Caliper colour change
06-02-2015, 08:14 AM
#26
Senior Member
Indeed you do get what you pay for. I paid $30 and 4 hours of my own time. I prepped the area in the exact way a pro paint shop would do. I used a high quality know brand paint and lacquer. I sprayed in a warm environment using the manufacturers time between coats and I'm over the moon with how it turned out.
If you think taking your car to a body shop and paying an extra $700 for the job is a better option then go ahead. It's your choice. Just like what I have done is my choice.
I will resurrect this thread in a year and post up more photos of the calipers and I'm more than confident they will look no worse that a pro job on my " $60K+ German car "
If you think taking your car to a body shop and paying an extra $700 for the job is a better option then go ahead. It's your choice. Just like what I have done is my choice.
I will resurrect this thread in a year and post up more photos of the calipers and I'm more than confident they will look no worse that a pro job on my " $60K+ German car "
Ian...you are the king of DIY...your posts are awesome
...keep up the great work 
06-02-2015, 03:45 PM
#28
Just because you pay more does not make it better. In correct powder coat can be way worse and a complete pita to repair. Also most places use ppg or DuPont paint which is not really any better for this purpose. I have done several with sikens and they turn out good but imo it's not worth the extra expense and effort. The rattle can you used is a good product.
Very nice job also.
Very nice job also.
06-03-2015, 10:40 PM
#30
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W204 C63 AMG, W212 E250 CGI, C207 E250 CGI
calipers get hotter than 550 degrees. it will work but it wont hold with the heat. Ive tried them before and it didnt last long. so to answer your question, no. theres a specific clear from vht for calipers. 800 degrees if im not mistaken.
06-04-2015, 07:02 AM
#32
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W204 C63 AMG, W212 E250 CGI, C207 E250 CGI
Try to get a caliper specific clear spray can. There should be one. Otherwise you can try what you already have but know that calipers get hotter than the engine even with just normal driving. Or OP can suggest what he used. Goodluck mate!
Just checked quickly on my garage and saw my VHT caliper paint that states "can withstand up to 500 degree heat" so i reckon your clear is ok. Although i also found this clear that i used for my caliper. States "heat tested up to 1093 degrees
Just checked quickly on my garage and saw my VHT caliper paint that states "can withstand up to 500 degree heat" so i reckon your clear is ok. Although i also found this clear that i used for my caliper. States "heat tested up to 1093 degrees
Last edited by beejAMG; 06-04-2015 at 07:11 AM.
06-04-2015, 08:08 AM
#33
ok so here is exactly what i got.
-vht red "caliper paint" 900 degrees
-i also got another color for my dads car, in orange.. but it doesn't say caliper paint it says "engine enamel" up to 550 degrees
- and the "engine enamel" gloss clear up to 550 degrees.
i should just return those last two items, as they won't hold? they didn't have orange "caliper paint"
-vht red "caliper paint" 900 degrees
-i also got another color for my dads car, in orange.. but it doesn't say caliper paint it says "engine enamel" up to 550 degrees
- and the "engine enamel" gloss clear up to 550 degrees.
i should just return those last two items, as they won't hold? they didn't have orange "caliper paint"
06-04-2015, 09:57 AM
#34
Member
Thread Starter
ok so here is exactly what i got.
-vht red "caliper paint" 900 degrees
-i also got another color for my dads car, in orange.. but it doesn't say caliper paint it says "engine enamel" up to 550 degrees
- and the "engine enamel" gloss clear up to 550 degrees.
i should just return those last two items, as they won't hold? they didn't have orange "caliper paint"
-vht red "caliper paint" 900 degrees
-i also got another color for my dads car, in orange.. but it doesn't say caliper paint it says "engine enamel" up to 550 degrees
- and the "engine enamel" gloss clear up to 550 degrees.
i should just return those last two items, as they won't hold? they didn't have orange "caliper paint"
06-05-2015, 09:44 AM
#41
Member
Thread Starter
Hiya.
This is the clear coat.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2514245608...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
I guess you can probably get it a lot cheaper in the US.
06-05-2015, 09:45 AM
#42
Member
Thread Starter
06-05-2015, 10:00 AM
#43
Senior Member
My red lacquer has flaked and needs re-painting and doing again.
06-08-2015, 10:10 PM
#46
06-10-2015, 11:02 AM
#49
Super Member
Just my .02 from experience with this subject....
I would actually stay away from any clearcoat altogether. If you use a quality gloss aerosol paint applied as it should be that should provide MORE than enough protection for the calipers. My issue with clear has always been 2 fold....when you clear over the base you are now asking 2 different chemical concoctions to get along and stick together forever, and unless you expertly prep the base color prior to clear I believe you are just creating a potential entry point for peeling/separation to occur(think about all of the heat cycles and the fact that different parts of the caliper will expand/contract at different rates as well).....secondly, every aerosol clear I have ever worked with has a tendency to yellow over time thus changing the color appearance of the caliper itself, AND this seems to be accelerated by excess heat.
Others may have had different experience with this but in my prolly 25-30 sets of calipers this has been what I've seen
I would actually stay away from any clearcoat altogether. If you use a quality gloss aerosol paint applied as it should be that should provide MORE than enough protection for the calipers. My issue with clear has always been 2 fold....when you clear over the base you are now asking 2 different chemical concoctions to get along and stick together forever, and unless you expertly prep the base color prior to clear I believe you are just creating a potential entry point for peeling/separation to occur(think about all of the heat cycles and the fact that different parts of the caliper will expand/contract at different rates as well).....secondly, every aerosol clear I have ever worked with has a tendency to yellow over time thus changing the color appearance of the caliper itself, AND this seems to be accelerated by excess heat.
Others may have had different experience with this but in my prolly 25-30 sets of calipers this has been what I've seen
06-10-2015, 11:35 AM
#50
Just my .02 from experience with this subject....
I would actually stay away from any clearcoat altogether. If you use a quality gloss aerosol paint applied as it should be that should provide MORE than enough protection for the calipers. My issue with clear has always been 2 fold....when you clear over the base you are now asking 2 different chemical concoctions to get along and stick together forever, and unless you expertly prep the base color prior to clear I believe you are just creating a potential entry point for peeling/separation to occur(think about all of the heat cycles and the fact that different parts of the caliper will expand/contract at different rates as well).....secondly, every aerosol clear I have ever worked with has a tendency to yellow over time thus changing the color appearance of the caliper itself, AND this seems to be accelerated by excess heat.
Others may have had different experience with this but in my prolly 25-30 sets of calipers this has been what I've seen
I would actually stay away from any clearcoat altogether. If you use a quality gloss aerosol paint applied as it should be that should provide MORE than enough protection for the calipers. My issue with clear has always been 2 fold....when you clear over the base you are now asking 2 different chemical concoctions to get along and stick together forever, and unless you expertly prep the base color prior to clear I believe you are just creating a potential entry point for peeling/separation to occur(think about all of the heat cycles and the fact that different parts of the caliper will expand/contract at different rates as well).....secondly, every aerosol clear I have ever worked with has a tendency to yellow over time thus changing the color appearance of the caliper itself, AND this seems to be accelerated by excess heat.
Others may have had different experience with this but in my prolly 25-30 sets of calipers this has been what I've seen
you do know this is how cars are painted right?
nothing is forever.
Prep is the most important thing. As with everything in the world.
You've done 30 sets of calipers, great. You've seen failure in every one of them?
Isolate the issue, figure out the problem, and correct it. You keep doing the same thing over and over resulting in failure, but yet you keep repeating.. makes sense.
Last edited by solekeeper; 06-10-2015 at 11:38 AM.
