painting rusty break drums and calipers

So my drums and calipers are brown and rusty looking, it really offsets my nice rims...

I want to paint them however I have seen many crap jobs done and they flake off so I am wondering...

Can anyone point me in the direction of a preperation method, a primer, and a paint that wont chip, peel, or fade...


thank you very much guys!

-Trueeclipse

also wondering....

I would pull em off, tape off any openings and ruber and then sandblast them. That'll take care of the rust and clean it up perfectly. Then get a high temp caliper paint, paint em up with it and allow it to dry for whatever length of time needed. Put back together and voila! :)

I painted my calipers and drums with high temp caliper paint. I suggest only spray the calipers if your going to take them off, if not then I suggest painting them with a brush, thats what I did and they still look great. I let the car sit for a day so the paint would really set on them good, and I guess it worked cause I went through the whole winter with them and they still look good.

Also before you paint them, you shoud grab a can of brake cleaner to clean them up.

Ok so here goes

take rims off.

sandblast or wire brush rust off

use break cleaner

and then any high temp caliper paint kit will work...?!


so i dont need any primer to make the paint stick!?


also can anyone point me in the direction of a specific brand they used!

when i did mine, I used a wire wheel on a drill to clean them, and then painted them with Duri-color (s/p) caliper paint (get the ceramic one!!) mine came out AWESOME!!!

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/337046My_Calipers_001.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/337046My_Calipers_002.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/337046My_Calipers_003.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/337046Big_Brakes_001.jpg

No primer needed. Just make sure they're clean. I used brake cleaner and just whipped them off good.

I would suggest high temp paint. (I used some Thermotec 2000 degree paint left over from my header on my brake calipers). But on my buddy's Camaro we used some dollar general Miracal brand spray paint and it has held up great. That is some hard core as paint btw to only cost a dollar, I have used it on lots of stuff. Gonna have to invest in Miracal.

alright awesome guys thanks so much!

im headed to do it soon!

A very high-temp paint (like 2000 degree) is not necessary because the brakes don't get that hot. The only thing that comes close to getting extremely hot is the rotor, and we don't want to be painting that now do we? Haha. There are actually some companies out there that make special "caliper" paint, so you can get that if you want, or just go with some regular "high-temp engine enamel", I think Dupli-color makes a shitload of colors in that paint. As for the rest of it, these guys nailed it on the head. Just clean 'em up (get the rust and corrosion off) and then soak them down with brake cleaner and I like to use compressed air and a blowgun to get all of the dust and shiat out of the little crevaces. Then paint them and you'll be good to go. I did a set about 4-5 years ago and they still look great, but I'll be re-doing them soon for a change of color.