Painting Calipers Again....

[wun911]

A few years back I painted my calipers red, the paint was good the red stayed red and didn't fade into some orange colour I've seen spray can jobs turn some orange colour after a few track days. However I found the paint flakes and chips off very easily just changing pads if you were not careful you can easiy chip off the paint. Although I do have to give it credit where its due it is very resistant to break fluid, like 10 times more resistant than ordinary car paint.

I really wanted to take the suspension out of the car but its raining... I decided to paint my calipers again, this time black with a two part epoxy style paint something called G2 the people on the supra forums loved this stuff, I hope it will last longer this time and I have chosen black to match the willwoods calipers I want later down the track.



From previous experience I find it easier to paint the caliper if they hang from bits of string, and if you clean everything properly with break cleaner the paint will stick better.



The paint itself is 2 parts so you kinda have to work quickly initially when the paint is made its quite runny and easy to work with but becomes quite thick in about 30 min and in about about 45 min its too thick to use. Its mixed in a 1:8 ratio and Im lucky due to my ethnicity I use lots of syringes so I can measure out my 1:8 to the last drop and save the rest for later maybe motorbike brakes for my saches MA. It took around 18 mL to do both the rear calipers with one very generous coating, and I will give them a seccond coat after I cook them in the oven Im having pizza for luch anyway.



So far they are dry to touch and they have a really nice waxy gloss finish to them, eventually they will be covered in break dust and look ordinary but while it looks this good I took a photo.



There were quite a few people painting calipers a few years back maybe its out of fashon with the "JDM slant eye crew" now or the pigment in the paint weigh too much for the weight weenies.
I wonder how other peoples paint jobs are holding up?

[Steampunk]

all that extra weight Wun? Shame on you.

[Apu]

Cool! I'm thinking of painting the rear calipers on my Integra to match the front ones. Will do the MX5 in black I think!

[Mr Morlock]

good idea to read the safety instructions as well ie 2 pack systems still needs to be handled carefully. I am a little surprised that it needs to be baked and a domestic oven does not sound the right choice ie your food - your health. Painting calipers etc is essentially just aesthetics- its not going to affect performance.

[PT]

Painting calipers etc is essentially just aesthetics- its not going to affect performance.

[NitroDann]

Morlock was reffering to the weight comments. Give him a break.

Dann

[fastfreddygassit]

Im lucky due to my ethnicity I use lots of syringes so I can measure out my 1:8 to the last drop and save the rest for later ............and I will give them a seccond coat after I cook them in the oven Im having pizza for luch anyway.

LMFHO!!

To all those that have read wun's musings over the years it's scary to think that in real life he is actually Dr Wun.
I guess that makes it all even funnier

[Pamex]

Morlock: The first science experiment in that kitchen was his cam cover baked in his mum's oven. Hang on... did you run it through the dishwasher as well? I can't quite remember.

He's providing a public service to the rest of us. They're all ok after the cam cover oven paint episode. Let's test this lot. Thanks Dr Wun.

[droo]

FWIW Wun, i've used my oven for baking car parts more then for baking food the past ten years.. Makes it smell like i have an industrial kitchen. How was the pizza?

[TIP]

chrome brake caliper is where its at

[wun911]

Like I said the old paint job looks red but the paint chipps of too easily, although it has been on there for maybe four years now and survived track days and countless encounters with break fluid.



I have also been busy installing some suspension:

I took out the old suspension it was leaking oil although its really lite I feel oil leaking onto the rear wheels may be dangerous...


I have done this job before so it was easy this time round and I didnt have to use an angle grinder, I borrowed a massive crow bar from my asian neighbors.
I find people of my ethnicity with their small feeble bodys really do need the added lenghth, in many ways the extra length and leverage was just what I needed to get the job done.
The new suspension looks neat:



Then I had luch, my mother is using the oven so I used the autoclave its quicker that way; it seals in all the juices and I know it will be sterile and safe to eat.
(There is a special at RSPCA free cats to good homes unlike most butchers they charge per kg)



After a satisfying lunch I did the fronts, I do the "long bolt method" I feel it is easier this way its a straight foward process. With a 1.5 m breaker bar even short stunted asians can feel some form of masculinity.



Once I get this hand break sorted out I will corner wait the car again and see how it all goes.

[droo]

I am embracing the wrong.
What did you do with the catskin? can you bring it to The Garage on thursday night too please?

There is a colour (think it's an enamel) called "Delicious Red" from the supercheaps. I had that on my previous car's calipers, and it's a glossy rich red. It had survived well all the way up until i sold the car, on over 4 years with regular washing, and 12 monthly brakefluid changes.

[fastfreddygassit]

Wun, thankyou for the entertaining write up.
'tis a pleasure to read

However, I feel the need to point out the following to you.
In the image below, you have fitted a rear RHS suspension unit to the rear LHS of the car.
I am hoping that this was for illustration purposes only as extended use in the wrong position
will ultimately lead to seal failure (blown shocks).
The best way to tell is:
1. Obviously read the LHS and RHS label on the base of the shock;
2. The spring spiral orientation should follow the direction of travel.
That is, the downward right to left coils should be on the LHS and the downward left to right coils should be on the RHS.
You have it arse about in the below pic.

The new suspension looks neat:

Please post up some pics of your painted calipers too

[wun911]

Oh noes!!!

ok I will take it apart and fip the spring around top to bottom that way it will be a left hand helix for the left hand and a right hand helix for the right hand??

[fastfreddygassit]

Oh noes!!!

ok I will take it apart and fip the spring around top to bottom that way it will be a left hand helix for the left hand and a right hand helix for the right hand??

exactly.
Thankfully replacing the rear suspension is very easy/quick job.

Do you think the orientation issue is perhaps why your last suspension units leaked?
Just thinking aloud, that's all.