Break Caliper Paint

[SilverSpec-V]

Thanx again GB for the 411 on your car and the pep talk. Since you mentioned painting your break calipers RED can you also teach me?

[GB Phoenix77]

Well, SilverSpec-V, I surely wouldn't call myself an expert or anything. At this point, I am definitely still a novice, and I consider my knowledge of the Sentra and possible mods pretty limited.

But, I am more than happy to share the knowledge that I have gained.

Here's what I did to paint the calipers. Sorry if this post gets a little lengthy. I am sure it will, as I have a tendancy to over-explain myself. Sorry.


You can do it two ways. 1.) The high quality, best way ($50.00), or 2) The less expensive, ok way ($5.00 - $10.00). I chose #2... hope nobody holds that against me.

#1.) Their are a couple different companies that make brake caliper paint kits. g2usa.com is one that I know of. They make a fairly complete kit that some of their vendors sell of between $42 and $50 bucks. They offer like 5 different colors (Black, Yellow, Blue, Red, Purple and Silver). The kit comes with high temp paint of course, but also, a cleaning agent, an enamel first coat, and a clear coat sealer, as well as cups, brushes, etc... It is very high quality stuff. Even comes with a sticker for your car (Adds at least 10hp at the wheels I'm sure!).

I am sure it comes with instructions as well... they must go something like this.... 1.) lift front of car, 2.) place on jack stands 3.) remove front wheels, 4.) remove brake calipers, 5.) clean brake calipers, 6.) Apply coat of enamel, 7.) Let dry (2-3 hours), 8.) Apply high-temp temp paint, 9.) let dry (2-3 hours), 10.) Apply high gloss clear coat sealer, 11.) let dry (2-3 hours), 12.) make sure calipers are dry, 13.) replace on vehicle, 14.) do same with rear calipers. I may be way off base on this, it might not be so time consuming... but this is my guess as too how it should work.

Like I said, I didn't do this method, but my guess is it is probably an outstanding product that looks great when you are done. But, costs $50 or more after shipping, and takes at least a full day.



# 2.) Go to your local car parts store and buy a can of high temp glossy engine paint. I got mine at a local Farm and Fleet store for $3.99. Heck.. WalMart probably has it too. The only kind they had was an aeresol can. That was ok for me. I would have gone with a brush-on if they had it. Also, you will need something to clean of any dirt and dust, and of course, a brush. A tip... get a metal brush, or something of quality. I got one of those cheapo horse-hair things. That was a mistake, I kept having to pull little pieces of brush hairs off the caliper. It was sort of a pain. But I don't think it had too much affect on the final result.

Here's the process I used. Took about 2 hours. Afterwards, I let the car sit overnight just to make sure it was dry.

I have a set of jack stands. (a good investment at around $25 if you don't already have them.) You could do this with just the jack, but you would have to do one wheel at a time with your trunk jack, but that would be much more time consuming.

1.) I used the jack and stand to lift up the left side of the car. You could pick up either the front, then back, or the right, then left, depending on how you approach it. 2.) Then I took of the wheels. 3.) I didn't remove the calipers. I left them on. IMO all that matter is what is visible from the outside of the caliper with the wheel on, and I could accomplish this task without removing the caliper. Saves time as well. 4.) I chose to brush the paint on rather than spray, even though I had an aeresol can. I though I could do a decent job with a brush, and I didn't want to take the time to tape everything, and still run the risk of getting paint on the disc, etc... 5.) I cleaned the calipers with a wire brush and a wash cloth. 6.) By the time you are done cleaning the second caliper, the first one should be dry. 7.) I found a cup, and sprayed the aeresol paint into the cup. Then I used the brush to dip into the cup, and then paint. 8.) a note on the brush... get a narrow brush, as it allows for more accuracy. 9.) I chose to paint only the raised areas of the caliper. There are some lower sections, but I wasn't sure if they were part of the caliper itself, or the actual brake pad. 10.) Put on a good thick coat. 11.) move to the second caliper and do same. 12.) come back to the first. It should be relatively dry by the time you get back to it. Also, if you have a fan you can bring outside, that helps dry one caliper while you work on the second. The paint doesn't need to completely dry before another coat is applied. like 10 minutes or so with some air circulation should dry it enough to put another coat over the top. 13.) Apply multiple layers of paint. I did at least 5 coats on each caliper. Their should be plenty of paint. I still have plenty left over. 14.) Apply as many coats as you feel it takes to get a nice thick shine to it. 15.) When you are done with one side, very carefully, put the wheels back on. You can do it without touching the calipers. 16.) Do same on other side.

I guess the whole project took more like 3 hours, but it wasn't too bad. As far as quality goes, this is definitely the cheap way of doing it. I probably should have used a coat of enamel primer on them before the final paint, but I didn't. I haven't seen the finished product of a high quality G2 kit or similar, so I don't know what they look like in comparison to mine. But, i am very happy with mine, and I think someone would have to bend down close to see any signs of difference between the two.

The red calipers really stand out and accent the rims and the rest of the car. My car is black, and i think red is the best for it especially given the red interior and red R on the SE-R badges. I think red would look good with the silver also, but you could definitly do another color if you want.

Disclaimer... I value quality, so I will officially recommend that if you have the money and the time, you should do the higher quality version.

But, mine turned out very nicely in my opinion, and I am happy with the result of the cheaper, easier version.

So, the choice is yours.

Sorry I don't have a digital camera... otherwise, I would post some pics. I know they would be very helpful. Sorry. I will see if I can come up with something.

Good luck!

[SilverSpec-V]

Thanx GB. I think I just might go the same rout as you since I'm looking to spend a hefty chunck of change on CAI, Exhaust, and some other crap. Thanx again.