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Painting Calipers - Remove or Paint While Installed
I'm going to paint my calipers, with a three step primer, paint, and clear coat after cleaning and grease removal.
I'd prefer to remove the calipers in order to really clean them and to properly bake them for an hour to cure the paint. Should I cure for an hour between each step? I'll be using a 2,000 degree Fahrenheit primer, 650 degree paint, and a 2,000 degree clear coat. Overkill? Thoughts?
What methods are used to stop the lines from bleeding out? Don't want to crimp them, but would think a rubber hose plastic clamp would be OK. Thoughts?
Or, should I just be the "Average Joe" and paint them while on the car? I'm sure I'd be left with the feeling that they could have been done better if I do this.
I painted mine while on the car, with a brush and they came out good, but I also installed the RDX covers. However, based on what you said and how far you want to go with it, sounds like you should take them off the car and do it.
Way easier with them off the car. You'll have to bleed the brakes and put in new fluid but totally worth it. Sitting at all awkward angles to clean and then paint is a pain in the butt and back. It's a few bolts to remove and the brake line and its way easier to scrub clean, scuff up and then paint.
Plus you ensure full coverage so you don't have to worry about the paint peeling up from an edge that you didn't paint.
I like torture it seems. I didn't trust the rubber inside & sealing the piston, so I removed those and did a complete reman with the caliper repair kits from Acura/Honda. Wasn't worry about the heat from baking them to cure, because it was under a temp to worry about anyway, 200 degrees.
Figured that reman job would take about half an hour...holy shit, the caliper dust boot...wow.
There's a learning curve on them, figured the rear calipers would be easier since they're smaller, nope harder for the same reason. Just wow. A slippery fucking game of patience, extreme patience. At one time I had a caliper on the floor and "discovered" a technique to twist my body as I rose up and that enable me to pull the seals onto the piston. First one took about 3 fucking hours to figure out, Googling stated Honda/Acura just replace the calipers as an assembly instead of reman because of the time spent coddling that cock. By time I get to the last rear, it only took a few minutes. If you plan to reman a caliper with all new rubber, budget about 10 times that if you've never done it before.
Removing & replacing the hardware and bleeding new calipers only took about 1.5 hours. I felt I slowed down to be careful to minimize brake fluid getting on the new calipers. That's something that those that leave them on to paint don't have to worry about. But, I'm glad I did them off to have 100% coverage and cure them.
Small update, wheels are nice and clean, will look much better after washing the car and you see the Royal Blue Pearl framing these. These are blinding when the sun reflects on them; paint has ceramic in it, and with the gloss clear . Can't wait to see this in motion at highway speeds on a sunny day.
Note for me - I have a buddy that like's to take photos, will try to get some in motion and some shots with Fall in the background and while I'm at it, I'll record audio/video of the CCI, HFPCs, and ATLP V2R J-Pipe with stock exhaust for those related threads.
how do you like the slotted rotors? i need to buy some rotors but go back and forth about getting slotted or not. i know there's not really much benefit for me with slots but i like their look...do you hear a constantly rubbing sound with them (when the pads pass over the slots)? would you go blanks next time around?
how do you like the slotted rotors? i need to buy some rotors but go back and forth about getting slotted or not. i know there's not really much benefit for me with slots but i like their look...do you hear a constantly rubbing sound with them (when the pads pass over the slots)? would you go blanks next time around?
These front rotors are being discontinued and are being sold at clearance prices until the stock is gone per Hawk Performance when I called.
You don't hear any noise other than a slight "whistle" when the profile of your car passes something like the side of a bridge. I like it, it's not loud by any means, and you'd actually have to listen for it.
I will never put drilled rotors on my car from any manufacturer. The DBAs pretty much exploded, and ruined a good set of pads.
The rears are slotted and dimpled, and I'm pretty sure most of the "whistle" I hear comes from them, since they're a deeper slot.
I've been tempted to buy another set of the Hawk rotors before they're gone, the price is just too good . I like the pattern of the slots on the front, similar to DBA minus the drilled holes, and I prefer that pattern over the deep slots you often see. Would get the same pattern in the rear if anyone made them.
I have Hawk Performance pads all around. Very nice brakes after a full flush with new calipers installed.
Deciding whether to dress and reman the set I pulled when replacing for the copper ones in the pics above. May paint them a white pearl or royal blue pearl and switch them out annually with a full flush.
EDIT - I'll update with fresh pics again after changing pads on these copper calipers for the first time so others can see how a full paint job of them holds up.
Last edited by MonkeyTrucker; Nov 17, 2015 at 05:55 PM.
These front rotors are being discontinued and are being sold at clearance prices until the stock is gone per Hawk Performance when I called.
You don't hear any noise other than a slight "whistle" when the profile of your car passes something like the side of a bridge. I like it, it's not loud by any means, and you'd actually have to listen for it.
I will never put drilled rotors on my car from any manufacturer. The DBAs pretty much exploded, and ruined a good set of pads.
The rears are slotted and dimpled, and I'm pretty sure most of the "whistle" I hear comes from them, since they're a deeper slot.
I've been tempted to buy another set of the Hawk rotors before they're gone, the price is just too good . I like the pattern of the slots on the front, similar to DBA minus the drilled holes, and I prefer that pattern over the deep slots you often see. Would get the same pattern in the rear if anyone made them.
I have Hawk Performance pads all around. Very nice brakes after a full flush with new calipers installed.
Deciding whether to dress and reman the set I pulled when replacing for the copper ones in the pics above. May paint them a white pearl or royal blue pearl and switch them out annually with a full flush.
EDIT - I'll update with fresh pics again after changing pads on these copper calipers for the first time so others can see how a full paint job of them holds up.
thanks for adding the images, i was going to say that your links weren't working haha.
have you had any issues with rusting on the hubs or slots? i ask because i've had normal rotors before and they rust all over the hubs and other areas, so i had to put black high temp paint on the hubs but it still flakes off and the vanes are rusting. i like the stoptech slotted/centric blank rotors because they come inside and out with the black non-rusting coating already on there.
the sound you mentioned shouldn't be an issue to me either, i was worried more about a "whirring" sound as the rotors went by the pads. i agree no to drilled holes
i'm planning on also doing akebono pads front and back, possibly SS lines, and flushing the brakes (still on first pair of rear pads/rotors, and 2nd set of pads/rotors in front). i just feel like doing a complete update on the pads and rotors now that i have new wheels again.
I've had akebono pads...meh, didn't care for them, they wore quickly for me.
No tarnish or rust on the Hawk rotors, but the DBA sure looked like shit soon after install. I've never seen a coat of rust on the Hawk rotor surface either after a humid night or two. The rears do though, they're EBC, just OK in my opinion, and I will likely put blanks back on the rear if I can't find the pattern like the fronts when the time comes.:
I've had akebono pads...meh, didn't care for them, they wore quickly for me.
No tarnish or rust on the Hawk rotors, but the DBA sure looked like shit soon after install. I've never seen a coat of rust on the Hawk rotor surface either after a humid night or two. The rears do though, they're EBC, just OK in my opinion, and I will likely put blanks back on the rear if I can't find the pattern like the fronts when the time comes.:
thanks for the info! i figured the akebono's would go fast, but i like that they have almost no dust which is key for me (of course safety still must be met). i'm going with the high performance ceramic pads they have for the brembos.
yea i'm really stuck on the fence with slots (merely for looks) vs. the blanks. i need to figure that out soon though
i looked up those hawk rotors but for some reason i can't find rotors for the brembos on their website
currently i'm leaning towards blank centric rotors or the stoptech slotted (both same parent company). i do like the hawk ones but i'll have to research more when i get home instead of doing it at work haha
To give you an idea of how long the Akebono's lasted. Also, I experienced brake dust with these, wasn't impressed in that department either:
The set purchased in March were replaced with Hawk all around in September (same year). I've liked these so much, I've already ordered my next set. I had a rear spare set, but just now saw a set of fronts for $30, too good to pass up, lol.
Perhaps Akebono's performance line is much better than those I had purchased.
Last edited by MonkeyTrucker; Nov 17, 2015 at 07:19 PM.
. Can't wait to see this in motion at highway speeds on a sunny day. 
. I like the pattern of the slots on the front, similar to DBA minus the drilled holes, and I prefer that pattern over the deep slots you often see. Would get the same pattern in the rear if anyone made them.
