Hi folks.

Im just painting up the refurbished rear calipers to go on the car next weekend.

Quick Q though, should the entire caliper including the inside area where the pads sit be painted too? Dont want to potentially clog things up in there.

Should I leave it bare alloy?

Ta

Paint is primarily for protection, so ideally you want to paint it all

Several thin coats, built up, rather than sploshing on one or two thick layers, using a small brush

ps

The calipers aren't alloy, they're cast iron

They like to rust:

I treated my with Krust before painting

But started to painting too soon (2hrs-ish), before the krust had started eating into the deep rust layers

I'd advise painting with krust 1st, then leaving them somewhere hot to dry (you'll notice the fan heater positioned behind the calipers), then seeing if the metal has started bubbling/flaking (eg 24h+), then chipping of any rust, and painting with more krust and repeating till you're down to solid metal

Edited 17 March, 201313 yr by snow_muncher

You don't want to paint it all. Leave both side of the mating face (where the caliper bolts to the hub) the part where the flexi hose attaches and the section where the caliper slides on the carrier bare. Painting those bits can cause issues

Edited 17 March, 201313 yr by Frisco

The only part of caliper you don't paint are the contact areas

These you should take a fine grade file to, if required, to leave a fresh metal surface

You can see from my photo sme of parts left bare

Doesn't matter if a bit paint gets over these areas, as its best to clean them after painting

Leaving any expose bare metal (as in exposed once refitted) on the caliper would be foolish

The only part of caliper you don't paint are the contact areas

And the piston and the seal and the slider bolts.

Those are contact areas

The piston seal is a contact area?

Yes, it has a moving piston in contact with it

Just to clarify further. The only area which could be construed to be a contact area, which should be painted, would be inside of the caliper where the pad sits.

ie where the pad backing plate is in contact with the inside of the caliper (opposite the single piston) - alot of crud can build up there

remove pad retaining spring clips and paint

You should google what contact area actually means.

Anyway, To paint the calipers just take a wire wheel to the caliper, wipe it down afterward and paint it. If you're not worried about the original colour then plain old hammerite does an excellent job of it

You should google what contact area actually means.

When two objects touch, a certain portion of their surface areas will be in contact with each other

lol

Yeah and the bit of the seal you'd be painting is not the contact area

The calipers are fully refurbed and left in plain material

The rear calipers look most definitely alloy. Here is a pic of how they look now & the surface I was concerned about with the pads.

Edited 17 March, 201313 yr by Liverpool-Lad

I'd paint the area you've not done yet

Better safe than sorry

I think the original factory coating was powder coat, hammerite is a bit softer so hence my concern. Ill put a light coat over this area.

ps

The calipers aren't alloy, they're cast iron

no the rear vrs caliper (calipers in question) are alloy....

perhaps the 4x4 having a smaller setup, has older style cast calipers, i dont know..

hammerite is fine, or smootherite to be precise. it is a bit soft, so can get damaged a bit in fitting, so let cure properly first, dont overpaint then you will just get runs and a bad finish. No need to paint most of the bits you havent dont, as they can cause issues fitting pads if your paint is too thick, just do the end prongs you have missed.

Aye, had to leave em unpainted for the rest to dry!

Think I may leave the pad side unpainted.

You really won't have any pad fitting issues by painting those bits you've left silver, the pads still easily fit into calipers covered in layers of crud & slapped on paint

You really won't have any pad fitting issues by painting those bits you've left silver, the pads still easily fit into calipers covered in layers of crud & slapped on paint

are you speaking from personal experience of fitting pads? I am based on a set i removed last week.

The pads fit into the carrier not the caliper for a start, again too much paint on the carrier can hinder smooth removal of the pad especially when caked up with crud. When you refit the caliper on you only scrape the paint on the inside of the caliper, on the pad outer face so whats the point. The more the excess paint and crud on the inside it just makes it more of a pain to remove the caliper when you need to, and the pads when you need to.

Yours carrier look like they are missing their pad guides btw.