Brake calipers and other hot parts

[outcastzeroone]

This has been bugging me for a bit now. I am wanting to powder coat some spar brake calipers that I have for my car but I am not sure if I can use any color powder coating or if I can only use the high temp stuff. These are for a sports car and I am planning to auto-cross the car so they will see some above average use. I just dont want to do a good job of coating these things only to have the stuff fall off from getting too hot. Also, is there any special steps I need to take to clean them?

My regular steps are to:
1. Soak parts in mineral spirits for 1-7 days to remove any grease, oil dirt, caked on stuff, etc.

2. Let parts dry for 1 week to make sure all the mineral spirits have dried out of the part. I also spend this week removing any flashing or unwanted/not-needed bits from the parts. Some parts are for more then one car and have extra parts not needed for my car.

3. Final prep. media blast, clean with acetone, let dry and PC.

any advice would be great.

Also, I've got some parts with vacuum diaphrams in them and not sure they can go to full temp. I know they get up to an easy 200° F but not sure the exact number. I just dont want to push my luck since some of these parts are hard to find and or not cheap to replace. things like the EGR Valve, vacuum advance on my distributor. Stuff like that. any ideas?

[jtagger19]

I've done calipers for circuit and solo one racers and I've never had any problems with normal powders but I've always had problems with high temp powders peeling off .

my advise is if you are not going with normal powder ,go with ceramic coating but i can't recomend high temp powder. at least with my experiences

[chromo]

I been wondering about coating some parts also similar to these.

For instance, do brake calipers need to be torn down and rebuilt to be coated or do they handle the baking temps fine still assembled? I would hate to have to buy new calipers for an old truck and then rip them apart to coat them. What about the master cilynder

What about stuff like the vacuum booster for power brakes? Can we bake those or will we ruin the diaphrams?

[outcastzeroone]

Originally Posted by chromo

I been wondering about coating some parts also similar to these.

For instance, do brake calipers need to be torn down and rebuilt to be coated or do they handle the baking temps fine still assembled? I would hate to have to buy new calipers for an old truck and then rip them apart to coat them. What about the master cilynder

What about stuff like the vacuum booster for power brakes? Can we bake those or will we ruin the diaphrams?

I would imagine you would have to tear them down to coat. Most calipers have rubber seals that would not take the heat too well. They may work out of the oven but doubt they would last long. Not to mention im not sure at what temp brake fluid would flash and burn at. Brake fluid also works great for stripping paint too.

Some cars have brake boosters that can be totaly torn apart. I know the one on my Starion is like that. Bottom line you will have to rip into the parts. Just be sure to block off what you don't want coated.

I know that my EGR deals with some very high temps. The car being turboed, the exhaust gas that runs threw it are very high so im sure it could take the heat beter then the vacuum advance. I just want to do something about the multi-color zink plating it has from the factory. quess ill have to spray paint that

jtagger19: thanks for the info. Now I just need to figure out what color :P

[Banditperformance]

I have been told by a few that the seals are Vitton rubber, which can handle high heats, easilly handle cure temps. I have just pre-baked a new set of calipers here for my Trans Am. no deterioration of the rubber. Brakes see alot hotter temps under hard use than powder cure.

[FiReBReTHa]

Yes the rubber can handle it,

No I would not powdercoat a set of calipers still in one piece.

Calipers are the MOST important thing in a vehicle, more inportant than the engine, steering wheel... etc.


and the last thing you need is a pot sticking for some reason.


Its safer to take them apart, do a proper strip down, degrease, outgas, tape off, Then sandblast and then brake kleen and coat.