# Brake calliper painting service?



## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

After getting inspiration from a previous brake calliper thread, I've decided I want to get my callipers painted in either black or silver.

Is there is anyone in the north west that offers a brake calliper painting service? Don't fancy doing it myself, and want a professional job on them.

The car is an Audi A4 Cab in metallic phantom black.

Thanks in advance.


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## bmullan (Dec 23, 2010)

A give it a go yourself.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

bmullan said:


> A give it a go yourself.


I'd love to, but I know I'll make a pigs ear of it, I'd rather leave the professionals to it :thumb:


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Ill do it for £100.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

PugIain said:


> Ill do it for £100.


Very interested PugIain, got any piccys of your work?


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Im kidding,its too easy to do yourself to pay for it.


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## DesertDog (May 15, 2011)

If you're thinking of paying someone to paint your calipers you might as well pay a bit more and get them professionally powder coated.


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## Grizzle (Jul 12, 2006)

^^ Exactly.

Personally i would paint them yourself, i've done it 3-4 times now on different cars and vans really easy to do bit tedious gettin the wheels off etc but looks great afterwards.


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## Jsmcn68 (Jul 3, 2011)

I did mine recently, for me it entailed removing Calipers in full (although I was also changing disc at same time) you'll need brake line clamps, I used a sandblaster, good wire brush, wet and dry sand paper and a home made parrfin bath, Very thin layers of hammerite spray coats applied every 15 to 20 mins then leave them to dry at least 24 hrs before wet sanding back and then a final coat of paint and if preferred after another 24hrs a couple of coats of laquer.
Or you could just apply it with a paintbrush while on the car.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

DesertDog said:


> If you're thinking of paying someone to paint your calipers you might as well pay a bit more and get them professionally powder coated.


Hi, thanks for the advice, that's exactly what I was thinking - using polymer paints instead of hand painting the callipers.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

Grizzle said:


> ^^ Exactly.
> 
> Personally i would paint them yourself, i've done it 3-4 times now on different cars and vans really easy to do bit tedious gettin the wheels off etc but looks great afterwards.


Thanks for the advice, I'm a bit cack handed with paints, I don't fancy spending on brake calliper cleaners, paints, brushes etc for a 'one off' job.


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## -damon- (Aug 19, 2010)

when i do it i take calipers off take pistons/seals out and get them powder coated and they look the dogs ,but its all on if you can go without ur car for a week or so but imo its well worth it in the end


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

Anyone know who does professional brake calliper painting in the north west region?


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## detaillover (Apr 25, 2011)

You'll be much cheaper and easier to do it yourself, ive just ordered paint for a £17 quid and decals for a tenner and it will look spot. honestly its not that difficult mate...


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

Woo hoo - just found these peeps.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

Arghh - they are located in Derbyshire - ya boo sux!


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## Keir (Aug 31, 2010)

for £17 just give it a go. if it goes **** up then pay someone else maybe 4 times that much.

BTW can you paint the Brake Calipers while there still attched to the disc?


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## detaillover (Apr 25, 2011)

Keir said:


> for £17 just give it a go. if it goes **** up then pay someone else maybe 4 times that much.
> 
> BTW can you paint the Brake Calipers while there still attched to the disc?


Yes you can just mask off the areas you dont want to be painted... simples:thumb:


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## Keir (Aug 31, 2010)

Come on tips, lets both do it, and compare.


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## ferted (May 7, 2011)

Tips said:


> Arghh - they are located in Derbyshire - ya boo sux!


Derby is about 30 miles from Cheadle
Caliper paint is available from Halfords @£10.00 for 250ml


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## detaillover (Apr 25, 2011)

ferted said:


> Derby is about 30 miles from Cheadle
> Caliper paint is available from Halfords @£10.00 for 250ml


They only have blue yellow and red though.... if you want other colours you can get them on ebay....



Keir said:


> Come on tips, lets both do it, and compare.


Gonna get mines painted tomorrow, keep this thread going and we can have a brake calliper off when theyre all finished haha :thumb:


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## Graham225 (Jul 18, 2011)

I used Japlac paint for my calipers, painted them whilst still on car, and 5 years on they still look good.

Total Price of job about £10 all in.


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## ant_s (Jan 29, 2009)

Painting calipers is defo a DIY jobby. £10 for a tin of hammerite, and a few £ for a cheap brush you can through out after your done, another £2 or £3 for a tin or brake cleaner.

Take wheels off. Wire brush the caliper, bit of sand paper if you have some. Clean with brake cleaner, many thin coats of paint. Give hour to dry. Put wheels on. Really Really try and let the car sit for a few hours (espcially car's with drum's) otherwise the paint is going to be inside your alloys lol.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

detaillover said:


> They only have blue yellow and red though.... if you want other colours you can get them on ebay....
> 
> Gonna get mines painted tomorrow, keep this thread going and we can have a brake calliper off when theyre all finished haha :thumb:


That sounds great, will check out what the professionals at Derby say 1st, btw what colour are you painting yours?


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## detaillover (Apr 25, 2011)

Painting mine black and got white volvo decals to make them look a bit more 'PRO' did it with my previous two cars a clio and an astra they both had blue callipers with white renault and vauxhall decals. Sort of my trademark haha:thumb:


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## DesertDog (May 15, 2011)

I've been thinking about painting my calipers for some time now....but which colour goes best with red paintwork?

Here's my T6 with the calipers photoshopped by the graphic design guru Mrs DD. The black, unfortunately doesn't come out too well.

The tyre dressing is Meg's Endurance BTW.

*SILVER:*










*YELLOW:*










*RED:*










*GUNMETAL*










*GOLD*










*BLUE*










*BLACK*


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## ant_s (Jan 29, 2009)

Me personally on a standard car would go for silver, I went for black on mine just because I had gloss black alloys, but my current car will have silver


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## Teddy (Dec 15, 2007)

Spray Hammerite is perfect. Very easy to use too. The calipers need to be cleaned throughly which is sometimes easier said than done on older calipers. For this reason I always use a spray as this doesn't spread any muck around. Brushed paint always disturbs some dirt and the finish isn't as even either.

I'd go for gold or silver to keep the standard look on all cars.


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## detaillover (Apr 25, 2011)

Got the front ones painted and the decals on took me an hour per calliper to paint and dry overnight prior to applying decals.

Tools of the trade haha


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## Mark M (Nov 29, 2006)

Nice work


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

Flippin' eck - the decals make all the difference, where did you buy them from?

Top work fella!


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## ant_s (Jan 29, 2009)

Teddy said:


> Spray Hammerite is perfect. Very easy to use too. The calipers need to be cleaned throughly which is sometimes easier said than done on older calipers. For this reason I always use a spray as this doesn't spread any muck around. Brushed paint always disturbs some dirt and the finish isn't as even either.
> 
> I'd go for gold or silver to keep the standard look on all cars.


I know this car, i'm sure I do. Are you Edward from 206info? If that's a 138 that is modified and very clean it has to be you lol. What happened to the SP arch?



detaillover said:


> Got the front ones painted and the decals on took me an hour per calliper to paint and dry overnight prior to applying decals.
> 
> Tools of the trade haha
> 
> View attachment 18914


Very nice, looks subtle


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## detaillover (Apr 25, 2011)

Tips said:


> Flippin' eck - the decals make all the difference, where did you buy them from?
> 
> Top work fella!


Got them off of e-bay for just under a tenner i think.... really easy to put on.


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## Jared1 (Jun 10, 2011)

Nothing special about caliper paint. Any metal paint will do the job just as well.


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## detaillover (Apr 25, 2011)

Jared1 said:


> Nothing special about caliper paint. Any metal paint will do the job just as well.


You need paint that can withstand high temperatures otherwise there is a chance the paint will crack and flake off... most enamel paints are fine.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

Any peeps out there got brake painting on a black car?

Need inspiration for colour ideas and don't fancy cranking up photoshop!


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Tips said:


> Any peeps out there got brake painting on a black car?
> 
> Need inspiration for colour ideas and don't fancy cranking up photoshop!


Tips just go for the standard silver paint, keeps the car in OEM condition, if you want a more subtle look, then black, but to me, having black and black does not lift well in my eyes.

Has to be silver, or maybe red, thats my choice, but everyones different.

Red might be a option for yourself, more of sporter look.


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## ant_s (Jan 29, 2009)

If you've got a black car with silver alloy's i'd go for silver calipers.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

Trip tdi said:


> Tips just go for the standard silver paint, keeps the car in OEM condition, if you want a more subtle look, then black, but to me, having black and black does not lift well in my eyes.
> 
> Has to be silver, or maybe red, thats my choice, but everyones different.
> 
> Red might be a option for yourself, more of sporter look.


Thats great advice Trip tdi, black car, silver alloys, silver brake callipers - it's obvious when you think about it.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

ant_s said:


> If you've got a black car with silver alloy's i'd go for silver calipers.


Hi ant_s - thank you for the advice, silver calipers & silver alloys on a metallic black car keeps that subtle clean look I'm after.


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