Some caliper paint help and ideas?
5/31/14, 05:20 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: April 22, 2012
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Some caliper paint help and ideas?
A year ago, I saw lime green Camaro with metallic green calipers.
I hated the color, but loved the idea.
My 2013 GT is Deep Impact Blue. I think it's okay if I can't get the exact same color for the calipers, but I wouldn't want to be too far off. My local Autozone has this:
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...ier=419006_0_0_
But of course, there are no reviews or anything on what it exactly looks like when it dries (and the picture on their is not very appetizing).
Have you got suggestions on a brand (and some pictures to show how it'd look) of blue caliper paint?
Also, how have you guys done the work? I was imagining I'd have to put the stang up for a weekend, remove all of the calipers and brackets, clean them, give them two or three coats, and reinstall them.
I hated the color, but loved the idea.
My 2013 GT is Deep Impact Blue. I think it's okay if I can't get the exact same color for the calipers, but I wouldn't want to be too far off. My local Autozone has this:
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...ier=419006_0_0_
But of course, there are no reviews or anything on what it exactly looks like when it dries (and the picture on their is not very appetizing).
Have you got suggestions on a brand (and some pictures to show how it'd look) of blue caliper paint?
Also, how have you guys done the work? I was imagining I'd have to put the stang up for a weekend, remove all of the calipers and brackets, clean them, give them two or three coats, and reinstall them.
5/31/14, 06:17 PM
#2
Legacy TMS Member
VHT is good stuff. I used it on Awesome last year. She's a Daily Driver car. And the black VHT I spritzed on there has not peeled, fallen off, or any of that, and still looks good.
Now, bear in mind, I did what they said. I used the VHT caliper cleaner that was recommended in the paint's instructions before hand, and scrubbed those wheels with Simple Green beforehand, and then shot it with the caliper cleaner.
Nonetheless, that VHT black brake paint spray did the job and did it well. I just wanted Satin Black, so that worked and I was done. If I wanted gloss, then I'd have to have shot it again with the gloss final coat.
Go for it. It's easy and looks good. And if you screw it up? Shoot it again, no worries, just get a red scotchbrite and go to town, clean it with the caliper cleaner, and start sprayin'.
If you do what they say to do in prep before paint, it will stick. I've shot the calipers with high pressure water spray, and no problems.
---
As far as the color goes, get some and shoot it on something you don't care about, but similar to the brake hardware. That'll let you know what you're looking at. But it's a reasonable thing to use the cap as a guesstimate, that's why it's on there.
---
As far as taking the calipers completely off the car? No. Not needed. Unless you just wanna go that far. And/or depending on if you want different colors, or natural finish on something attached to the calipers instead of just painting it too.
What I did was this. Jack car up, remove wheels (I put her on all jackstands and did this all at once, but you can do it one wheel at a time, your call.)
Now inspect your situation. What do you want the color to be on? What do you NOT want the color to be on? Plan appropriately, and you will be rewarded.
Remove calipers, and plastic tie them up somewhere in the wheel well, but with enough slack to maneuver and not hit anything. Remove brake pads too, set aside. Now isn't a bad time to put in new pads and hardware, but whatever. Note that this action may or may not mean that a small portion of caliper may not get painted. But if you picked a mounting hole, you can still get the top side. If it's that big an issue, rig up a coat hanger to go in and suspend it so the sides around the mounting hole are not touching the hanger, then hang it with the tie wraps. You'll just have to experiment, I don't have pics or anything. Heh.
Pressing on. Remove rotors. (I taped them off and shot them too, separately, 'cause I wanted the not-braking surfaces to be black as well. Pain in the buttocks to tape a circular object.
If you want to do that, use a fine line tape. I used some meant for models from japan, a little 1/8" fine line masking tape that I got from Hobby Lobby, then used 3m green tape from Home Depot after that to tape the rotor off.)
Now, take a moment to *read the instructions on the can of VHT.* It is actually better to have done this in the store so you can get all the recommended materials, such as the VHT caliper cleaner.
You now clean the heck out of the caliper(s). Make it/them purty as they can be in their current state. Use a nylon brush if you want and scrub. Shoot again with cleaner, then let dry.
Depending on the color, you may or may not want to tape off stuff you DONT want paint on. Unless you want fading yellow-to-black brake lines, or a nice yellow streak on the front springs, that sort of thing. Tape off the not-color stuff, or be prepared to clean it up/paint over it later.
Shoot the caliper paint, right on the caliper, and the mounting bracket, whatever you want the color to show on. I didn't use the primer, I just shot them after they were cleaned and had dried up. Again, follow instructions. If you're going to gloss coat, then wait the appropriate flash time, otherwise, wait to full dry.
Now, put it all back together, except the wheels. Inspect your work. Hopefully, you didn't miss any spots, and you're all done! But if you missed a spot, well... that's something you're going to have to debate and deal with somehow.
Here's a little tip. Buy a can of the VHT satin black. Not for the calipers. For the back of the exposed brake pads. They look better if you shoot 'em black then put 'em in. Use the same caliper cleaner on a rag to wipe it off, then shoot it, just a small hit in the middle. If you wanna tape it off, fine, do that. But that satin black on the back of the pad will help the caliper and bracket stand out better, and look cleaner too.
If you're happy with things, put the wheel on and enjoy your new looks! But go drive it NOW. You need to cure the paint. Driving the car and braking will get the stuff heated up. Go through a few red lights or something. Then the paint should stick and not let go easily.
---
In my case, again, I wanted the satin black, so I didn't bother taping off stuff. And as a matter of fact, I missed a few spots when I shot it first, then after assembly, I just shot it in place to fix it. None of it has let go or looks bad, I am very very satisfied with the results. And I went a little nutz and shot some other stuff that wasn't pretty with this same paint, 'cause it was just that good at covering it. Brake lines, whatever, just to make it look right on the brake. All of it appears to still be sticking.
I also did the 'back of the pad' shooting while it was on the car, because I'd put it together... and saw the ugly print on the pads. Frack that. *spritz* It didn't hurt it at all.
Me likey VHT brake paint.
Go fer it!
Now, bear in mind, I did what they said. I used the VHT caliper cleaner that was recommended in the paint's instructions before hand, and scrubbed those wheels with Simple Green beforehand, and then shot it with the caliper cleaner.
Nonetheless, that VHT black brake paint spray did the job and did it well. I just wanted Satin Black, so that worked and I was done. If I wanted gloss, then I'd have to have shot it again with the gloss final coat.
Go for it. It's easy and looks good. And if you screw it up? Shoot it again, no worries, just get a red scotchbrite and go to town, clean it with the caliper cleaner, and start sprayin'.
If you do what they say to do in prep before paint, it will stick. I've shot the calipers with high pressure water spray, and no problems.
---
As far as the color goes, get some and shoot it on something you don't care about, but similar to the brake hardware. That'll let you know what you're looking at. But it's a reasonable thing to use the cap as a guesstimate, that's why it's on there.
---
As far as taking the calipers completely off the car? No. Not needed. Unless you just wanna go that far. And/or depending on if you want different colors, or natural finish on something attached to the calipers instead of just painting it too.
What I did was this. Jack car up, remove wheels (I put her on all jackstands and did this all at once, but you can do it one wheel at a time, your call.)
Now inspect your situation. What do you want the color to be on? What do you NOT want the color to be on? Plan appropriately, and you will be rewarded.
Remove calipers, and plastic tie them up somewhere in the wheel well, but with enough slack to maneuver and not hit anything. Remove brake pads too, set aside. Now isn't a bad time to put in new pads and hardware, but whatever. Note that this action may or may not mean that a small portion of caliper may not get painted. But if you picked a mounting hole, you can still get the top side. If it's that big an issue, rig up a coat hanger to go in and suspend it so the sides around the mounting hole are not touching the hanger, then hang it with the tie wraps. You'll just have to experiment, I don't have pics or anything. Heh.
Pressing on. Remove rotors. (I taped them off and shot them too, separately, 'cause I wanted the not-braking surfaces to be black as well. Pain in the buttocks to tape a circular object.
If you want to do that, use a fine line tape. I used some meant for models from japan, a little 1/8" fine line masking tape that I got from Hobby Lobby, then used 3m green tape from Home Depot after that to tape the rotor off.)Now, take a moment to *read the instructions on the can of VHT.* It is actually better to have done this in the store so you can get all the recommended materials, such as the VHT caliper cleaner.
You now clean the heck out of the caliper(s). Make it/them purty as they can be in their current state. Use a nylon brush if you want and scrub. Shoot again with cleaner, then let dry.
Depending on the color, you may or may not want to tape off stuff you DONT want paint on. Unless you want fading yellow-to-black brake lines, or a nice yellow streak on the front springs, that sort of thing. Tape off the not-color stuff, or be prepared to clean it up/paint over it later.
Shoot the caliper paint, right on the caliper, and the mounting bracket, whatever you want the color to show on. I didn't use the primer, I just shot them after they were cleaned and had dried up. Again, follow instructions. If you're going to gloss coat, then wait the appropriate flash time, otherwise, wait to full dry.
Now, put it all back together, except the wheels. Inspect your work. Hopefully, you didn't miss any spots, and you're all done! But if you missed a spot, well... that's something you're going to have to debate and deal with somehow.
Here's a little tip. Buy a can of the VHT satin black. Not for the calipers. For the back of the exposed brake pads. They look better if you shoot 'em black then put 'em in. Use the same caliper cleaner on a rag to wipe it off, then shoot it, just a small hit in the middle. If you wanna tape it off, fine, do that. But that satin black on the back of the pad will help the caliper and bracket stand out better, and look cleaner too.
If you're happy with things, put the wheel on and enjoy your new looks! But go drive it NOW. You need to cure the paint. Driving the car and braking will get the stuff heated up. Go through a few red lights or something. Then the paint should stick and not let go easily.
---
In my case, again, I wanted the satin black, so I didn't bother taping off stuff. And as a matter of fact, I missed a few spots when I shot it first, then after assembly, I just shot it in place to fix it. None of it has let go or looks bad, I am very very satisfied with the results. And I went a little nutz and shot some other stuff that wasn't pretty with this same paint, 'cause it was just that good at covering it. Brake lines, whatever, just to make it look right on the brake. All of it appears to still be sticking.
I also did the 'back of the pad' shooting while it was on the car, because I'd put it together... and saw the ugly print on the pads. Frack that. *spritz* It didn't hurt it at all.
Me likey VHT brake paint.
Go fer it!
Last edited by houtex; 5/31/14 at 06:44 PM.
5/31/14, 07:22 PM
#3
GTR Member
6/10/14, 10:42 AM
#4
That's probably tthe right way to do it but definitely takes a lot of time.
What I did was just take off the wheels and taped up the rotors and pads. Didn't even remove them. Then I sprayed the paint into a paper bowl and used a foam brush to lightly coat the calipers. I did about three coats. No streaks or anything. Came out pretty good. Easy too and took about two hours to do all four calipers.
What I did was just take off the wheels and taped up the rotors and pads. Didn't even remove them. Then I sprayed the paint into a paper bowl and used a foam brush to lightly coat the calipers. I did about three coats. No streaks or anything. Came out pretty good. Easy too and took about two hours to do all four calipers.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
