Painting Brake Calipers

FZ1riderNY

FZ1riderNY

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i180.photobucket.com
It took only 15 minutes to remove the calipers and get them upstairs. That was due to the fact that it was about 20 degrees out with a wind chill which made it feel like 6 degrees! BBBRRRRRRR!

Anyway, I am going to clean them up and remove the pads, clips, and fluid, getting them ready for paint. I am picking up the kit on the way back from picking up my son from school. If anyone by chance has the Clymer's manual, and has the ability to scan a page, maybe they could post an exploded shot of the front calipers before I go tearing into them. I have done automotive calipers before but I always like to have a guideline handy just in case. I guess these will be called the "Before" pics. More to come later.

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If you have a star bit that big, I would like to be the next inline (or find out where you obtained).

Watching for your end result.

try here for an exploded view of the calipers.

BroHay
 
Thanks for the link Adam. Thats a great site. Tons of exploded views there. Just what I need. I'll check in this afternoon with an update. Going to get these cleaned up before it's time to leave to get the kid from school. Thanks again. Billy.
 
Hi Jason, The bike is a black 01' and the calipers will be red. Here's a pic of the bike.
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I'm going with red to match the stripes. Plus, what else am I gonna do through Winter. This will probably be one of a few projects to pass the time until Spring arrives. Billy.
 
FZ1riderNY said:
Hi Jason, The bike is a black 01' and the calipers will be red. Here's a pic of the bike.
dcp_4345.jpg


I'm going with red to match the stripes. Plus, what else am I gonna do through Winter. This will probably be one of a few projects to pass the time until Spring arrives. Billy.
Click to expand...


Thats a clean and shiny bike. Is that what you peaople do in the witer clean it instead of riding it? :cool:
 
FZ1IL said:
Thats a clean and shiny bike. Is that what you peaople do in the witer clean it instead of riding it? :cool:
Click to expand...

Actually, I was fortunate enough to buy this buy from a guy that is more meticulous than I. He kept the bike in mint condition and the way you see it in the picture is the way I picked it up from him in October. I waxed it one time and put a little over 1,000 miles on it in two months. I could only hope to keep it as immaculate as he did, but I will try my best.
 
I just got back with the kit. I stopped by PepBoys which is very close to my house and was lucky for they only had one kit left in red. The rest were black. It has everything you need to clean, mask, and paint four calipers. I guess I'll be removing the rear as well at this point. Here is a shot of the kit. The best part was it only cost $16.99. Not bad I guess. I am gonna start cooking first for me and the son before I tackle this kit. Be back soon with some more pics!
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Well, I just finished 3 coats on the calipers. It's a high heat enamel paint, so you have no more than 1 hour to work with the coats. First coat just spreads on real thin, the second coat goes on really smooth and you can see the coverage pick up. The third coat goes on like glass. I waited about 20 minutes between coats. I am sorry about the pics but I just don't have enough light for my cheap Kodak. They are not orange at all but a deep rich red color. They look great. I will try and take better pics when I get them back on the bike.

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I am going to let them dry over night. I probably won't be able to mount them for a few days seeing that we got more precipitation on it's way tonight. Lucky me! Once I get them mounted on the bike again, I'll snap a couple of more pictures. The kit was excellent and the paint dries to a glass-like finish. I am very satisfied with how they came out. Can't wait to see them on the bike. Stay tuned. Billy.
 
Oh and Adam, you may have noticed that I painted over the plugs. Only because I had some advice from FZ1OA not to try and remove them. I lightly sanded them to give the paint something to hold on to and went right over them.
 
Billy, looking good!

I think that I'll take my spare set of calipers and see if I can get as good of results.

I've been trying to come up with a color scheme and no matter how hard I try to break my tendencies, I always come back to blue. So, after looking at the link you provided on the duplicolor paints, I'm even more on a mission to change my bike to a new color.

Only thing I have to do now is make space in the garage for the spray booth....:D

Keep up the good work and the motivation to make something happen this winter!

Adam
 
Thanks Adam, I'll snap a few more when they are on the bike. Then it's the rear to get painted. Trust me when I say that this kit is so easy to do, that a first grader would do an excellent job. Everything is in the prep. Getting the caliper grease and oil free is the key. Applying the paint was easy. One light quick coat, 15 or 20 minutes, another little heavier coat, 15 or 20 minutes, a third and final heavy coat and your done! The paint goes on so smooth that you can't mess it up. Anyway, thanks again. It's time for me to hit the hay. Back to work tomorrow. Test the kit out like you said and see for yourself. Just don't forget to send me some pics. Have a great night. Billy.
 
Okay, here's the story. Of course after 3 coats of paint and 5 days total between painting, heart attacks, hospital stays, re-painting, I now see a spot by one bleeder that must have had one drop of friggin brake fluid leak from it and ruin the paint. It's about a 5/8" area on the bleeder stem itself. I wiped it down real good and now I have to apply more paint. Man! I thought I was almost finished. Back to work. I assembled all the pads and parts together and snapped some pics. With the exception of that one spot, I really like the way they look and can't wait to feel strong enough again to get downstairs and install them.

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Stay Tuned...........
 
I'm thinking black and blue -- blue caliper body with black accents for the star bits and for the top of the brake that holds the pin to keep pads in place.

Set it off with blue rims (powder coated) followed by a paint scheme similar to the FZ that I had posted in BOM Jan '09. We shall see how far I get on the complete paint job b/c I'm going to paint it myself.

Just gathering the knowledge (more like what equipment to use) before I undertake the project.

Glad you are feeling a bit better!

BroHay
 
Well, sometime within the next week to a year :D Presently on the road but I guess I could have brought them with me.

As for the paint scheme, I'm researching the options for guns/compressors/etc to find out what I have around that I can use (as far as air compressors) to set up a HVLP system that will allow me to git-r-dun w/o sending me to the poor house.

I'm going to start small and refinish the Carbon pieces on my bike and let it snowball from there, and yes I'll try to remember to take lots and lots of pictures so that everyone can offer their two cents.

BroHay
 
Sorry it's been so long and still no pics of the calipers back on the bike. I finally got the okay from the cardiologist to be able to do some stuff other than sit and watch TV. Of course I get some good news and then here we go!! 2 to 5 inches of friggin snow for tonight and tomorrow, my only day off from work. I guess I'll have to get to it Sunday. They are saying it will be 40 degrees.
 
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