I am planning on painting my brake calipers.Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on what should and should not be done during this application?(don't say "YEAH, DON'T PAINT THEM). Thanks

Painted brake calipers look good. Especially red ones showing through 18" wheels. Anyway, to your question. Make sure you use brake caliper specific paint because it is ultra-hard and VERY high temp stuff. Other that that, it's quite simple!

I've used Rustoleum (1/2-pint can; brush-on) in RED on my 1984 190E AMG and YELLOW on my current 1986 2.3-16V. This stuff is very durable, just make sure you have clean surfaces to paint. I had the opportunity to actually "see" my calipers as the wheels (16" AMG monoblocks) were turning. It was while driving down the freeway next to a shiny black suburban -- looked awesome (the calipers, that is) .

Good luck!

Brian
*1986 2.3-16V
*Pearl Black AMG rims, yellow calipers
*Pearl Black grille and frame
*Euro headlights, clear blinkers
*Smoked taillights
*Zebrano wood kit
*White-faced gauges
*H&R springs/Bilstein shocks (yet to be installed)



[This message has been edited by Brian16V (edited 08-15-2000).]

Just prep them VERY well...I took a dremel tool to my iron calipers and removed any hint of surface corrosion. Then I simply painted them with satin black hi-temp motor paint. I think they look very functional, and I picked black as that's the color they came originally. And I try to keep as incognito an image as possible (or at least as much as you can in an Almandine Red 500E!)

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Best regards, Michael
'92 500E
'88 300TE

[This message has been edited by Michael (edited 08-29-2000).]

Go to the Porsche aftermarket site and you will find a caliper kit. Included is red high heat paint you brush on, and stencil for the white "Porsche" lettering, not that you need it on a Mercedes (maybe for the 500E) Cost is $15 for kit which will handle 4 calipers. In the kit, it says you have to let dry for 12 hours.

Set aside 1 to 2 days, really. Do all 4 at once. Put the car on jack stands, remove the pads, mask areas you do not want paint, scrub off rust, clean them very well. The best kits come with hardener and you must paint all at once. The paint will be no good the next day after it gets hard (even with the lid on.

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<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>1998 MERCEDES-BENZ E430
<LI>OBSIDIAN BLACK METALLIC/BLACK LEATHER
<LI>XENON H.I.D. LOW BEAMS
<LI>DEBADGED (E430 REAR)
<LI>AMG CHROMED TIP DUAL EXHAUST
<LI>CARLSSON 1/6 Wheels/DUNLOP SP SPORT 5000 from TireRack
<LI>SLK "WREATH" WHEEL CENTER CAPS
<LI>ATP FLASH Wheels/YOKAHAMA AVS dB from TireRack
<LI>ALPINE CHM-S611 CD CHANGER

</UL>

Forgive me for this...

Is not one of the functions of caliper design to dissipate heat, and if so, why would you want to add a layer of potential heat retention??

I'm curious for the answers.

Gregory
'83 300D-T
'86 911 turbo
'73 Volvo 164E [250K]

Porsche's come with painted calipers and AMG added red and black painted calipers to the ML55. Painting calipers is for looks not performance. It just looks better than rusted dull metal.

The original calipers were anodized aluminum, so I'm inclined to think that corrosion protection was more of a concern than heat dissipation?

I'm curious too...engineers?

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Best regards, Michael
'92 500E
'88 300TE