powder coating calipers, yes? no? Options

[brer]

I read an article on the bird board about guys powdercoatig an entire assembled caliper, with the pistons in it. Now, I know they get hot but is this really a smart thing to do to the seals in there??

[DonTraver]

The calipers on my RS America are powder coated from the factory. Consider when racing how hot the brakes get, have you ever seen bright red rotors during the night running of Le Mans, Datona, or Sebring, they be real hot. This is my second reply, think it ate the first one.

Later, Don

Oh yeah, super blue brake fluid is rated at around 580 degrees F. That's still hotter than powder coating

[Aaron Cox]

ask eric....

he does it regularly.

[Joe Bob]

Powder coating flows at 350F....BUT...there are two types. One flows and set up and never flows again.....while another does.

Ya gots to use the right stuff....thermoset and thermoplast if I recall....

[Matt Meyer]

FWIW- I think it is a bad idea to bake or coat the calipers assembled.

I powder coated my calipers (disassembled). When I preheated them they smoked. Don't know if it was ressidual brake fluid, brake cleaner or bits of seals. I may have left a seal in on accident though. And it may have had signs of melting.

To properly prepare the calipers they need to be sandblasted and cleaned with a solvent. Bad for seals.

That powder is very fine. I wouldn't trust that some won't get past the dust seals and into places it shouldn't.

Eric has a great article on disassembly of your caliper in the Classic Threads. IMHO disassembly is not as hard as preping the caliper body.

[Eric_Shea]

Matt is correct... it's a TREMENDOUS pain in the ass to powdercoat calipers. Also, most people don't want to pay for the proper powder as Mike Z points out.

Pain in the ass?

* Complete Disassembly
* Bead blast
* Clean
* Prep "all" the holes.
- 43 - 33mm piston bores
- 16 fastener holes "PER CALIPER" (split 1/2's with front and back)
- Mating surfaces
- Bleeders
- Fluid inlets
- Mounting bolt holes
* Clean all holes after coating. It's best to cut the residual powder off the face areas.

The seals should be able to withstand the simple task of powdercoating. Brakes can routinely get a lot hotter than that. I would almost recommend a full rebuild. Bolt them together and then powdercoat them "IF YOU MUST". Run some of that green tape over the top of the pistons and be done with it.

The calipers Don talks about were powdercoated at the factory. There's a lot to be said about performing that process at the proper time in the build schedule. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I know it's a personal preference thing but... I'd just plate them and be done with it. If you want Red calipers... buy them. What's a couple grand amongst friends? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[brer]

I am not fond of red calipers despite the fact that I have some.
prefer plated or flat black.

[brer]

is it necessary to split the halves to plate them?
silly question i bet.

[Eric_Shea]

No it's not (it's not necessary and it's not a silly question) but... if you decide to do it, make sure you put them on the car immediately and flush the living crap outta them.

Nothing in the process affects the rubber seals, but there is acid involved and if it sits it can rust and eat up your calipers and the piston innerds (that's a Jethro term for knock back mechanism).