Seeking recommendations for cleaning brake calipers in preparation for painting.

I've found Eastwood's paint to be high quality. The other spray bomb manufacturer with excellent paint is SEM. It used to be available only through automotive paint suppliers but now it's available on Amazon. 

In an earlier posting I mentioned Cerakote. Other than it being available in hundreds of colors, one of the nicest things about it is, it's a very thin coating, so it doesn't hide fine details or textures the way powder coating does. It would be the perfect finish for restoring Campagnolo wheels. Because it's an air-dry coating, as opposed to a baked coating, you shouldn't have the out-gassing problems that you do with powder coating. I've even had my throttle bodies and linkage Cerakoted. Try that with powder coat!

   

All good paints have a system. i.e. Imron, PPG, Jet Glow or Rustoleum.

Don't cross mix systems. Follow their instruction for metal prep. prime and final coat.

Professional painters mix and have their favorite system but as a rookie I follow the directions. Good painting is 98% skill and 2% luck. 

I was painting an aileron and when finished a bird flew in my hanger and pooped on my project. Took that as a message from above and let the pros do the painting from then on. I'm now a spray can only guy.

rrs1 posted:

Boss, those O rings are available here:

https://www.pegasusautoracing....tails.asp?RecID=1144

Even then it say's Girling does not recommend separating the two half's for rebuilding. I don't know why. I've done it on three sets, no problem.

Hi rrs1.  I have been off the blog for way too long.  Got back on today and ran across your post.  Many thanks for the Pegasus link!  Been looking for these seals for a while, just ordered 4 each.  Got 2 extra sets of front calipers itching for a rebuild.  Thanks again.

 

 

 

 

 

You may want to consider new Toyota 4Runner calipers as donors for your rebuild parts. They run the same size staggered pistons and have excellent quality rubber parts. About $100 a pair will net you pistons, seals, dust boots and clips.

Get those internal seals from Pelican and you'll have everything you need to really renew your calipers.

larryw posted:

You may want to consider new Toyota 4Runner calipers as donors for your rebuild parts. They run the same size staggered pistons and have excellent quality rubber parts. About $100 a pair will net you pistons, seals, dust boots and clips.

Get those internal seals from Pelican and you'll have everything you need to really renew your calipers.

Larry,

That is a great recommendation. Might you know the model year of the 4Runner that is compatible?

 

Steve

I bought 86-89 model.

I believe same pistons in a different casting 79-85.

Back 15 years or so, when people were Pulling the shiny moldings pieces off and Powered Coat them, I choose to Paint Mine! I used SEM Spray Paint! SEM Black Primer and SEM Black Satin. First degrease and clean Very well! Then went over everything with a Green scratchy pad, then cleaned again! Two coat of each paint! Of coarse masking everything off so You don't get over spray all over the rest of the Car Took the Longest! It touches up great if needed! 15 years later Still looks Good! Not sure if SEM make Brake Caliper Paint?

These were also excellent replacement pistons and rubber parts. Made in Japan, they came by way of Australia and took forever. Really good parts though.

Does anyone have a source for the inverted flare tube nuts that attach to the T on the front calipers? My tubing was so rusted I had to cut it all apart. I need to replace the nuts and make new lines. 

I make the lines. This first set are plated also.

Today I had some time alone so I put it to use in the garage. I was able to make new lines out of stainless. It was a little challenging but doable. You need a hydraulic flaring tool and some practice to get a good result. The caliper end is bubble flare with a  10x1.25 flare nut. The T fitting is inverted flare with a 3/8”-24 flare nut. 

I decided on VHT caliper paint. Going to go with silver. Masking everything off took quite a while. 

I don’t think you’ll want paint on the mating flanges.

Tsolo,

I'm in the process of rebuilding mine now. Yours looked nice with the ss line. How did they look painted silver?  Any pics? 

Did you also use ss flare nuts with the ss line? Where did you source them from?  I can't seem find the 10 x1.25mm in ss. Not sure if it matters though.

I wasn’t able to find the ss tube nuts so I ordered plated steel. I haven’t finished with this project but I did get them painted. I made the mistake putting a clear coat over the silver which discolored them some. They looked better before the clear way applied.

Steve