Paint Your Calipers

[MAT]

I really hope there is no thread anywhere discussing this topic. I did look to make sure I was not duplicating a thread, if I have - massive apologies.Today, I visited my friend who purchased my 2014 mustang convertible. Seeing it reminded me that, at the request of my wife, I painted the calipers red. She was right. For what I spent, about $60.00, and the time I spent, about an 1.5 hours per caliper it was the biggest bang for the buck/time of anything detailing I did. I researched the products and spoke with friends. After hearing tales of woe about using spray-on caliper paint and it getting caught by the wind and getting on the cars' paint I chose a paint on product. I chose the Dupli-Color Caliper Paint Kit (Red) about $50.00. It was available at crappy tire and is available on Amazon.ca. After reading comments I did buy some extra small painting brushes (as in artists' brushes) at the dollar store as those supplied were reported to be lousy - as in bristles getting into the paint. Day 1: I wire brushed the calipers with both a circular wire wheel brush on my drill (use one with a variable speed) and small hand brushes - use steel or stainless steel wire brushes as brass ones leave deposits. After getting the rust off I wiped them with a towel that had rubbing alcohol on it, then with a towel that had water on it. I let the first one dry while I went to the second one. I took a garbage bag and slit it to fit behind, as much as possible, the calipers. What I couldn't protect with the plastic bag, I put masking tape on. I carefully painted two coats on each caliper. After letting them dry for abaout 5 hours I removed the tape and bags and let them sit overnight. Day 2: I repeated the same process on the other side of the car. I could not reach some of the backside areas of the calipers but you can't see that. I have received many compliments on the job. It has been 2.5 years and they still look great. I washed any dirt/brake dust off them with soap and water - once they had cooled. I would not drive the car for 24 hours after applying the paint even though many say you can. The only thing you have to be careful of is that brake fluid will erode the paint. I have read that owners having a brake job have the tech wrap them in plastic and when working on them and have a twoel on them when bleeding them. If my techno wizard (aka the wife) has a second I'll ask her to help me post some pics. The moderators have kindly offered some assistance but I don't want to bother them with something this simple. Cheers, MT

[Ponyryd]

I do this as well on the wife’s rides when she gets new ones.
First I did was her Cherokee Trailhawk, it looked really good with the red accents on the car, but I used VHT spray paint for that one.
Second was her Black Grand Cherokee, no red on the car but it looked cool anyways against the black. Again I used VHT, but this was 2 years after the first one, and the paint peeled after a few months…I emailed VHT and got no response, so I brushed off what I could and used the Dupli-Color kit from CTC, worked great and lasted for the year or so we had that car.
After that she’s had 2 White Durangos, both got the same Dupli-Color paint, from the same kit actually, lol, and it’s listed pretty well, even through winter.
FYI if you’re concerned about brake fluid you shouldn’t be, doing a brake job doesn’t require any to be released, and if you’re having a brake flush there should be a suction hose on the bleeder, so no mess.

[RedSN]

^^^had similar success with painting callipers. Painted the ones on the truck black with POR-15 engine paint (300*F) and still look new.

https://photos.smugmug.com/16-Frontier-1/i-L6sgs3z/0/T28Q7DcNmjtdX5GbNZWtgFdsmK9TVjPcHwTs7LH2/L/811D6490-AE93-4D54-BEFD-4DDE61F1807D-L.jpg

Painted the ones on RedSN (before the cobra conversion), and they didn’t survive track day, LOL. The red paint turned a toasty brown.
So my experience: stands up to everyday driving. Will not tolerate ‘spirited’ driving.

[Ponyryd]

Yea Don I think the only thing to do is high-temp powdercoating or ceramic coating for track stuff, and even that may change colour, lol. I did have to fit some (Bassani?) headers on a buddy’s Lightning and they were ceramic coated, I was using the rosebud tip on the torch and had the pipes literally glowing red, the coating still looked like new when I was done.