from supercheap auto ($18.00)
then all the other general bits and pieces.

steps I took:

I only had the spare tire jack, so I was doing everything the long hard way. jacked it up, took the wheels off gave them a proper clean and had to swap the rears for the front anyway, so was a good time to do it.

drenched the caliper with degreaser (make sure you have something to catch the drips, mess etc) gave a good wipe down.

masked just where I didn't want mess to get everywhere. I think some people go a bit over the top with masking, having newspaper covering the entire front quarter panel.. you have to be slightly retarded to be spraying on your bonnet.

applied 4 coats on each, about 20-30 minutes in between to let it dry. again, stick with the obvious, don't apply too thick. avoid running. nice even coats. the colour really starts to come up in the 3rd or 4th coat. I didn't find it necessary, but you could probably run a 5th. I tried using a brush for the harder to spray parts, but didn't have much luck with it. so, would also suggest against that.

make sure you have a good look around to see that you get all the places you might not initially see. as this was done in my garage, lighting was a bit of a di*k so I had a fluorescent underneath while working. definitely helped.

take off all your masking, make sure you didn't get any on the disk (like I did) which you just rub off with a rag and thinner or something similar, you'll find it's pretty easy.

put your wheel back on, and repeat for however many other wheels you wish to do. I only did the front two due to time and I couldn't really be bothered repeating the whole process manually jacking the car up.

I'd suggest leaving it for a good few hours before driving on them. I left it overnight just to be sure.

Before - the mess started.

Before - after a quick clean, just used degreaser and a rag to scrub off as much of the grime as I could.

I forgot to take a photo of my masking, but I didn't find it all that hard.
I had a little bit of paint drip on the disk, which came off with a little thinner + rubbing.

The after shots.

I think it looks hot.
I was going to do them white, as the rest of the car is strictly black and white, but due to the rims I just figured red would touch them off quite nicely.

will probably do the back 2 in a few weeks.

let me know what you think!

**greek_rambos2k** · 13-09-2010 02:19 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3mhq...eature=channel

**nwa111** · 13-09-2010 10:54 PM

would high termparature engine enamel paint work on my break calipers its just i have these to spare got it for my prelude rims but never go to doing it..