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Brake Caliper: Paint or Powder?

londonboards

londonboards

Forum Sage
Past Site Supporter
I am stripped and ready to go:

P1070309.jpg


See my rebuild thread: GS1100 Restoration Thread

Should I paint or powder coat? VHT caliper paint looks nice but I have had some bubbling issues when curing. So what should I prepare the bare metal with to prevent this?

Or should I just send it with the frame to the powder coaters to put on a nice satin black?

Greetings
 
unless you are planning on using DOT 5 brake fluid, just remember no paint is brake fluid proof. P/C stands up pretty well to it
 
if you can and the powder coating is affordable do it, if not, the VHT works well

before

P1070096.jpg


and after

P1070942.jpg




so far no issues, paint is holding up well,,,,,I did not cure in an oven, they just sat in the open air on the shelf for about 2 weeks until I was ready to use them, and to this day they are still holding up well.

Cheers
 
PC is better, but paint is easier. And since you're renewing the entire system, you could refill it with DOT 5 or 5.1 and avoid any future issues.
 
FiremanBob said:
PC is better, but paint is easier. And since you're renewing the entire system, you could refill it with DOT 5 or 5.1 and avoid any future issues.
Click to expand...

DOT 5.1 will still eat the paint. DOT 5 is the ONLY paint safe brake fluid as it is silicone based.
DOT 3, 4 and 5.1 are all polyethylene glycol-based.
 
Wilkinsons do an 'own brand' BBQ paint similar to the Plasticote stuff. It takes a long time to dry but it's reasonably resistant to brake fluid and is the 'right black' for your calipers.
 
hampshirehog - thanks for that. We have a Wilkinsons in Canterbury and I'm guessing it will be cheaper than the VHT stuff. I'll give it a try.

Greetings
 
There are epoxy-based brake caliper paints. G2 is widely available in the States. Check Amazon and ebay in the UK.
 
Those calipers need to be media blasted, or somehow otherwise remove all the old surface corrosion otherwise the paint won't last.

I'd go with either powder coat, or some sort of catalyzed urethane or special moisture cure type paint (like Por-15). The durability of these paints is far better than just about any kind of rattle can paint you can find.

DOT 5 brake fluid won't eat paint, but it has other drawbacks. For example, it's know to create a more spongy brake lever feel, and is not compatible with more conventional brake fluids. Not worth it in my opinion.
 
Still got problems

Still got problems

Help me out here guys. The powder coaters said they wouldn't paint them so I had another go myself and it still bubbled up:

See my GS1100G Blog - Caliper Painting Problem

I ultrasonically cleaned them as well this time round.

Here they are painted:

P1070573.jpg


P1070572.jpg


and then after curing:

P1070577.jpg


P1070582.jpg


I think it is oxidation in those areas. I either need to vapour blast them first or bake them in the oven to make sure the oxidation is not holding any moisture. What do you think?

Greetings
 
I don't know what is causing your bubbling issue.....

but why not paint them and let them air dry

It's how I did mine and I have no issues with them at all...

I did mine early on in my rebuild so they hung around for a few weeks or so before I installed them on the bike.

.
 
Do what he factory does, black anodize.
Then they are brake fluid proof as well.
 
Here's some pic's of my unloved calipers as they now sit on the bike, unwashed and painted a couple of years ago. I did not remove them when I painted them, no prep work other than washing the bike and masking them off, which was by far the hardest part (I'm so lazy!).

These are on the GS1000, which I used Dupli Color Low Gloss Black, I really liked the way they turned out. They'd look better if I washed the bike.






These are on my GS1100 where I used Dupli Color Semi-Gloss Black (wished I used the low gloss instead, I mean they're calipers, get dirty, etc. Low gloss doesn't show the dirt as much). No bubbles, lucky I guess.




 
londonboards said:
and then after curing:

What do you think?
Click to expand...
I think that something is being held in the pores of the metal or the paint and is being released as the caliper dries.

Yes I did read where you ultrasonically cleaned them, but as you can clearly see the crater pop as the contaminant rises to the surface. It almost looks like solvent pop.
 
Dot 5 is "the only paint safe paint".......really!!!!


Well then the last dozen or so I have done with regular auto parts caliper paint must be protected from some kind of divine intervention, because not one has had the paint ruined from dot OR dot 4!!!!!!!
 
I am with Dale on the pores of the metal leaching chemicals and causing the popping. Strip them again and wash them in HOT water and dish soap while scrubbing with a tooth brush...rinse well.


THEN...just plain water and boil them for 15 or 20 minutes to boil open the pores and boil them super clean.
 
after marinating my vht painted calpers in dot 3&4 a couple times this week, i can say it holds up pretty well. baked mine in front of a space heater for a couplea hours. primed with self-etching primer. i'm impressed, cost me 10 bucks for paint and primer.

greg
 
Flyboy said:
Do what he factory does, black anodize.
Then they are brake fluid proof as well.
Click to expand...
Are you using a different terminology here Flyboy?

All of the calipers I have seen appear to be powder coated from the factory, not anodized, but I'm more than willing to accept that I could be wrong...
 
Anodizing is like doing easter eggs..its staining the metal...which isn't what the factory does. They are painted and easily are stripped with spray on hardware stripper.
 
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