# Painting brake calipers - photos required



## bladerunner67 (Oct 5, 2010)

Hi All,

My next mod will be painting my brake calipers, gonna take the wheels off give them a good clean and then paint the calipers in situ, do the wire clips that hold the front brake pads in place just pop out or is there a knack to taking out and then refitting, anything to be careful with ?? :?

I know this question comes up time after time but I've got an olive green TTR, anyone got picks of theirs, wanted some ideas for colours i'm thinking Red or Gold

Thanks


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## steveupton (Mar 23, 2010)

Getting them out is no problem, use a stout flat bladed screwdriver to lever where the spring goes into the holes in the caliper body.

Putting them back is tricker especially if you don't want to scratch your newly painted caliper, suggest you locate the spring end that fits in the bottom hole first followed be the lower ear that fits against the front of the caliper, you should be able to do this without any levering. Then locate the other end of the spring into the top hole using long nosed pliers, that will leave the top ear to manipulate onto the front face of the caliper, suggest you use some strong cord to pull it whilst holding the end of the spring in the hole with the other hand.

Hope this helps


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## bladerunner67 (Oct 5, 2010)

Cheers - anyone got pictures of painted calipers on an olive green TT


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## Nilesong (Jan 19, 2009)

I'm thinking orange.

Dare to be different. :twisted:


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## bladerunner67 (Oct 5, 2010)

Was also thinking Yellow, think I've seen an olive green one with yellow on here ???


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## sixdoublesix (Nov 3, 2009)

Black with the Audi logo!


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## Grahamstt (Jul 22, 2008)

sixdoublesix said:


> Black with the Audi logo!


Black callipers with red pads








Done a few miles in this pic but can be cleaned up to look 8)


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## pinky (May 21, 2009)

Haha...I have a green one and I'm painting my calipers tomorrow, along with new discs and pads...(well hopefully if its not raining.)
Will put pics up  Oh yeah I'm going for lighter green calipers..behind colour coded alloys.


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## pinky (May 21, 2009)

Sorry the pics a bit small..but you can just see them..lol :lol:


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## bladerunner67 (Oct 5, 2010)

Cheers, They look nice....

I've decided to go Gold... will post the results in a couple of weeks when done...think it'll look nice against the green & silver wheels..


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## scott_johnson (Aug 5, 2008)

I did mine on monday.. Masked off and sprayed. You get a nice finish with the spray and is very quick... Only down side is it takes ages to mask it all off!!


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## sixdoublesix (Nov 3, 2009)

I stand by my decision, Black with white logos..

*BEFORE*










*AFTER*










*FINISHED!*


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## bladerunner67 (Oct 5, 2010)

Nice Jobs,

decided to paint mine with a brush, can't be bothered with all the masking up 

gonna do mine next bank holiday as I've got 11 days off, also gonna clean the soft top and re-seal and give the car a good valet, should keep me out of the Mrs way for a couple of days :lol: I'll update with photos when done...


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## sixdoublesix (Nov 3, 2009)

bladerunner67 said:


> Nice Jobs,
> 
> decided to paint mine with a brush, can't be bothered with all the masking up
> 
> gonna do mine next bank holiday as I've got 11 days off, also gonna clean the soft top and re-seal and give the car a good valet, should keep me out of the Mrs way for a couple of days :lol: I'll update with photos when done...


Dont use a brush!!!!! YOU BIG BRUSH HEAD!!

Check out local shops for some sponge/foam paint brushes, they leave no brush strokes so a smoother finish and less dripping!

1x Wire Brush
1x Masking Tape
1x Brake cleaner
1x Japlac (colour of your choice)
1x hammerite silver
1x newspaper (cover the wheels when it dries of dust flies in and sticks to it)
1x drink (thirsty work)
2x old rags to put inside the wheel rim incase paint drips when you put the wheels back on

good luck and post pics back here!


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## bladerunner67 (Oct 5, 2010)

Using Hammered finish hammerite, so no brush strokes anyway .... thanks for the info, will post photos with results


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## Jax73 (Aug 1, 2011)

sixdoublesix said:


> I stand by my decision, Black with white logos..
> 
> *BEFORE*
> 
> ...


Where would u get the stickers from?


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## Nilesong (Jan 19, 2009)

E-Bay.


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## warrenstuart (Mar 3, 2010)

Jax73 said:


> Where would u get the stickers from?


There are quite a few people on e-bay selling them but i've used these a few times now and had no problems at all http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI. ... 0362654795 they're not the cheapest on there but i stuck with them cos of the quality.


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## Jax73 (Aug 1, 2011)

Thanking you, chaps! x


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## oldguy (Jun 25, 2009)

Silver with Red stuff pads


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## smally4 (Mar 28, 2011)

Wow old guy i gota say those disks look gert lush.! 8)


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## ryanmtt (Sep 13, 2010)

bladerunner67 said:


> Using Hammered finish hammerite, so no brush strokes anyway .... thanks for the info, will post photos with results


Good choice hammered effect is awesome on calipers I used hammered red on mine looks spot on !


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## Flash (Apr 14, 2011)

You mean Hammered as in Hammerite?? Is the temp range ok?


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## Shinigami (Feb 21, 2013)

If I want to change the red colour of my calipers would it be enough to clean them properly first and then paint them of a different colour or I need to do some more preparation (I'd rather avoid trying to remove the old paint which is still nice and shiny)?

Cheers


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## lukeromeril (Nov 30, 2011)

sixdoublesix said:


> I stand by my decision, Black with white logos..
> 
> *BEFORE*
> 
> ...


I wasn't sure when you said black, but that looks epic. I am (was?) planning to do mine the standard red (as my car is black), but I'll be honest, I am considering changing my mind! Plus i just received my white ( () () () ) stickers


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Shinigami said:


> If I want to change the red colour of my calipers would it be enough to clean them properly first and then paint them of a different colour or I need to do some more preparation (I'd rather avoid trying to remove the old paint which is still nice and shiny)?
> 
> Cheers


Depends on your paint. My "engine paint" I used on my calipers needed no primer or sanding. I just brushed onto the original powdercoat. I imagine it would stick to existing paint as easily.


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## GoTeamGb2012 (Dec 27, 2012)

These are my V6 brakes I recently did. Calipers sanded and smoothed. A vinyl mask template made and Quattro painted in silver and then finished with a generous coating of lacquer. Should work for 225 brakes too. I did my Brembos on my 225 the same way. The lacquer finish really helps keep the caliper clean and easy to maintain too.


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## Shinigami (Feb 21, 2013)

GoTeamGb2012 said:


> These are my V6 brakes I recently did. Calipers sanded and smoothed. A vinyl mask template made and Quattro painted in silver and then finished with a generous coating of lacquer. Should work for 225 brakes too. I did my Brembos on my 225 the same way. The lacquer finish really helps keep the caliper clean and easy to maintain too.


Looking very nice  I don't plan to remove the calipers though...just the wheels lol and cover the red calipers with E-Tech gloss yellow calipers paint.

The most I can do is cleaning the calipers properly but no plan of sanding, priming etc... I believe the calipers paint is supposed to go straight onto the calipers and in theory the old red paint shouldn't be a problem :roll:


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## TJenkos (Mar 25, 2012)

GoTeamGb2012 said:


> These are my V6 brakes I recently did. Calipers sanded and smoothed. A vinyl mask template made and Quattro painted in silver and then finished with a generous coating of lacquer. Should work for 225 brakes too. I did my Brembos on my 225 the same way. The lacquer finish really helps keep the caliper clean and easy to maintain too.


They look incredible, top work!


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