power coat calipers

[murrayg]

Hi everyone,

I want my S2 brakes powder coated red, from there current black. Trying to add just a bit of "bling" to the black car! They are in great shape and don't need rebuilding.

Question 1 - Can I have them powder coated without removing the pistons and seals? Just tape up the inside of the caliper to protect the seals.

Question2 - If answer above is NO!, then can I remove the pistons and seals and reassemble without replacing parts. The rebuild kits (seals and scrapers) are crazy expensive for these calipers.

As always, Thanks

Gord.

[P944GUY]

I used G2 brake caliper paint and did it myself, sand them down good and use a dremel wire wheel for the small hard to get to spots, been 2 years now and held up flawlessly..about $80..the color on my calipers I used was Torch red..it is brush on, so go a craft store and get some quality brushes..used like a 1/2 tip brush ..you dont need to remove seals or even tape off as you just go around the top and don't really need to get to far down into the middle of the caliper cause you'll never see that area wehn the pads are in...the company is on Facebook too to see abunch more pics of other colors..getting ready to do another set in jet black..got PORSCHE stencils and used silver caliper paint instead of decals.no clear coat required and did the dust shields with the left over paint...

[VOTS89]

Originally Posted by murrayg

Hi everyone,

Question 1 - Can I have them power coated without removing the pistons and seals? Just tape up the inside of the caliper to protect the seals.

Gord.

Gord,

The powder is electro deposited and then the parts are baked in an oven where the powder liquifys (sp) and turns into paint. I don't know the temperature of the oven or whether the seals will survive the baking.

Ask your local powder coater, they'll have the best answer.

Bruce

[mueller944s2]

Originally Posted by P944GUY

I used G2 brake caliper paint and did it myself, sand them down good and use a dremel wire wheel for the small hard to get to spots, been 2 years now and held up flawlessly..about $80..the color on my calipers I used was Torch red..it is brush on, so go a craft store and get some quality brushes..used like a 1/2 tip brush ..you dont need to remove seals or even tape off as you just go around the top and don't really need to get to far down into the middle of the caliper cause you'll never see that area wehn the pads are in...the company is on Facebook too to see abunch more pics of other colors..getting ready to do another set in jet black..got PORSCHE stencils and used silver caliper paint instead of decals.no clear coat required and did the dust shields with the left over paint...

I was thinking of doing mine red, I have cup wheels too. Can you take some pics from farther away so I can see what it looks like?

[Dimi 944]

Question 1 - Answer: Unfortunately, you have to take the seals out to have the calipers powder coated because they are baked to 400 degrees.

Question 2 - Answer: You can reuse all the parts if you are careful enough when removing them not to damage any of the seals or scratch any of the pistons.

If interested, I have a great local powder coating shop who has done plenty of wheels and parts for me.

Originally Posted by murrayg

Hi everyone,

I want my S2 brakes powder coated red, from there current black. Trying to add just a bit of "bling" to the black car! They are in great shape and don't need rebuilding.

Question 1 - Can I have them powder coated without removing the pistons and seals? Just tape up the inside of the caliper to protect the seals.

Question2 - If answer above is NO!, then can I remove the pistons and seals and reassemble without replacing parts. The rebuild kits (seals and scrapers) are crazy expensive for these calipers.

As always, Thanks

Gord.

[9FF]

Question 1 - Answer: Unfortunately, you have to take the seals out to have the calipers powder coated because they are baked to 400 degrees.



Question 2 - Answer: You can reuse all the parts if you are careful enough when removing them not to damage any of the seals or scratch any of the pistons.



If interested, I have a great local powder coating shop who has done plenty of wheels and parts for me.

Quote de murrayg

Hi everyone,



I want my S2 brakes powder coated red, from there current black. Trying to add just a bit of "bling" to the black car! They are in great shape and don't need rebuilding.



Question 1 - Can I have them powder coated without removing the pistons and seals? Just tape up the inside of the caliper to protect the seals.



Question2 - If answer above is NO!, then can I remove the pistons and seals and reassemble without replacing parts. The rebuild kits (seals and scrapers) are crazy expensive for these calipers.



As always, Thanks



Gord.

It's not so much the temperature that will kill the seals, brakes are designed to get very hot and that is why most VHT caliper paint is good to 500 deg+ What will kill the seals is the alkaline dip and subsequent blasting the powder coaters do to clean before coating.

As for reusing seals, just don't do it. The pistons have to sit in the caliper a certain way, there is a tool that sets them iirc at 30 degrees. The seals will wear with the pistons at that orientation, so of you take the pistons and seals out and don't put them back in exactly the same place (seals & pistons), chances are the wear patterns will be different and you'll have an early failure.

[944sracer]

I have a different perspective. I looked into getting some wheels powder coated for my race car a few years back. I contacted a few companies and they did NOT suggest it as the process can damage the molecular structure of the wheel. For street use, they said powder coating is great! For racing applications they highly suggested AGAINST it!

Just my experience