I drive my ITR all year round. My brake calipers take a toll driving though the salty streets in the winter, abuse on track and the daily drive to work. I use Hawk HP+ pads in the front. Simply, the stock calipers were not looking their best.

What to do on a Civic holiday Monday in Canada?? Well go to the nearest Canadian Tire and pick up some supplies to paint up the stock brake calipers.

What you'll need is a wire brush from the paint section for ($4), brake cleaner ($6) and the highest temperature spray paint you can find (found a can of 1200 degrees F black paint for $8), floor jack, and torque wrench.

Park the car on a level stable surface with the car in 1st gear and the emergency brake on. Loosen the lug nuts, jack the car up, remove the wheels, wire brush the calipers to remove any rust or brake dust build up. Use the brake cleaner to wash away the residue.

Spray the high temperature paint in a light coats. Let each coat dry for about 6 minutes. I did 4 coats for each caliper. Put the wheels back with the torque wrench on and admire your work.

Go for a short trip using the brakes lightly at first around the block to remove any overspray on the brake rotors. Let the car sit overnight to allow the paint to cure more.

Here's are the pictures.

Have fun!

Jack the car up and remove the wheels.


Wire brush brake dust build up or rust on the calipers.


1200 degree F black paint I found.


Apply light even coats of paint.


Ah the results




Modified by Edwin at 6:22 AM 8/5/2003

 

Looks so much better. Im going to do that as soon as I get over this lazyness. Good job. Thanks for the write-up.

PsychO

 

Something that I was planning to do this spring but never found the time. It only took an hour to do the four calipers. Today was a holiday so I said why the heck not and did the deed...

 

looks good....but i like the factory gold look better imo

 

At least you didn't paint them red.

J/K, it looks good. But I don't think that paint is going to withstand track temps. Might be something to consider if you track your car.

 

NOTE: 1200 Degree Paint or Higher is USUALLY FLAT and Not too good for longevity.

If you buy the "Brake Caliper" Paint it is USUALLY rated at 900 degrees and contains a clear coat. The Clear Coat is what helps protect the paint from Solvents ETC.
I painted my Civic Calipers RED and they stayed that way for YEARS. I cleaned them with Brake Cleaner the NON-Clorinated kind.

I painted my ITR's Brakes with Black and GOLD. Before you start flaming Let me explain. The Color came out kinda BRONZE take a look:

Spray the Caliper with Black GLOSS Brake Caliper paintI used 4-5 Coats and allowed about 15 minutes between coats. I also applied a HEAT GUN to each coat. If you read on the DIrections to the High temp paint it says the Paint must be cured for it to work properly.
After spraying the 5th coat of Black and while the fifth coat was still drying I sprayed on the GOLD. (VHT 1500 degree) YES over kill but I couldn't find 900 degree in gold.

After I finished I replaced the wheels and went for a drive. Brakes will squeek while it is cleaning the overspray.

 

im not flaiming but whats the point to painting calipers other than looks? i mean is there
any other point other than looks.

 

No point at all... it's all about being pretty and hoping someone thinks you have aftermarket brakes! That's why I painted mine Blue(SPOON!) Now, you guys need to assure me that you took off the calipers and painted them seperatly instead of painting them still on the rotors and messing up alot of things...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> I drive my ITR all year round. My brake calipers take a toll driving though the salty streets in the winter, abuse on track and the daily drive to work. I use Hawk HP+ pads in the front. Simply, the stock calipers were not looking their best. ...</TD></TR></TABLE>

E - Thats why you should try not to drive the R in the winter or rain.... yet another use for the beater...

 

I didn't remove the calipers when I painted. I didn't go to town on the spray, just 4 light even coats of paint.

I just wanted the calipers to look a better than what they were -- unevenly discolored. This is by no means intended as a performance upgrade.. yes it is purely for aesthetics. By no means was my intent was to fool others to thinking I have aftermarket brakes. If I did why would I paint them black?

If the paint can take the abuse I put them through so be it. If the black turns flat in color I don't mind. The gold paint looks good too, to duplicate how the calipers were when new. I chose a black paint because black is a good heat conductor, blends in with any brake dust and looks low key. Spoond TEG, If the paint doesn't hold up I will try that brake caliper paint with clearcoat.

Thanks all for the comments and suggestions.


Modified by Edwin at 1:58 PM 8/5/2003

 

Edwin,

Looks great man! Have any paint left

 

i did it simpler than that ......

Took wheel off ....

Brake Parts Cleaner (Spray)

a little elbow grease with a brillo pad .....

plasitc bag to wrap over the rotor ...then went to spraying with some Flat Black Paint .......

 

Edwin, Nice pads! Looks way better!

I painted mine redish. But I didn't take off the caliper. I put a plastic bag around the rotor and then taped up the showing pad parts on the brake and then sprayed in coats so that it looks like i took the effort to take them off but in reality i am fat and lazy!

What rotors do you use with your hawk pads? Honda? I need to replace mine SOON!

 

Just curious - Why don’t people remove the caliper before painting them.... is it much more work to do so?

Just seems that you can perform a much better job if the caliper is off the car.

Also, will powder coating work in this application?

 

calipers look good..might have to try that
otherwise great job

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RaVAGE00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Just curious - Why don’t people remove the caliper before painting them.... is it much more work to do so?

Just seems that you can perform a much better job if the caliper is off the car.

Also, will powder coating work in this application?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

its a waiste of time on such a small task ....clean it....bag it .....spray it ..and your done ....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tsunami_zc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

its a waiste of time on such a small task ....clean it....bag it .....spray it ..and your done ....

</TD></TR></TABLE>

IC IC.... I guess to powder coat them, those bad boys have to come off.

 

Baby Nsx, I have plenty of paint left over. Enough to do 10 cars worth. Let me know if you want it.

Ravage00, you need to do this asap to your calipers. They are in dire need of some paint.

cronic33, I use stock ITR rotors.

 

looks good

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Edwin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Baby Nsx, I have plenty of paint left over. Enough to do 10 cars worth. Let me know if you want it.
Ravage00, you need to do this asap to your calipers. They are in dire need of some paint.
Cronic33, I use stock ITR rotors.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Edwin - You are correct... the funny thing is, just my driver side front caliper needs some paint.... all others look like new.... very strange.

 

looks good edwin... mines came painted gold from the dealer lol

 

Edwin - Looks good, when are you setting up the next ITR meet?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by The Shadow &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Edwin - Looks good, when are you setting up the next ITR meet?</TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah, when.... this time it has to be a weekend meet... with a parade lap...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mr. Choi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">im not flaiming but whats the point to painting calipers other than looks? i mean is there
any other point other than looks.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Why does everything on the MB have to be about PERFORMANCE or it's Stupid or Pointless? WHY can some people just enjoy the way a car looks when is is sitting still?
Face FACTS Some of us like to have a CLEAN car. The Car is a reflection of it's driver. My car is PY and it draws a lot of attention. When Attention comes I want it to LOOK Nice. I mean who like an ugly woman? I mean you look at her and see potential but all the while you say DAMN!!! I wish she would fix herself up.
To ask this question one might as well say WHY WASH your Car or Polish it? Oh well I guess you might argue that Dirt make the car heavier so wahing the dirt off would make it a "Performance enhancment" Polishing it MUST reduce the wind coefficient around the car.
Why did I paint my Calipers? Well Simple, The Factory color was coming off and it LOOKED like crap. I painted my Civic Calipers RED so it would go with the PAINT SCEME.

From a performance Stand point I guess I want my car to look pretty so the Drivers I am passing will have something nice to look at.

Just CHILL not everything has to be about Performance.

 

Spoond TEG, nice colour on the caliper!! Can you specifc where did you get the paint and what's the brand and what's the colour code? I like it!