Making faded/dirty painted Calipers look good again?

[Mindflux]

I`m going to be polishing up my calipers tomorrow. I did the rear last weekend with mild sucess just hand buffing in some Menzerna FP, but there are still some faded areas.



I`m going to be doing the front calipers in the morning, and they are definately dirtier than the rears were. Would you have any suggestions other than Menzerna FP? These calipers are not clear coated, so some sort of product that`s not abrasive or a chemical cleaner would be appreciated!

[GearHead_1]

Maybe this is too obvious, but have you considered Caliper Paint? It`s available in many colors including silver, assuming you are looking for a stock look. :nixweiss

[PAW]

What about using brake cleaner spray?

[Mindflux]

These calipers are painted red, I`d rather not RE-PAINT them or strip the paint (with a brake cleaning spray). Considering using PPCL or even NXT Tech Wax yielded some red paint bleeding onto my rag. So I`ve got to use something GENTLE to restore the color, without respraying them.

[GearHead_1]

Can`t decide whether or not from reading your two posts if the calipers are just dirty or faded. If they are faded, paint them. It`s painless and doesn`t take that much time. Unless they are machined it isn`t practical to use normal polishing procedures, particularly if it is a cast surface. If it`s dirty and you think that brake cleaner is too caustic try a diluted mixture of simple green. Most calipers aren`t machined and therefore aren`t that easy to detail with waxes etc. Brake dust when allowed to sit (even for short periods of time) does wierd things to most finishes and requires an occasional touch up. This is true especially if you happen to have semi-met pads. Show us a picture maybe we will be of more help.

[bjwebster]

I was searching for the thread where brad b. polishes the calipers on I think, a maroon 993 TT. But alas, I couldnt find it, but here is a thread with some good info:

http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22989&highlight=brake



I dont blame you for not wanting to repaint, its hard to ever get the finish on a painted caliper like the factory can.

[Mindflux]

Originally posted by GearHead_1

Can`t decide whether or not from reading your two posts if the calipers are just dirty or faded. If they are faded, paint them. It`s painless and doesn`t take that much time. Unless they are machined it isn`t practical to use normal polishing procedures, particularly if it is a cast surface. If it`s dirty and you think that brake cleaner is too caustic try a diluted mixture of simple green. Most calipers aren`t machined and therefore aren`t that easy to detail with waxes etc. Brake dust when allowed to sit (even for short periods of time) does wierd things to most finishes and requires an occasional touch up. This is true especially if you happen to have semi-met pads. Show us a picture maybe we will be of more help.





Well, clean them for starters, which I`ve done. They`re a lot cleaner (not a layer of brake dust on them), however; the heat, brake dust and other elements has started to fade the paint a bit. So, in the areas where it`s noticably less glossy than others I`m looking for something to bring the gloss back out (which Menzerna FP did not do).



So, basically I was looking for a suggestion of what else to try (with no cleaning/stripping properties) to bring the gloss back out.

[Jesstzn]

Your better off to get some Prep-Sol / Masking Tape / Plasti-Kote Caliper paint and for $15 start from scratch.

[david328ci]

If they are Stoptechs, I would not repaint those. Some companies (such as Stoptech) use a very expensive process which covers the caliper with an epoxy coating which gives it that painted look.

[imported_Dave Holmes]

I`m with the general consensus about re-painting. If they are faded, polishing and/or waxing won`t last long because of the heat generated by calipers. Brake dust also works its way into the microscopic pores of the paint, giving it a dull appearance. The only effective remedy I`ve found is to repaint.



I use a spray can of caliper paint to touch mine up quickly. Remove the wheel, clean the caliper with a wheel cleaner and brush, then a detergent. Rinse well and allow to dry. While its drying, I remove the caliper, hang it from my spring with a wire coat hanger, and tape up EVERYTHING I don`t want overspray on (newspaper and aluminum foil work great). Apply THIN coats several minutes apart to the caliper. When satisfied with coverage, allow to dry thoroughly before handling (prevents imprints of your fingerprints in the paint when re-mounting). While brakes are apart, inspect pads, suspension, etc... Re-assemble everything, and remove all tape, newspaper, and aluminum foil. Torque lug nuts to specs (don`t over-torque, as it can cause warped rotors).



This method works extremely well. If you clean the calipers whenever you wash the rims, it helps extend their appearance. I use whatever car wash I`m using on my rims and an old toothbrush to get the areas I can see/reach. A wheel cleaner or APC works well with a toothbrush every so often to remove any build up.



Dave

[shaf]

Sealants don`t last either?



Just curious because I`ll have to paint my brakes/calipers some day....

[Mindflux]

Originally posted by Dave Holmes

I`m with the general consensus about re-painting. If they are faded, polishing and/or waxing won`t last long because of the heat generated by calipers. Brake dust also works its way into the microscopic pores of the paint, giving it a dull appearance. The only effective remedy I`ve found is to repaint.







repainting them, will yield the same results. a fresh looking paint until brake dust settles in and heat zaps the paint. yeilding more effort put into the job, for the same results.







:nixweiss

[Jesstzn]

Originally posted by Mindflux

repainting them, will yield the same results. a fresh looking paint until brake dust settles in and heat zaps the paint. yeilding more effort put into the job, for the same results.







:nixweiss



Brake dust hasn`t bothered mine in over a year but you *do* need to wash them just like you need to wash the wheels or anything to keep the dust from sitting there and baking into the caliper.



Like I have posted before whe have 100 deg heat here and some of the higher mountain passes in N/A thus lots of brake heat and no issues.

[Glossequation]

Originally posted by GearHead_1

Maybe this is too obvious, but have you considered Caliper Paint? It`s available in many colors including silver, assuming you are looking for a stock look. :nixweiss



I recommend this, too. Clean the calipers with some reducer, then spray two coats of duplicolor semi-gloss 500 degree paint on them in whatever color you want. Mask off rotors/shocks.

[GearHead_1]

Originally posted by Mindflux

repainting them, will yield the same results. a fresh looking paint until brake dust settles in and heat zaps the paint. yeilding more effort put into the job, for the same results.



It`s fairly apparent that you don`t want to repaint these and that`s O.K. I happen to agree somewhat with the statement you have made above. New paint will end up looking dull somewhere down the line. My mindset is simple I clean my calipers and the insides of my wheels regularly when they get to the point they don`t look like they`re cleaning up well and I`m not happy with the look, I paint them. The process starts all over again. I believe that most calipers won`t look like new after 40,000 miles on a daily driver unless an unusal amount of up keep is preformed on them. It`s easier for me to keep`em clean and repaint as needed than polish and wax this part of the undercarriage regularly. "Nuff said"