Brake Calipers : what color?

[ejdesign]

Hey all, what's up?
Just wanted to get some tips about how to go about painting my brake calipers on my p5? I found a website, www.protege5online.com that shows you how to, but i have also heard that its better to take the calipers completely off and then degrease them and then paint? Or the site shows you to paint them still on....which way is better/easier?

Also I have a silver 02 p5....thinking of painting them Cobalt blue....would look pretty sweet for a change, any other suggestions?
think red and yellow are overdone...most people have that....want to be a bit different.
thanks yo

e

 

[justcharlie]

I'm trying to figure the same thing out.. I also have a silver p5. Wondering if its even worth the trouble to paint them. I'm thinking maybe black.

 

[ELEmental59437]

IMO red would look badass on silver and match the strut bar. I painted mine with the calipers on the car still, just cleaned them with a wire brush first. Do a search for painting calipers, theres one that talks about spraying the paint into a cup and brushing it on with a sponge brush.

 

[Heathen23]

The "how to" on the forum is very helpful. Make sure you read all the way through as a few different methods are listed. I left my calipers on and jacked the car up on all sides allowing them to be painted in succession w/o waiting. There are very good brake cleaners or engine cleaners that will do a great job getting off bad grease and road grime. Just be sure to wipe them off thorougly and allow the cleaner to evaporate. I used G2 caliper painting system and was very much pleased with the results (comes with cleaner, paint, brushes, and some other usefull odds and ends for the project).

 

[jono1200]

I just did mine last week, and used the method described both here and in the 'how to" section with great results.
Just used a wire brush to clean them, then sprayed the paint into a cup and applied with a sponge brush. It took about 5 coats per caliper to get a nice finish.
The only tip I can think of is: if you use this method, after spraying the paint into the cup, let it sit for a minute or two. When it comes out of the can, it's very thin (in order to pass through the nozzle in a fine spray)...it goes on best with a sponge or brush if it's a little thicker, which only takes a sec because it has so many solvents in it!
Good luck...
Jonathan

 

[DevilsSi1481]

cool i think i might use the cup and brush method cause i think itll be way too much trouble to go about taking off the whole caliper and such.

 

[IRISH22]

I painted mine gunmetal. Not too flashy, not too stock, but just enough to see the difference

 

[Snacks McGee]

I think red looks best on silver....but maybe silver on silver would look good too?

 

[rednecks_r_us]

I painted my calipers an annodized blue. It is almost a perfect match to my laser blue.

I used DUPONT METALCAST high temp paint.

I have had them painted for several months now without any chips or fading.

Click on the www button below to see the pictures on my web page.

I liked the paint so well that I painted my radiator cap, air intake brackets, oil cap, lugnuts, & battery bracket with this paint.

Later,

Bill

 

[DevilsSi1481]

any pics of all these diff. colors??

 

[Snacks McGee]

cool i think i might use the cup and brush method cause i think itll be way too much trouble to go about taking off the whole caliper and such.

I went with that method and I'm glad I did. I'm really pleased with the results.

 

[Midnight22]

i have the mica black and am thnkin of doing a silver on black theme, my headlights are already black, so should i paint my calipes black or silver?

 

[Snacks McGee]

I would choose red on black.....but if I had to choose between black and silver....I guess I'd choose black.

 

[Midnight22]

k, thanx, i dont want red, cuz itz seriously being overdone

 

[DevilsSi1481]

yeah i think black would look best on the black car, not silver.

 

[Midnight22]

k, thanx for the opinions