# Clear Lacquer finish for brake calipers - which one?



## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

Hi all

I have been cleaning and de-rusting a front caliper and am nearly there, as it looks pretty good I am loathe to finish it in a colour and would like to go for a clear coat.

Has anyone ever used a high temperature lacquer on their calipers?

If so what brand?

I have found this and it seems well received

https://e-tech.uk.com/e-tech-xht-clear- ... emperature

What were your findings?

Any pitfalls?

Has it lasted?

Is this a sensible idea?

Or should I just paint them lurid pink....


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

Duplicolor engine paint works great. I used the red matte finish for my calipers. I plan on painting my wife's Tig calipers next spring, also red, but will use the Duplicolor engine clear coat finish just for a different look.

DUPLI-COLOR® Supertherm 300º, 584.42.87 - Dupli-Color Red Spray Cans 400 ml
DUPLI-COLOR® Supertherm 500º, 584.42.04 - Dupli-Color 10 Clear Varnish Spray 400 ml


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

Hmmm, now starting to get cold feet...

Might go for silver instead 

That Dupli Color stuff seems to be a mare to purchase.


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## Craig_09 (Jul 20, 2015)

Hi, I've painted calipers on most of the cars I've owned.

I've used hammerite silver / black paint on with brush with good results and durability.
Hammerite spray paint silver / black, smoother finish (with good prep) and good durability.

I've painted calipers with standard Halfords primer, metallic spray paint and standard lacquer. Looked great and lasted longer than I owned the cars

On my TTS I have used simonoz tough spray paint in gloss black and have got excellent results, very smooth!

In my experience you do not need high temperature paints / lacquers


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

@ happychappy - It seems Hammerite paint is quite popular in the UK so it might be the better choice. i went with Duplicolor since I'm more familiar with it as a US product and I could order it from Amazon (Germany).


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

I have used Hammerite with varying degrees of success, probably more down to me than the product though.

The more I think about the "just lacquer" idea the more I lean towards a paint finish, probably silver with a lacquer on top, nice and shiney


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## Craig_09 (Jul 20, 2015)

If your ocd like me (which it looks like from your posts :lol you could add a nice coat of Gtechniq C5 for protection and to stop brake dust sticking to them.


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

OCD! Me? How very dare you.....  

The C5 is a VERY good idea!

Been reading about it in the thread I started for my wheels and am intending to get some to use on them, probably going to get the bigger bottle to use on the calipers now, what a fantastic suggestion!

Btw, is that a spec of dust I can see behind your dash?


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## Stiff (Jun 15, 2015)

happychappy said:


> OCD! Me? How very dare you.....
> Btw, is that a spec of dust I can see behind your dash?


More importantly, are all of your spokes lined up symmetrically when you view the car side on? Valves too? 
Annoying when they're not, isn't it?


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## TTsdsgomg (Mar 19, 2013)

Stiff said:


> happychappy said:
> 
> 
> > OCD! Me? How very dare you.....
> ...


Would you guys go as far as to ensure the tread patterns align with spokes and valves too :twisted:


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## Stiff (Jun 15, 2015)

TTsdsgomg said:


> Would you guys go as far as to ensure the tread patterns align with spokes and valves too :twisted:


I was only joshing. It really wouldn't bother me if all the wheels were a different design or the body was a harlequin version :lol:


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

Stiff said:


> happychappy said:
> 
> 
> > OCD! Me? How very dare you.....
> ...


I carry a trolley jack & puck for this exact reason!

You will often find me after a roundabout re-aligning the spokes and valves....

Pesky corners......


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

TTsdsgomg said:


> Stiff said:
> 
> 
> > happychappy said:
> ...


I did use this argument to purchase new tyres...


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## heylinTTnz (Sep 17, 2018)

I've used POR15 high temp on turbo exhaust housings, rotors, calipers and even on exhaust pipes, comes in brilliant aluminium, brush on easy, 2 coats. Lasts practically forever....very tough stuff rated to 650 deg c


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## Iceblue (Jul 20, 2018)

@craig_09 and others. Re your advice of avoiding breakdust buildup with the use of certain products. In my experience without any armour products I have a significant build up of break dust every two weeks. I thought brake dust build up was unavoidable with audis and I ask this as I asked our local car accessories wharehouse and they stated that as the dust comes off hot it will stick to everthing even with "armour" products on the alloys. Is this true or is your experience significantly different with the products you mentioned?


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## Craig_09 (Jul 20, 2015)

Have a Google of gtechniq c5. I've had this on a few sets of wheels and been very impressed.
I don't have to use a wheel cleaner product just jet wash the wheel which removes most of the brake dust and use car shampoo with a microfibre cloth.
Massive difference over unprotected wheels.


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## WaynoTTV6 (Apr 9, 2015)

Is there a requirement to apply a lacquer over a colour to seal it, or is the high temp colour enough to withstand brake dust and general 'weathering'

Sent from TimBuckToo


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## Craig_09 (Jul 20, 2015)

Hi, no need for high temperature paint or lacquer.

Standard hammerite paint is fine


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## Iceblue (Jul 20, 2018)

Thanks Craig and will give it a crack


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## Jasonl (Mar 31, 2018)

Used smooth hammerite on mine couple of months back decent enough finish


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

I contacted Hammerite with regards to advice about using their products on cparakeet callipers as there is no mention of this on their website.

I received an email from them saying that they don't make anything suitable and forwarded a link to Europarts for the Foliatec range of paints.

I would prefer to spray the calipers so will have to look elsewhere.


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## legend_of_chaos (Sep 18, 2017)

happychappy said:


> I contacted Hammerite with regards to advice about using their products on cparakeet callipers as there is no mention of this on their website.
> 
> I received an email from them saying that they don't make anything suitable and forwarded a link to Europarts for the Foliatec range of paints.
> 
> I would prefer to spray the calipers so will have to look elsewhere.


Foliatec do a 2 part spray now, don't know how good it is, I used VHT spray for mine, I primed, painted and lacquered, 3 coats of primer, 3 coats of paint and 3 lacquer, I'll add some pics later, I've included a video from Foliatec for you.

https://youtu.be/8ovJE0fqMQM?list=PLqIC ... MCFBla4Yij


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

That's a great spot! It's usually only the brush on Foliatec paint that seems to be sold in most places.

However after looking into the small print it appears that you have to activate the hardner to use the paint.

As I am doing one caliper at a time due to the amount of work it's taking to de-rust and clean/refurb each unit and also that I wish to get as little air into the system as possible this will work out at a can for each corner = very expensive!

What brand of paint did you use?

Thanks


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## legend_of_chaos (Sep 18, 2017)

happychappy said:


> That's a great spot! It's usually only the brush on Foliatec paint that seems to be sold in most places.
> 
> However after looking into the small print it appears that you have to activate the hardner to use the paint.
> 
> ...


I used VHT high temp spray Nu-Cast™ IronSP997, it's a gun metal grey and looks great.


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## legend_of_chaos (Sep 18, 2017)

Some pics before and after


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

legend_of_chaos said:


> happychappy said:
> 
> 
> > That's a great spot! It's usually only the brush on Foliatec paint that seems to be sold in most places.
> ...


Was the primer and lacquer all VHT?

Totally agree, the gun metal grey is the doggy doo dahs, looks like that's on the cards for me now, especially as my wheels are diamond cut over dark grey.

Thanks for the pictures, so satisfying to see someone else taking proper care of their car, I am especially loving that picture of the oven! Thats exactly why I only spray stuff when Mrs Happy is not around  

Thanks


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## legend_of_chaos (Sep 18, 2017)

happychappy said:


> legend_of_chaos said:
> 
> 
> > happychappy said:
> ...


All VHT yes, VHT primer paint and lacquer also new pistons new seals, new carrier bolts, new slide rubbers, new pads and discs and new solid brake lines all round as they were seized and new banjos, complete rebuild and refurb, took me about 4-5 days, that was ok though as I had my alloys being refurbed at the same time and the weather was cold so the paint took a while to cure between coats.


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

May I ask where you purchased your VHT products from please?

Only getting matches from abroad.

Thanks


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## legend_of_chaos (Sep 18, 2017)

happychappy said:


> May I ask where you purchased your VHT products from please?
> 
> Only getting matches from abroad.
> 
> Thanks


EBay seller USAutomotive, they are still selling it all matey.

The primer is primer coat SP100
The paint is VHT NU-CAST IRON ENGINE ENAMEL SP997
The lacquer is VHT clear gloss SP145


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

Thanks very much, located them on eBay now.

Can you tell me how many cans of each you ordered? I assume you did all four calipers?

Also is the primer necessary? I thought the engine paint went straight onto metal?

Sorry for so many questions, but thanks for all the answers.


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## legend_of_chaos (Sep 18, 2017)

happychappy said:


> Thanks very much, located them on eBay now.
> 
> Can you tell me how many cans of each you ordered? I assume you did all four calipers?
> 
> ...


Can't remember off hand, think it might have been 2 or 3 cans of each but I do have some left, the V6 has big front calipers, I also did a couple of mist coats, probably went overboard but the finish is spot on, no runs, no high spots, when it went for it's service the garage took a wheel off and asked where I'd bought new calipers from, when I told them I'd refurbed them they said it's the best paint job on calipers they have ever seen, I was just a little bit chuffed.


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

They do look extremely good!

Loving the grey colour, gotta go for it, silver is so yesterday... 

Looking at the picture is the primer white in colour?


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## legend_of_chaos (Sep 18, 2017)

happychappy said:


> They do look extremely good!
> 
> Loving the grey colour, gotta go for it, silver is so yesterday...
> 
> Looking at the picture is the primer white in colour?


Yes primer in white


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

Thank goodness, that's all I could find


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