Cleaning dirty calipers....

[et0609]

Hello, does anyone know of a product/method to clean the standard brake calipers? Im talking about the unpainted aluminium (i think) ones with the logo on them. Mine are not too bad but are stained and I want to try to get them back to as close to as new condition, but Im struggling a bit. So far I have tried Iron X, brake cleaner, wire brushes and this stuff called Devils Juice which is quite acidic and was the most effective but they are still stained and not as clean as I would like.

I was considering painting them in the future but for now I was trying the get them as clean as possible. The staining can only be baked on brake dust.

Any suggestions or ideas would be welcome. Thanks.

 

[LeeJV]

Hello, does anyone know of a product/method to clean the standard brake calipers? Im talking about the unpainted aluminium (i think) ones with the logo on them. Mine are not too bad but are stained and I want to try to get them back to as close to as new condition, but Im struggling a bit. So far I have tried Iron X, brake cleaner, wire brushes and this stuff called Devils Juice which is quite acidic and was the most effective but they are still stained and not as clean as I would like.

I was considering painting them in the future but for now I was trying the get them as clean as possible. The staining can only be baked on brake dust.

Any suggestions or ideas would be welcome. Thanks.

Unfortunately buddy, the stains are in the castings, so cant be fully removed.

 

[V6GBJ]

Hello, does anyone know of a product/method to clean the standard brake calipers? Im talking about the unpainted aluminium (i think) ones with the logo on them. Mine are not too bad but are stained and I want to try to get them back to as close to as new condition, but Im struggling a bit. So far I have tried Iron X, brake cleaner, wire brushes and this stuff called Devils Juice which is quite acidic and was the most effective but they are still stained and not as clean as I would like.

I was considering painting them in the future but for now I was trying the get them as clean as possible. The staining can only be baked on brake dust.

Any suggestions or ideas would be welcome. Thanks.

I would paint them silver with Hammerite silver non-hammer finish. I did my SL 350 a couple of years ago and they looked very good.

 

[Gazwould]

Silver depends on how nice the calipers are !

 

[V6GBJ]

Silver depends on how nice the calipers are !

View attachment 110075


View attachment 110076

Yep, if they are as ugly as the first one above, maybe best left alone and disguised by the surrounding ugly bits

 

[Martin 1]

The trouble is that aluminium is porous, the best solution is to have them re-furbed and painted by someone like BigRed, superb job and not that expensive. If your wheels let you see the calipers it must jump out at you, you have my sympathy.

 

[Gazwould]

Yep, if they are as ugly as the first one above, maybe best left alone and disguised by the surrounding ugly bits

When not so nice black is your friend .

Hides both the shame and brake dust , lol .




I've been using smooth black Hammerite for years .




Wot no rust !

 

[MEMERC7]

Good to see that in the case of the black paint the hubs are not overlooked as they are just as visible as the callipers & painting one without the other is pointless. In my view they should always be silver though. Agree that Hammerite or even Humbrol modelling paint/enamel is perfectly suitable for everyday use & therefore it's not necessary to buy fancy expensive heat resistant paint unless either doing some serious track work or have delusions of being a racer. With patience & care callipers do not have to be removed, just avoid painting the disc pad backs or the various steel clips. Artist brushes help for the confined areas.

 

[grimupnorth]

If you want a professional job or ideas
www.brakecaliperrefurbs.co.uk

 

[Gazwould]

Good to see that in the case of the black paint the hubs are not overlooked as they are just as visible as the callipers & painting one without the other is pointless. In my view they should always be silver though.

When painting silver all over that area you get a 'white out' that detracts from the glory of the alloy wheels .





There's nothing attractive about brake disc guards , rough cast calipers or brake disc hubs and will quickly look dirty from brake dust .


Silver or a light colour is just gash





Non white outs !















Brake disc manufacturers have finally caught on , Amen .

 

[MEMERC7]

Silver or a light colour is just gash

After all the years painting hubs silver I'm perfectly prepared to review my thoughts as a result of the replies. In all fairness after a while silver does loose its crispness & sometimes stains. Am due to repaint callipers & hubs so may well experiment with black, gloss as per my black/silver wheels or matt?

 

[Gazwould]

 

[benGTR]

I used AF iron out and imperial with a brush

 

[LeeJV]

I guess its up to you, if your going black, then I would probably go satin.