We all love our cars more than anything. We always want to make our cars more classy and unique. Giving the car an eye-pleasing look is every car owner’s dream. You can also customize your calipers with paint to give your vehicle a unique look, which is not available on every vehicle.
This will add some extra glint and an aesthetic look to your vehicle. You can paint the brake calipers of your car quite quickly and inexpensively to give it a sporty look.
How to Paint Brake Calipers in Easy Ways?
Painting the brake caliper is not a piece of cake. There are some technical parts involved. There are mainly two phases in the caliper paint. One is the preparing part and the final one is painting the caliper. Let’s take a look at the steps a vehicle owner should take to ensure that the new paint job ends up on the calipers only:
Preparing Part of the Caliper Before the Paint
When preparing your brake calipers to be painted, there are some specific steps that should be taken to ensure that only the areas having paint applied end up with paint. There are three steps in the preparation phase.
1. Jack the car up
The first step to preparing the calipers is getting the car off the ground. Loosen all four-wheel nuts using the wheel nut first. Then remove the two front wheels from the car after jacking it up. Be sure to keep the wheel nuts safe.
2. Remove the calipers and brake pads
It is best to remove the brake pads from the wheels after the calipers have been painted to protect the brake pads. The brake pads are typically clipped in place. You will need to find and remove the clips that hold the brake pads in place.
If you wish to paint the calipers, remove the pads and put them somewhere safe until after the job is done.
3. Clean your Brakes
Cleaning the brake caliper is a very important part. If you don’t clean them properly then it doesn’t fit well. If it doesn’t fit well then it won’t last long. So the cleaning part is very crucial.
- First, you have to remove the rust from the caliper. For this, you can use a stiff wire brush. You can easily remove them on the caliper’s metal part with the help of a brush.
- Second, you have to gasoline or other cleaners as a solvent to assist in cleaning. When you use the brush make sure to dip the brush into the cleaner.
- Third, you have to spray them continuously so you can easily clear away the loose bits.
- Fourth, You have to use sandpaper on the caliper and clean it gently.
- Fifth, again wipe the calipers with rubbing alcohol and a paper towel.
Related: How Long Do Brake Calipers Last on a Car?
Painting The Brake Caliper (Step-by-step Guide)
The painting phase is the main job of this preparation. This phase is composed of three steps. All three steps are very crucial for completing the job successfully.
1. Masking and Preparing the calipers
This step requires tape and newspaper. To protect the caliper, cover any areas that are around it. Using masking tape, cover the front retainer clip of the bleeder valve. It is also necessary to tape the valve and brake hose fittings completely.
Then you must cover the rotor. Plastic sheets or bin bags are a good choice for this. Rotate the rotor until it seals the plastic between the brake pads and the rotor. Add extra tape if necessary to keep the plastic from moving.
2. Start painting
Now comes the fun part. To get the best result several costs are needed.
First, you have to use a primer. Apply a mist coat of primer on each caliper. A mist coat means trying to cover it just do a very light coat in all the areas you can reach. Wait for 8 to 10 minutes and apply a lightly thicker coat so that the caliper is covered with primer. Wait to dry the primer.
Then you have to apply the color. Same as the primer, apply a very light mist coat first to each caliper waiting around 5-10 minutes to dry. You have to do this a couple of times and then apply a coat that covers the caliper in your color.
Finally, when it the dry you have prepared the gloss coat. Apply a light mist coat of gloss and wait 5 minutes and then apply a good coat of gloss.
Wait at least 24 hours before removing the plastic sheet. It’s best to paint the front two wheels first, then the rear two on a different day since the paint needs to be completely dry before putting the tires back on.
3. Finishing The Job
You should carefully remove all the masking tape and paper after the paint is dry. Then put the wheels back in place using the nuts you should have kept in a safe place earlier. You can now unpack your car.
Now that you’ve done the rear wheels, you can jack them up and repeat the process. Now that you have painted your calipers, they should look brand new. To complete the look, you could even invest in new tires and clean your alloys.
Things You Need: Paint The Brake Caliper At Home
Taking your car to auto-ship is a good option. But If you want to paint your caliper at home you need three things. They are Materials, Tools, and most importantly the desired work.
Materials
When you are choosing the material make sure they are durable. The materials you need are Wax and grease Remover and Duplicolor Caliper Paint. You can also choose spray paint.
Tools
There are several basic things you need to complete the job smoothly. Tools you need are a wire brush, tire iron, jack, safety glasses, dust mask, sandpaper, and gloves.
Related: How to Use a Digital Caliper Correctly?
Can I Paint My Brake Calipers?
Absolutely, You can. But there are precautionary steps you have to take. There are several interrelated parts that may impact their ability to bring your car to a stop, which could be dangerous. Like brake discs. You must be careful when you paint the caliper.
Then you need some basic tools to ready the caliper for painting.
Use tape to cover these parts if you don’t want to splash paint on other areas, or remove the brake calipers completely if you want to avoid this problem. You have to know the overall process very well. In the upper section, we describe every tiny little thing about the painting. Those parts will help newcomers to any pro.
How Long Does Caliper Paint Take to Dry?
If you want the best safety of the paint to dry give the car 24 hours.
When you’re painting your caliper you must give them enough time to dry it. If the paint doesn’t dry fully then it may not be completely heat resistant.
Then it also depends on what material you want; which means the brand you choose for the paint. You will find many companies who offer that the paint will dry in two to four hours. Most of the time they take five to ten hours to fully dry.
The brakes on your car are very hot, and wet paint cannot withstand temperatures of 300 degrees, whereas dried paint can. Check the label carefully and make sure the car is safe to drive, and that the paint is not scratched or dented when it is still tacky.
What Colour Should I Paint My Brake Calipers?
Most people choose the red color. Red is the color of courage and love. This red color is used for brake calipers all over the world. If you have a black car you can also choose the black one. There are so many colors available in the market for brake calipers.
You may choose from blue, red, orange, silver, black, matt black, white, copper, green, pink, yellow, gold, etc. You can go with a bold color, such as red, yellow, blue, or any other bright color, or you can go with black for a tougher look.
How Long Will My Caliper Paint Job Last?
The longevity of the brake caliper paint depends on the quality of the paint. There are several kinds of paint available in the market.
If you choose moderate-level paint, the lifespan will be 3 to 5 years. Meanwhile, high-quality aluminum caliper covers should last for 8 to 10 years though it is expensive compared to moderate-level paint.
Related: How to Measure Wire Gauge with Calipers?
Custom Paint on Brake Caliper
The majority of people believe the brakes on their cars should be the same color as the brakes on their cars will increase the overall look. But in the market, we cannot find the exact color. Many online stores are giving the service.
They need four details, such as make, model, year, and color code. For your brake calipers, they will make you a version of that color that’s high-temperature and safe. The custom painting process is also the same as we mentioned at the top.
Advantages of Brake Caliper Painting in 2024
We are always happy when things look good, and people compliment us for it. Painting your brake caliper gives your car a classy look and makes it look cooler. With a small amount of money, you can get a custom and fresh look.
You won’t have to pay extra for them to clean existing grime, rust deposits, and uneven surfaces before painting your car. As a result, your car brake system will function smoothly for a long time and ensure you have a safe driving experience.
7 Tips for Brake Caliper Painting
When we’re in a hurry we forget small things. These tiny things can give the project perfection. We hope these tips will help you and your brake caliper. They are down below:
- Apply the parking brake to your car before removing the wheels. Safety always comes first when working on a car.
- When you are cleaning the caliper, make sure you don’t brush the rubber casing around the caliper pistons.
- Remove either the entire caliper or at least the guide pin bolt and swing it up and down. Don’t forget to take off the hardware and pads. Make sure paint doesn’t get on them.
- Ensure that you don’t paint the entire caliper on the car. Do not touch any surfaces that may cause the caliper to seize.
- When painting the caliper, be careful not to paint the areas that are in contact with the pads. The paint contains components that can contaminate the brake pad and change the friction levels.
- Choose the paint very carefully. You must ensure that the paint must be well temperature resistant.
- Don’t drive the car until the paint is fully dried.
Related: How to Compress Brake Calipers?
Do painting calipers affect insurance?
Painting the caliper doesn’t affect the insurance. We paint the caliper for maintaining a good brake system for a long time as well as a smart look. Which increases the glow of the car and selling value. A good braking system always saves us from accidents.
Thus, painting the caliper of your car doesn’t affect its security or theft risk. It does not pose a fire hazard. You shouldn’t worry about it and should get your caliper color as soon as possible.
Here are some frequently asked questions about (Brake Calipers Painting): FAQs
Is Painting calipers worth it?
When you decorate brake calipers, they become very eye-catching. If you paint your brake caliper, you will have a fresh look. Even you can give your rusty calipers a custom look by painting them. Most importantly, it increases the value of the car by prolonging the caliper’s life and allows the caliper to last longer.
Do body shops paint Brake Calipers?
Absolutely. Almost every shop offers this service. They usually spray-paint the calipers. Only parts related to the brake caliper are painted, and they are masters in this task.
Should I paint new calipers?
Yeah, why not? You can paint the caliper yourself or take it to a shop. The new caliper is easier to paint than the old caliper because it doesn’t need to be rusted-free. This will give the new calipers some extra beauty.
Is it safe to spray paint brake calipers?
You can easily paint your brake caliper with the help of a spray kit. Some people use spray-on paint rather than brush-on paint. But when you go to the shop to buy the spray can make sure the quality of the paint is good enough and it can endure high temperatures. If you choose normal paint for the brake caliper it won’t last much, it will flake off.
Can I drive after painting the calipers?
You should wait for the paint to dry. If it doesn’t dry fully then the result may not be good. Drive the vehicle for at least 24 hours before driving it. A paint that is not fully dry may not be completely heat-resistant. It won’t last long.
“Final Thoughts” About Brake Calipers Painting in 2024
A properly prepared caliper will lead to better and neater results. Following our methods properly you can easily paint your brake caliper without any hassle. The method is developed based on the experience of our auto experts. Hope this will be helpful for you when you paint your brake caliper.
If you have queries or any opinions make sure you reach us through the comments section. Our experts are eagerly waiting to clear your doubts. Thank You.
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