Brakes

Painting the Calipers

Painting the Calipers

This morning I began painting my calipers with the Automotion caliper paint kit. The kit consists of brake cleaner, lacquer and hardner. At $55 & UPS it's a little salty for a 1/2 pint of paint. I would suggest anyone else just go to an automotive paint supplier, tell them what you need the lacquer for, and they'll fix you up.

Following are some thoughts:

1) Don't try and change caliper color unless you completlety remove calipers and pads and all brake lines.

2) If you are using the same color, leave the calipers on the wheel carrier, release the pad retention spring.

3) As with most paint projects, preparation is the key. The brake cleaner will remove most of the grime, dust and undercoating. I followed the brake cleaner with a wire brush then synthetic sand paper to rough up the surface. Then cleaner again.

4) Two coats of paint (the second one is supposed to go on only 15 minutes after the first)

5) Use a 1/2" china bristle brush. Also, get a small brush for working around the "PORSCHE" raised lettering.

6) There was plenty of paint left over, so I figured I'd dress up the lug nuts which had long since lost their paint finish. For these I added a little lacquer thinner to the paint. I don't know how they will turn out, but I can't be any worse than they were.

7) Wait 24 hrs. and mount those new Technology Twist wheels (now you know my motivation for dressing up the calipers).

Look out momma, baby got new shoes!!!

Regards,
Joe Rausa '89S4

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