# Caliper clean up....(Pics)



## Mark J (May 10, 2007)

I've had my S60 just over a month now and I've been getting sick and tired of looking at the rusty calipers through the alloys, so I finally found myself with a bit of time to spare today and thought I'd take them on. It also gave me an opportunity to see what state the alloys were in and give the arches a thorough going over.

Process:

Wheel off, APC the arches and leave it to soak whilst descaling and wire brushing the caliper which then looked like this










I then finished off the arch and took time out to have a look at the wheel. It was caked in the usual cr4p, so it got a 4:1 APC soaking for 10 mins, rinsed and followed up with a dose of Wonder Wheels.

Once it was cleaned up, I could see that the powder coating is badly chipped on the inside of the spokes, but I'm glad I clocked it because I was going to give them some pressure washer treatment 

I'm now considering either a refurb or a new set (don't tell the wife :lol: )

Wheel before. The pic doesn't really demonstrate what poor condition they are in.










Wheel after. Much better (for now  )










As you can see, a lot cleaner, but most of those blackmarks you can see are actually where the coating is coming away. However, as i say, I'm going to be on the look out for a replacement set later this year. The fronts don't scrub up too badly.










Anyway, with the arch sorted and the wheel cleaned up, I set about my original task, to clean up the caliper.

After seeing a few threads on here recommending Hammerite Smooth, I decided to give it a go. I bought a tin of Hamerite Smooth in black (nearly got the 'Hammered' effect in blue but changed my mind )

Sorry, but only got one pic of the paint going on as it started to rain (again:wall: )

This is a shot of the caliper after the first coat, the pic doesn't do the paint any justice as it's a great finish considering it's going straight on top of rust. It was 'touch' dry after about 90 mins and I applied a second coat which looks fine(sorry no pics) - I know they ain't Brembos, but they've tidied up a treat and I no longer keep getting my eye drawn to a rusty caliper.

After the first coat....










So if you're thinking of sorting out your calipers and are wondering what paint to use, then Hammerite Smooth gets a big :thumb: from me.

Doing the back ones tomorrow so I'll try to remember to get better pics of the finished article

Thanks for looking


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## NickSmith (Oct 28, 2005)

nice job  did you take anything off, or just paint it all as it was?
Something I've thought of doing, but can't be chewed to get too technical. I could maybe manage to take off that metal pad-holder (or whatever it is)....


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## Mark J (May 10, 2007)

Cheers Nick,

I just eased each end of the clip out as and when I came to paint that area, like I say, it was more a case of 'tarting' them up really so I didn't really want to be doing a full strip down.


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## S-X-I (Sep 6, 2006)

Looking great.

I did mines at the weekend and i must admit for a little thing it makes such a big difference.


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## topcat36 (Apr 29, 2007)

Nice job matey, they look really good - when u gonna tackle mine then :thumb:


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## Beemer4me (May 3, 2007)

MSJ said:


> I've had my S60 just over a month now and I've been getting sick and tired of looking at the rusty calipers through the alloys, so I finally found myself with a bit of time to spare today and thought I'd take them on. It also gave me an opportunity to see what state the alloys were in and give the arches a thorough going over.
> 
> Process:
> 
> Wheel off, APC the arches and leave it to soak whilst descaling and wire brushing the caliper which then looked like this


Those calipers look as if they have received a lot of acid based wheel cleaner over their time!

Its madness that the dealer networks still use cheap and nasty acid wheel cleaner when offering a "free" wash and vac when a service is carried out. Guess its all down to budget.

Every dealer I go to and that includes all the big boys, BMW, Merc, Lexus etc, etc the demo cars all have rusty calipers:speechles Theres nothing better than seeing a nice 335i convertible demonstrator with 19" alloys and "lovely" rusty calipers:lol: :lol:


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## MikeTDI (Aug 2, 2006)

i dont think the rust has anything to do with wheel acid cleaner, more like general road use and road salt. My audi has never seen a acid based wheel cleaner and they are slighty rusting.


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## Bertie (May 14, 2007)

Is there anything you can put on the calipers to prevent this (not paint)... wheel wax or something, or will that just melt?


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## MikeTDI (Aug 2, 2006)

brake caliper temps will get VERY VERY high so wheel wax will last about 30 seconds.


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## Bertie (May 14, 2007)

So does mean nothing can be done? just wait till they rust and then paint... will spraying on wd40 after a wash slow down rusting process (or will this not handle the heat either).


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## richie.guy (Apr 10, 2006)

Bertie said:


> So does mean nothing can be done? just wait till they rust and then paint... will spraying on wd40 after a wash slow down rusting process (or will this not handle the heat either).


I doubt it will handle the heat mate, they get seriously hot.


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## RustyCallyT (Apr 23, 2007)

wd 40 would just burn off, as will most stuff, rusty look or painted is about all you can hope for


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## Beemer4me (May 3, 2007)

MikeTDI said:


> i dont think the rust has anything to do with wheel acid cleaner, more like general road use and road salt. My audi has never seen a acid based wheel cleaner and they are slighty rusting.


How old is your Audi? How many miles? One owner? Have you had it from new? have you ever had it washed whilst in for a service? Have you ever used "Wonder Wheels" or Autoglym "Clean Wheels" wheel cleaner?

Subject to the aforementioned criteria it is impossible to substantiate your opinion.
As an automotive engineer I will confirm that it is very well known fact that Acidic wheel cleaner (Hydrochloric Acid) will dissolve the Zinc coating that is applied for rust inhibiting purposes to the brake calipers during manufacture. (Besides H&S legislation why do you think there is now many a Non acidic wheel cleaners available?). Try it yourself! (Wonder Wheels, Autoglym Clean Wheels) to name a few products. Do the experiment and visually watch the aggressive action of the acid breaking down the Zinc coating, smoking fumes and white fizzing of the acid dissolving the zinc metal coating.

After a short period of time and repeated use of acid wheel cleaner the Zinc coating discolours,dulls, gradually disolving the zinc thus leaving a unprotected cast iron caliper body, which is then exposed to the elements, which then results in a natural phenomenen known as rust.

B4M


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

My ST ones went the same way quite quickly, they just don't seem to protect some callipers these days


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## GlynRS2 (Jan 21, 2006)

Great work - it is things like this that make a big difference to the appearance of the car as a whole :thumb:


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## mistryn (May 17, 2007)

nice work there, it is ithese nice little'ish touches that finish off a car:thumb:


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## edthedrummer (May 30, 2007)

how long will the hammerite last? i ask this because the calipers get very hot, so wouldn't the paint blister and peel? I have a pot of hammerite smooth black or silver around and i have rusty calipers and drums, but i need to know how long they will last?


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## dino (Oct 26, 2005)

edthedrummer said:


> how long will the hammerite last? i ask this because the calipers get very hot, so wouldn't the paint blister and peel? I have a pot of hammerite smooth black or silver around and i have rusty calipers and drums, but i need to know how long they will last?


Mine has lasted oer 6 months now and are still looking great.


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## edthedrummer (May 30, 2007)

hammerite? wow, definately going to have a crack at that then.


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## bazz (May 15, 2007)

good job mate looks much better
after seeing them pics i am going to get my finger out and do mine
btw how much was the paint and where from please


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## edthedrummer (May 30, 2007)

the paint varies, you can get it from your local hardware store, or halfrauds. 

bout £9 for a fairly big tin mine was, from halfrauds. i probably got ripped mind.


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## Mark J (May 10, 2007)

B&Q, small tin £5.78, large tin £12.98, I bought the large one and found that the small one would have been plenty but at least I have plenty eft for the future :thumb:


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## robsonj (Apr 14, 2007)

I am surprised that hammerite is suitable for a brake caliper, i once hammerited the exhaust on my RM125 and it took months for the paint to go off , when the exhaust got hot it sort of melted the paint.
i would have thought a brake caliper would get as hot if not hotter and as such suffer from the same malady


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## trenchfoot (Jan 11, 2007)

Hey guys - thanks for this post and the interest it has generated. I'm poised to do the calipers on my own car soon. They aren't rusty or anything - just grey and dull. The car is in silver and I chose a caliper paint from Folia Tec. Folia Tec
The reason I chose this as opposed to Hammerite, is that a friend and colleague of mine used some on his calipers and the kit came complete with a specific cleaner. There was more than enough paint and possibly enough to do two cars - ie x8 calipers. His caliper paint was very high gloss an stayed on too! I remember the cans of Sperex heat-resistant paint coming off items I have painted on my motorbikes in the past, so was interested to see how Folia Tec paint fared before I decided to buy.

If you have clicked on the above link in this post you will see that Folia Tec comes in a variety of colours. With a silver car, I thought red might be good, but decided red was far too common. Blue or even yellow would also be nice with silver, but in the end I went for orange just to be different.
When I finally get the time and get round to painting them I will post some piccies here if there is still an interest showing in this thread.
In the meantime I would be interested in how the guys whom have used Hammerite get on in terms of a long-lasting finish as its certainly a cheaper option than what I am about to use.

Finally just as a note of precaution, some people have spoken about protecting their calipers with waxes or WD40 type oils. As an aircraft engineer I strongly advise anyone that this practice of applying oils or waxes to brake components be done with caution or preferably not at all! Any form of oil or grease whether high temperature or not, coming into contact with the braking surfaces will seriously impair braking performance and/or break-down or destroy the materials used in your brake-pads. Not only this, but with the very high temperatures generated under heavy or prolonged braking any oils or greases could also catch fire which could potentially burn through flexible brake hoses causing fluid loss and a total loss of brakes or even spread to the rest of the vehicle. Be really careful using any kinds of lubricants on, or anywhere near brake-components.


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## MikeTDI (Aug 2, 2006)

Beemer4me said:


> How old is your Audi? How many miles? One owner? Have you had it from new? have you ever had it washed whilst in for a service? Have you ever used "Wonder Wheels" or Autoglym "Clean Wheels" wheel cleaner?
> 
> Subject to the aforementioned criteria it is impossible to substantiate your opinion.
> As an automotive engineer I will confirm that it is very well known fact that Acidic wheel cleaner (Hydrochloric Acid) will dissolve the Zinc coating that is applied for rust inhibiting purposes to the brake calipers during manufacture. (Besides H&S legislation why do you think there is now many a Non acidic wheel cleaners available?). Try it yourself! (Wonder Wheels, Autoglym Clean Wheels) to name a few products. Do the experiment and visually watch the aggressive action of the acid breaking down the Zinc coating, smoking fumes and white fizzing of the acid dissolving the zinc metal coating.
> ...


Owned my Audi since mid Feb 2007, from brand new, milage now 5500 miles, wheels have never ever seen a wheel cleaner, only ever used car shampoo with wash mitt so nothing has been sprayed onto the calipers.


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## MikeTDI (Aug 2, 2006)

robsonj said:


> I am surprised that hammerite is suitable for a brake caliper, i once hammerited the exhaust on my RM125 and it took months for the paint to go off , when the exhaust got hot it sort of melted the paint.
> i would have thought a brake caliper would get as hot if not hotter and as such suffer from the same malady


ive used hammerite smooth paint on my brake disc edges and hubs. Been on for appx 10 weeks now and no problems with it flaking off, and i do appx 370 miles per week.


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## paul2897 (Apr 5, 2006)

I've used hammerite on my rear calipers, not to make them look special just not all faded. Two coats applied about 1/2 an hour apart. Been on for over a year, including a track day and a trip to the 'ring, and still looking good


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## paul2897 (Apr 5, 2006)

Just make sure you get as much rust off as possible and then rub down with white spirit or something, and dry completely.

It's easier if you take the calipers off the car if at all possible


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## Beemer4me (May 3, 2007)

MikeTDI said:


> Owned my Audi since mid Feb 2007, from brand new, milage now 5500 miles, wheels have never ever seen a wheel cleaner, only ever used car shampoo with wash mitt so nothing has been sprayed onto the calipers.


If you believe that the rust is excessive (Although their should be no rust, at least on a car so new) And if what you say is to be believed, I would take up the matter with The Audi Dealer where you bought your A3 from. If you get no joy then take the matter up with Audi UK.

What is the point of having very expensive nice alloys (and car) if their appearance is let down by the visible aspect of rusty brake calipers?

Having seen some of your posts is it very obvious that you take great care and have pride in you cars appearance.:thumb:

B4M

Out of curiosity are all 4 calipers at the same stage of rust ingress?


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## MattOz (May 15, 2007)

I've used Smoothrite on most of my BM's. I made a post about it before in the BMW thread below. Smoothrite will not wear off as calipers don't get hot enough. I've done loads of laps of the Nurburgring with smoothrite painted calipers and there's never been a problem.

It also makes the caliper look so much better through "open" alloys 

Check out the before and after.........

Before:









After:









Matt


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## edthedrummer (May 30, 2007)

is smoothrite the same as hammerite? what colour did you use?


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## MattOz (May 15, 2007)

Smoothrite is just smooth finish Hammerite. I think it's still called Hammerite, but smooth finish, if that makes sense. You don't want to be putting the hammered finish on your calipers. LOL

At the risk of repeating what I've written elsewhere, here's part of the write up from the other post....

I used the following bits and pieces.

1 x 20mm wide paint brush - £5
1 x 5mm wide paint brush - £3
1 x Wire brush and some wire wool - £3

1 x Hammerite (smooth) Gold paint - £5.99
1 x Hammerite (smooth) Silver paint. - £5.99

Mix Silver and Gold paint in old jam jar. Approx 80% Silver and 20% Gold. Stir until thoroughly mixed together. Adjust quantities according to personal preference. I went for as close to OE look as possible. N.B The pad retainer is painted silver, as are the hubs. Only the caliper itself is painted in the Gold colour.

Calipers are painted in situ and therefore not removed. I didn't even bother masking the disk up etc. Thorougly wire brush and wire wool the caliper and remove excess corrosion with a flat-headed screw driver if required. Steel wool the hubs to remove rust.

Before painting. wash caliper with scrubbing brush, fairy liquid and hot water to degrease. Then allow to dry before painting caliper gold, pad retaining springs silver and hub silver.

Leave for 10 mins before re-mounting alloy. Naturally, you'll have cleaned the inside of the alloy and applied a layer of wax whilst waiting for the caliper to dry a little.  

You can always go over the top and completely clean and detail the arch as below....










Cheers
Matt


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