Powder Coat Calipers

[Baconaire]

Hi, I am going to do a full brake job once the weather warms up (rotors and pad). And I'm thinking I may as well freshen up the calipers by poweder coating them (I have a home setup for powder coating). The process ends with baking your parts in an oven at about 400 degrees for 10 minutes. I'm thinking its ok since brakes are made to deal with heat. I would obvously just powder the visible areas .Thoughts?

[986Jim]

Exactly as you said. They see 400 deg easily and that will not bother them at all. Don't coat anything that moves and scrape off the excess anywhere it shouldn't be. Other then that your on the money. Besides 10 mins at 400 won't get the metal all that hot as it's convection heat which will not move that much heat into the caliper in only 10 mins. Conduction like having the heat from the brake warm the calipers will heat up the metal way faster as it's direct contact transfer. Not only that, aluminum will cool very quickly once taken away from the heat source. They can handle that no problem.

[1schoir]

Exactly as you said. They see 400 deg easily and that will not bother them at all. Don't coat anything that moves and scrape off the excess anywhere it shouldn't be. Other then that your on the money. Besides 10 mins at 400 won't get the metal all that hot as it's convection heat which will not move that much heat into the caliper in only 10 mins. Conduction like having the heat from the brake warm the calipers will heat up the metal way faster as it's direct contact transfer. Not only that, aluminum will cool very quickly once taken away from the heat source. They can handle that no problem.

Are you sure 400 degrees won't have any effect on the outer rubber dust seals that are around the caliper pistons?

Just wondering if it would be better to remove those first because I am thinking of powder-coating my calipers as well.

Regards, 1schoir.

[986Rick]

Hi, I am going to do a full brake job once the weather warms up (rotors and pad). And I'm thinking I may as well freshen up the calipers by poweder coating them (I have a home setup for powder coating). The process ends with baking your parts in an oven at about 400 degrees for 10 minutes. I'm thinking its ok since brakes are made to deal with heat. I would obvously just powder the visible areas .Thoughts?

Late reply, but...

That depends on the material sets. If the o-rings are silicone based, you should have no problem, as silicone routinely is used in baking, and those temperatures can sometimes go north of that.

One suggestion: you may want to call one of the guys at AutoAtlanta. They do fast repaints that have factory-like results on the Brembos, and might be able to give you pointers, even if you opt not to have them do it for you.

-Rick