Coloured brake calipers behind the wheel are the most eye-catching sporty detail you can add to a car, and one of the cheapest: with one €11.95 can, you paint all four. The key is to use a paint that withstands the heat of the brakes and to prepare the part properly.
Which paint to use
Calipers get very hot when you brake: they need high-temperature paint. Ours, the high-temperature paint for calipers and exhausts, withstands up to 800 °C without fading or cracking, protects against corrosion and dries quickly. It comes in black, red, blue, silver and yellow, in gloss or matte. One can is plenty for the four calipers of a normal car.
Ordinary paint or vinyl won't do here: with the heat of the brakes they burn, change colour or peel off.
What else you need
- Brake cleaner (degreaser spray).
- A brass wire brush or fine sandpaper, if the caliper is rusty.
- Masking tape and paper.
- A jack, a wheel brace and gloves.
Step by step
- Take the wheel off, with the car safely supported and cold.
- Clean the caliper with the brush and brake cleaner until all the brake dust and grease are gone. Brush off any rust. Leave to dry.
- Mask everything else: the disc, the brake hose, the bleed screws and the piston boot, with tape and paper. No paint must get on the disc.
- Shake the can for about two minutes.
- Apply thin coats from about 25 cm. The first very light. Three thin coats are better than one thick one.
- Let it dry between coats. For the best result, wait 24 hours between the last coat and refitting.
- Remove the tape carefully and refit the wheel.
Tips for a professional finish
- If you can, remove the caliper (without opening the brake circuit) to paint it all over; if not, with the wheel off you can reach the visible face easily.
- When you finish, turn the can upside down and spray until only gas comes out: the nozzle won't clog and the can will last you 2 or 3 years.
- The same paint works on the exhaust, the manifold and any engine part that gets hot.
- Always check the brakes at the end, with two or three gentle stops before you drive off.
Combinations that work
- Red calipers with black or silver wheels: the sporty classic.
- Yellow calipers with black wheels: very racing.
- Blue calipers on a white or grey car.
Painting the wheels too? It's all explained in how to spray paint alloy wheels, and you'll find everything you need on the wheel and brake caliper paint page.
Frequently asked questions
Which paint should I use on brake calipers?
A high-temperature paint that withstands the heat of the brakes. Ours holds up to 800 °C without fading or cracking.
Do I need to remove the calipers to paint them?
It's not essential. With the wheel off, you can reach the visible face of the caliper easily; just mask everything else well, especially the disc.
How many calipers can I paint with one can?
One can is plenty for the four calipers of a normal car, in two or three thin coats.
Can I paint the exhaust with the same paint?
Yes. High-temperature paint works on brake calipers, exhaust systems, manifolds and any engine part that gets hot.
