Removing calipers to powder coat

[Airborne5.0]

Thanks for the replies everyone

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[AShelbyinCali]

I've had personal experience with powder coating Brembo's. If I had to do it again, I would buy the GT350R caliper as the whole process I performed was about the same cost. That price point included used sets of F/R calipers, caliper piston removal tool, Brembo vinyl stickers, piston seals, and boots. I bought an extra set of calipers as soo I could work on this project slowly and not have the car be in a down state.
Some of the prep work involved filing down the casting marks to give the caliper a better look.

 

[jpjr501]

Powder Coating is the correct way. I've done the caliper paint thing but after years it has chipped. I should have done Powder Coating when I had everything off the car. Don't get me wrong, the caliper paint thing is nice but it's not permanent like Powder Coating.

 

[Yorkshire_OH]

Powder coating can still chip if you're unlucky, had wheels powder coated and when that chipped it was a serious pain in the a$$ as you can't just touch it up, that's the benefit of painting... but powder coating definitely looks betting in most cases.

 

[Yorkshire_OH]

I've had personal experience with powder coating Brembo's. If I had to do it again, I would buy the GT350R caliper as the whole process I performed was about the same cost. That price point included used sets of F/R calipers, caliper piston removal tool, Brembo vinyl stickers, piston seals, and boots. I bought an extra set of calipers as soo I could work on this project slowly and not have the car be in a down state.
Some of the prep work involved filing down the casting marks to give the caliper a better look.

I agree, getting a second set of brakes (if you can afford to go that route) and taking your time is the best way even if you're painting them. That reminds me, I need to sell my standard GT brakes...

 

[sk47]

I know some people like to claim they know more than the manufacturer but brembo themselves have said NOT to powdercoat their calipers because it affects heat.

I like to listen to the manufacturer when it comes to extremely important things like brakes. Yes I know several people have powdered their brembos with no issues but I also know several who have had failure because of the heat

Hello; This is the deciding factor in my opinion. In a nutshell the overall function of brakes is to create enough friction to stop a heavy car. Friction results in heat. Bigger rotors & brake pads can increase friction. It is the heat our brakes need to get rid of quickly enough so as to continuee to function.
If the manufacturer says to avoid powder coating such is good enough for me. A guess on my part is the powder coating may act as an insulating layer. such would reduce the effectiveness of the brakes. Especially since the calipers have the brake fluid inside. A take I have had for some years is one main factor of good brakes is the boiling point of the brake fluid. Getting rid of heat more efficiently ought to help keep the fluid below the boiling point.

I get there are folks who do not push their Mustangs hard enough for this heat aspect to make a difference, so the look is more of a priority than overall performance. I do wonder. Is the factory finish of Brembo not nice enough?

 

[Free Spirit]

Hello; This is the deciding factor in my opinion. In a nutshell the overall function of brakes is to create enough friction to stop a heavy car. Friction results in heat. Bigger rotors & brake pads can increase friction. It is the heat our brakes need to get rid of quickly enough so as to continuee to function.
If the manufacturer says to avoid powder coating such is good enough for me. A guess on my part is the powder coating may act as an insulating layer. such would reduce the effectiveness of the brakes. Especially since the calipers have the brake fluid inside. A take I have had for some years is one main factor of good brakes is the boiling point of the brake fluid. Getting rid of heat more efficiently ought to help keep the fluid below the boiling point.

I get there are folks who do not push their Mustangs hard enough for this heat aspect to make a difference, so the look is more of a priority than overall performance. I do wonder. Is the factory finish of Brembo not nice enough?

Yes, powdercoat will trap more heat (any coating will including G2 but not as much as a thick powdercoat does) which will cause the brakes to overheat faster and enough of an issue that it was specifically stated by Brembo not to do it. They use a hard coat annodized finish in their calipers that traps minimal heat and prevents corrosion.

 

[TonyNJ]

Leave them on the car, clean them, tape them, and paint them with G2 paint kit, then add a decal. They'll look great and you'll be done in a day or 2.

 

[Airborne5.0]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I appreciate it.

 

[Free Spirit]

Leave them on the car, clean them, tape them, and paint them with G2 paint kit, then add a decal. They'll look great and you'll be done in a day or 2.

This is how I'm doing mine, just got a question, I have some rather obvious dents/gouges on the face, would the g2 smooth that out or do I need bondo to fill the imperfection? The cause was several full force hammer strikes including a sledgehammer. The pins didn't want to come out they were seized solid. They went from a point to completely fault against the face and still never came out so I missed a few times lol

 

[TonyNJ]

This is how I'm doing mine, just got a question, I have some rather obvious dents/gouges on the face, would the g2 smooth that out or do I need bondo to fill the imperfection?

The G2 isn't filling hammer dents like bondo. Just rough up the service and get it clean and paint over the imperfections. They'll be so shiny, the casual observer probably won't even notice. Unless you're looking for show car quality, which it sounds like you're not. Ymmv

 

[Free Spirit]

The G2 isn't filling hammer dents like bondo. Just rough up the service and get it clean and paint over the imperfections. They'll be so shiny, the casual observer probably won't even notice. Unless you're looking for show car quality, which it sounds like you're not. Ymmv

It was repainted after an accident and went from show car to having fisheyes in several places. I think it's time to give up on the idea of having a nice car and just make it faster. It's a 2017 but it's about ready for the scrapper. Just found today that the bracket under the spare tire well that attaches and mounts the I think evap system or something like that, is rusted fit he point it was crumbling into pieces in my hand with minimal force. Rest of the car isn't terrible but the rear end is horrible so is all of the suspension. Driveshaft was a rust bucket too but I just replaced it

 

[Sumjay]

OP, just some notes if you haven’t done this yet and go with G2. Follow the instructions to a T. Watch every tutorial video and read every review you can. I’ll admit I rushed the job and I was a little disappointed with my results but that’s on me.

Once the paint is dried and cured, it can actually be wet sanded and buffed. Buffing will give you an overall glossier finish, and wet sanding will help bring down any uneven areas. Do not paint the back of the caliper - it’s a waste of very expensive paint. You’re better off coating areas you’ve already hit with another layer.

You’ll have an easier time if you remove the pads and hardware, but you can 100% tape them off and paint around. Before you remove the calipers, open the brake fluid reservoir under the hood, put a plastic bag over it, and screw the cap back on. This will create a stronger air seal that will prevent you from losing fluid through the hoses - by removing the caliper, you are depressurizing the system so creating a seal means you only have to replace the fluid in the caliper.

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