Brake Caliper: Paint or Powder?

[chuck hahn]

Dot 5 is "the only paint safe paint".......really!!!!


Well then the last dozen or so I have done with regular auto parts caliper paint must be protected from some kind of divine intervention, because not one has had the paint ruined from dot OR dot 4!!!!!!!

[chuck hahn]

I am with Dale on the pores of the metal leaching chemicals and causing the popping. Strip them again and wash them in HOT water and dish soap while scrubbing with a tooth brush...rinse well.


THEN...just plain water and boil them for 15 or 20 minutes to boil open the pores and boil them super clean.

[greg78gs750]

after marinating my vht painted calpers in dot 3&4 a couple times this week, i can say it holds up pretty well. baked mine in front of a space heater for a couplea hours. primed with self-etching primer. i'm impressed, cost me 10 bucks for paint and primer.

greg

[BigD_83]

Do what he factory does, black anodize.
Then they are brake fluid proof as well.

Are you using a different terminology here Flyboy?

All of the calipers I have seen appear to be powder coated from the factory, not anodized, but I'm more than willing to accept that I could be wrong...

[chuck hahn]

Anodizing is like doing easter eggs..its staining the metal...which isn't what the factory does. They are painted and easily are stripped with spray on hardware stripper.

[Flyboy]

Ya they did the Yankee bikes on the cheap, the callipers an Jennifer are anodized from the factory.
By the look of it, they anodized the casting, then did the machining.
Logically, it makes perfect sense, it would be the only way to get the callipers colour fast and resistant to brake fluid, no fancy fandangled brake fluid proof paint back in the '80's
Would not have been good for brand image if, with he first brake bleedin,, the paint came off the callipers and left them looking like ****e.
Jennifer's are definitely anodized.

[chuck hahn]

But "who" did it is the question!!!!!! I cant see them choosing 2 solutions...

[Flyboy]

Could only have been the factory, Chuck.
I have owned Jennifer form a year old with 15000km on the clock, second owner from new, and she was factory original.
She is an '81, I bought her in '82, so who knows what gives????

[chuck hahn]

Was it really nice and deep black like paint or more of a matte finish? Would like to have seen a specimen.

[Calliway]

When you are doing this parts they are inevitably greasy or covered in brake fluid. Duplicolor Grease and Wax remover is a wonderful product. wipe them down liberaly in it and wipe off. let dry, prime and paint.

[Flyboy]

Chuck, it was like a satin type finish, definitely not gloss, pity, I have already stripped all three, or I would have shot some close up pics for you.
Sorry, best I can do now, will see if I can find a better close up.

[hampshirehog]

I've seen the mounting brackets anodised from the factory on a lot of GSs but never a whole caliper.