Painted Brake Parts

[marineaulu]

Spent the weekend sanding and painting the front and rear brake parts.
Something I should have done before this past winter season!

Used a paintbrush for the black color (2 coats of Duplicolor Ceramic Caliper paint), and a spray can for the racing red color (4 coats of VHT Brake Caliper/Drum Paint).

Here is the final result.
I hope this will last for a while.
What you guys have used to paint your brake parts?


And, the other good news, my Injen CAI is on its way ;)

[DrummerJim50]

Did you take the calipers off to use the spray paint or did you do it on the car? Curious because I will likely do it soon too.

[marineaulu]

I did not completely removed the calipers from the car, no need for this, just removed the Calipers from the brake disc. I hanged the caliper to the spring using a rope while I was working on the caliper/pad attachments using glossy black paint.

To remove the brake calipers, find the two allen key bolts hidden inside a rubber tube. Don't remove the rubber tube, just the end plastic cap, allowing access to the bolts. They are easy to undo.

Don't forget to remove the metal clip, which secures the caliper to the assembly. I assume the clip is a safety feature, in case a bolt fails.

Remove the caliper by shaking it up and sideways. It's a bit tight but not hard to do.

You can throw the pads away during the whole operation, they just fall appart once the calipers are removed, except for the front wheel, where the inside pad is clipped inside the brake piston. Just press on the clip to let it go. Easy as 1-2-3.

After I painted the black pieces, I spray painted the caliper. But before that, I covered the whole disc assembly with plastic bags (from grocery stores, perfect size!). I also masked the wheel well using newspaper, and masked the calier piston using tape.

I'm quite satisfied with the end result.
What you think?

[DrummerJim50]

Yours look really good....I'm debating between the G2 brush-on system and the VHT like you used

[marineaulu]

Don't know about the G2.
The Black Duplicolor paint I used was from a Caliper paint kit from Canadian Tire. The Racing Red VHT can is from Canadian Tire as well.

I used a paint brush for the black color, as I figured that it would require too much masking, and was afraid that the end result would not be as nice.

The caliper itself is easy to mask and paint with a can. But I'm sure that a brush system would be as good, may even be faster than spray paint. I spent quite some time to mask the whole wheel well, brake line, etc.

I will post a better picture within the next few days, one that will do justice to my paint job!!

[Da 6]

G2 is a more indepht aproach. it looks the best...or actualy better than just powder coating ut you need to let it dry for a day or 2. I just bought foam paintbrushes and sprayed the paint on the brush as I painted/touched up my calipers. I used a dremel to sand them down 1st(need to sand/clean for paint to adhere to caliper!)

[Gambino]

I painted mine a few weeks ago, all i did was take off the tire, tape stuff off, and shoved newspaper in the wheels wells then just used heat resistant spray paint. Worked great

[goldwing2000]

Uhhh... you guys DID mask off the caliper slides, right? Right? (boom07)

[MazdaAxela]

I like the two tones..looks good.

[marineaulu]

I hand painted the caliper sides first, nothing to mask there.
Then, I spray painted the caliper red, and masked everything around.

[goldwing2000]

I was referring to the areas of the red parts that contact the black parts. If you paint where they're supposed to be able to move around, there's a chance they could stick together and cause your brakes to wear out prematurely.

[cbcbd]

Looks good.
In the past I used the G2 caliper paint to paint mine yellow. Now I'm working on painting my calipers with two colors like you did, but with a black/yellow theme.

This is how mine used to look
http://www.mazdamp3.com/members/cbcbd/dscn0263.jpg

[AzMz3]

Here is mine.
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/6/web/738000-738999/738167_23_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/6/web/738000-738999/738167_25_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/6/web/738000-738999/738167_27_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/6/web/738000-738999/738167_29_full.jpg
I used the Duplicolor brush kit(red) amd Hi-temp spray(Black)
Removed the calipers form the disk, and removed the pads.

[Da 6]

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/1/web/373000-373999/373599_213_full.jpg

[cbcbd]

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/1/web/373000-373999/373599_213_full.jpg
Nice!!! how did you get the mazda on there?

[marineaulu]

Goldwing2000,
I'm not sure how a paint coat would prevent your brakes from working properly?
I did painted the caliper sides. The only thing I did not paint is the piston and the rubber seals (at the bolts retaining the caliper to the wheel assembly).

Guys, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that the caliper does not move while braking. It is the brake piston that does the job by squeezing the brake pads against the disk brake.

Even if you had paint on the brake piston, it would take more than a few layer of paint to make it stick and not move properly. The pressure generated by the braking system is quite powerful, I assume, to ensure your car stops alright.

AZMZ3, DA6,
Great brake paint jobs! Well detailed (drinks)

By the way, I installed my INJEN CAI last weekend. Did it myself.
Love it. I feel the increased power between 3500 and 5500 rpm. Will post pics on another thread sometimes next week. (cool)

[goldwing2000]

The caliper DOES move during braking. That's how equal force is applied to the inner and outer pads.

All I'm saying is be careful. Mazda3Zoom painted his calipers and he was denied warranty service when his pads and rotors got eaten up.

[Da 6]

my old dealer bitched about it when that was the only mod but they did the tsp that needs to be redone by my new dealership! it depends on the dealerships and their level of tolerance to mods. My current dealership literaly swarms the car by the time I get back from parts dept. these pirticular decals were a rare ebay set that has the Small flying "M" for the rear calipers.(huge pict!) Off the record an internal source says the rotors aren't the best of quality to start off...they wear unevenly. One of our members has cracks folowing the circuar groove paterns.

[DrummerJim50]

do you know if any of those decals are still available?

[AzMz3]

The caliper DOES move during braking. That's how equal force is applied to the inner and outer pads.

All I'm saying is be careful. Mazda3Zoom painted his calipers and he was denied warranty service when his pads and rotors got eaten up.


Actually the caliper doesn't move that much at all. Especially if they have not been removed for the rotor. You will be find as long as the pads are not painted to the cailper. It might be a pain to get off if they are. This is why I removed the pads and the clip when painting mine.

[marineaulu]

Same here.
I did removed the brake pads and the caliper to paint to ensure a nice and detailed paint job. Therefore, as a bonus, I guess the paint won't interfere with brake moving parts, as all parts got painted individually.

[marineaulu]

Updated Pictures (canada)

[Mikey444]

Off the record an internal source says the rotors aren't the best of quality to start off...they wear unevenly. One of our members has cracks folowing the circuar groove paterns.

I'll second the part of uneven wear, My front rotors had to be machined after only 11000 kilometers. And for the rear rotors, you just have to put your finger accross top to bottom and side to side and you get the picture. The rotors in the back are so skiny that it looks as if you couldnt even machine them when you do a brake job, you'd have to replace the whole thing.

[Da 6]

just don't get the drilled rotors to replace them and you should be good to go (smoke) If you must get drilled get the dimpled ones so you can have driled look and have rotors that won't crack as easy. tribute was the other vehicle that has the same problems with the rotors. If mazda could get brembo oem...(bowdown)

[AzMz3]

just don't get the drilled rotors to replace them and you should be good to go (smoke) If you must get drilled get the dimpled ones so you can have driled look and have rotors that won't crack as easy. tribute was the other vehicle that has the same problems with the rotors. If mazda could get brembo oem...(bowdown)


If you have no experience in this, it would be best to not spread myths.
There is nothing wrong with drill and slotted rotors, especially on a daily driver. Not only have I had some on other cars, they look nice and stop just as good if not better than stock. I seriously doubt anyone can crack a rotor on the street, especially in a daily driver. I would even bet it would be hard to do on a track.
And I don't have any problems with my rotors.

[Da 6]

http://www.mazda6tech.com/articles/suspension/the-truth-about-brakes.html

[AzMz3]

http://www.mazda6tech.com/articles/suspension/the-truth-about-brakes.html


:confused:
As stated unless you have experienced this your self I would hardly find that link useful. Read then re-read my post.

[Da 6]

Let me reprase what I said since it's being taken the wrong way. Yes, it's possible for drilled rotors to survive street use. When the surface of the brake rotor is drilled ,the "chance" is far greater then of a blank rotor. I don't think my 6 will see a track or another autoX anytime soon but the way I drive I "personaly" wouldn't wanna chance the rotors. I did see a nice set of star drilled and slotted rotors.

[DrummerJim50]

This drilled vs blank debate has been going on for a long time and I don't think there's a solution...you'll probably have to agree to disagree. When I was looking for brakes I looked everywhere to find the truth on this issue and only found people's opinions....even that article is someone's opinion with not much experimental evidence to back it up, and I could come up with arguments to disprove some of his theories (although I'm not going to).

[Da 6]

Right now staying stock isn't that great either, Mazda 6 rotors touch the brake pads on turns so I have to go back again for a fix. Also to throw it out there since we are on it the cryo treated rotors also lasted as long as the other blanks. I'll look that "Test" up in a few.

[goldwing2000]

Actually the caliper doesn't move that much at all. Especially if they have not been removed for the rotor. You will be find as long as the pads are not painted to the cailper. It might be a pain to get off if they are. This is why I removed the pads and the clip when painting mine.

I didn't say it moves a lot. I said it moves. It HAS to move for the braking system to operate properly, the same as any other disk brake system that uses pistons on only one side.

As far as painting goes, if you put paint on two metal parts that are supposed to slide together, then they will not slide and whatever system they are connected to will not work properly. That's ANY two metal parts, not necessarily the metal parts on the brake system of a Mazda3.

As long as these two facts are taken into consideration, then there will be no problems.

That is all.