Trick for cleaning brake calipers

I

imported_nihoole

New member
Hey guys whats up?

I have finally got my new wheels and tires on my ride and painted the calipers before they where put on.The question is how do you guys clean the calipers with the wheels on(what tools and cleaners?



Thanks
 
You can use your normal wheel cleaner as long as it isn't an acid cleaner.



Just get a bottle brush for reaching into your wheels to get to your calipers.
 
Speaking of brake calipers... are you planning on painting your clipers? I found engine paint in the color I need... but not in brake paint? Is there really any difference? Both endure high temps....:confused:
 
on painting your brake calipers it all depends on the temp paint and how hard you use your brakes... if i sprayed my calipers w/500 F paint it would burst into flames. my moms minivan would be great though. if i used the 1200F kind it would last much longer but doesnt come in as many colors (that i have found i may br wrong though). Also depends on brand cheapy stuff is cheapy stuff.



i have found that the stuff used to paint exhaust manifolds works GREAT on calipers.



this is all IMHO





hope it helps.
 
No there is no magic need for "brake" paint as long as it endures a certain amount of heat. This paint handles 700 degrees. And, as a matter of fact, it calipers don't get as hot as you think. Vinyl decals, for instance, aren't even affected. These rotors have been really hot and tracked once but the calipers are designed not to get that hot. Remember, it's important to control the temperature of the brake fluid.



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i was at the workshop the other day

i saw the mechanic use an air compressor with an attachment of some water or solvent t-pieced to the nozzle of the compressor gun

he was blasting the discs, pads, hubs and heaps and heaps of gunk came of them, and they looked super clean afterwards



BUt not many of us have pneumatic tools lying around our garage

just a option tho.
 
I use a bottle brush with wheel cleaner to detail them, works great around hard to get areas (bleeder valve, etc).



Every six months when I do a major detail I pull the wheels off to clean the wells and at that time I wax them with a synthetic to keep the shine and try to protect them from minor rock chips.



Never had to paint them, but I think Griot's carries caliper paint in a variety of colors...
 
Hey guys,



I have had some experience with this.



I have used UHT products to do my calipers.



I used UHT brake cleaner before hand. Its a solvent and really gets them clean and makes them so the paint can bond well.



I then used UHT's brake paint (silver) which i think is rated to 1200 degrees C.



Im impressed with it, and they look fine 6 months later. I even a month later did "the speedhump test".



Where I floor it and it gets to 70km/h then hard on the brakes for the hump. This happens 6 times. Gets the brakes hot. Paint was fine afterwards.



Anyway just my $0.02
 
for paint for brake calipers is Eastwood. Theirs will flow out and even up over the entire surface.. they are known for their automotive products..

Dana
 
All the bottle type brushes I have used are wire down middle holding kinda stiff brissles.What type are you guys talking about and where can I purchase these?
 
Use this type. Every time I see them I buy a dozen of them. They cost .99 cents. The last lime I got them at K Mart. You just have to shop around.



EFHI is my favorite wheel cleaner, BTW, great stuff! I get it by the gallon.



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Looks like that would work great for calipers and cleaning inside of wheels.I do pull the wheels about twice a year and clean everything real well. I use EFHI and like it but will it remove the Zaino off my wheels?
 
It doesn't hurt the Sealant on the wheels for me. (I redo it every 3-4 months)



My wheels are pretty clean to begin with, but here is my ritual:



INSIDE

1. Wet the wheel with clean water

2. Wet the bottle brush clean water

3. Spray four squirts squirt of EFHI on the inside of the wheel and agitate with the foam bottle brush.

4. Rinse well with clean water

OUTSIDE

5. Use soft sponge with two squirts of EFHI on outside of wheel

6. Rinse with clean water
 
mzgloves20 said:
Speaking of brake calipers... are you planning on painting your clipers? I found engine paint in the color I need... but not in brake paint? Is there really any difference? Both endure high temps....:confused:
Click to expand...



i have used the spray paint for engines on a few cars, and on my manifold in my audi. it holds up really well. i have used silver, red, and white. comes in a chrom silver spray can. works great, even holds up to a wheel brush.
 
Here are a few things people should know before they start painting stuff.



1. If you do paint, use a quality paint.

2. If you want it to last, powdercoat.

3. Things get hotter than you think. It all depends on the car!

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4. Calipers need to breathe. If you use the wrong kind of paint you can insulate the calipers causing them to get even hotter and your brake fluid can boil. This is a very bad thing.



I have done many calipers, and I highly recommend that you get them powder coated if you want to do a color.



IMHO.
 
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