[Guide] Brake Caliper Refresh - a guide.

[.50]

I job I'd been wanting to do since I got the van a six months old.

The brake calipers very quickly look tired on these Transporters, so I've started on the rear while the van is inside.

I wanted to do a half decent job, so I removed the caliper, handbrake cable and actuater arm, but left the hose attached which allows it to move enough.

Removed the pads and the caliper carrier and cleaned to whole lot up with a small wire brush.

I've also removed the disc which I've cleaned and masked off ready for a coat of paint.

I put a plastic bag over the hub and cut some cardboard to stop overspray hitting the van.

I removed the caliper sliders and put two 10mm bungs in there as well as a 10mm cap over the bleed screw.

I also masked off the piston and seals.

I've given the caliper one coat and will let it dry and give it another as well as the disc and carrier.

I'm not in a rush so will add more photos as I complete each one.

 

[Tourershine]

I job I'd been wanting to do since I got the van a six months old.

The brake calipers very quickly look tired on these Transporters, so I've started on the rear while the van is inside.

I wanted to do a half decent job, so I removed the caliper, handbrake cable and actuater arm, but left the hose attached which allows it to move enough.

Removed the pads and the caliper carrier and cleaned to whole lot up with a small wire brush.

I've also removed the disc which I've cleaned and masked off ready for a coat of paint.

I put a plastic bag over the hub and cut some cardboard to stop overspray hitting the van.

I removed the caliper sliders and put two 10mm bungs in there as well as a 10mm cap over the bleed screw.

I also masked off the piston and seals.

I've given the caliper one coat and will let it dry and give it another as well as the disc and carrier.

I'm not in a rush so will add more photos as I complete each one.

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Great idea
My daughter wanted her Mini calipers doing, but I fetched my Motorhome out of storage and left her car there just before the full lockdown, now I daren't go and swap them back judging by how Motorhomes are rightly being targeted by the Law for none essential journeys.

I'd do the T6, but the bonus of having my Banded steels is you cannot see the callipers through the wheels.

 

[cgtmiles]

I’ve just purchased a Caliper paint kit and went for black too as I don’t want them to be too showy. Think I’ll go for the lazy way though and paint in situ. Looking forward to see the final result of all your efforts, did you get any decals?

 

[.50]

I’ve just purchased a Caliper paint kit and went for black too as I don’t want them to be too showy. Think I’ll go for the lazy way though and paint in situ. Looking forward to see the final result of all your efforts, did you get any decals?

No decals for me.

I don't know why the VW calipers factory zinc coating goes off so quick?.

The calipers on my 2015 Vivaro still clean up well and have retained the factory coating.

The calipers have always bugged me, as you spend loads of time cleaning the bodywork and wheels for it to let down by mankey looking calipers showing through your rims.

Couple more layers of paint this evening.

 

[VanDamMan]

Nice

 

[BognorMotors]

Looks very good. Makes such a difference...... and adds 10bhp a calliper ;-)

 

[Littleblackflash]

Specialist calliper paint is expensive and a con. It's just enamel paint is a posh tin and therefore as above, hamerite smooth enamel is just as good.

I've painted caliper on my race cars over 10years ago using hamerite and they look the same today, and they get some use (very hot).


I like the OP's work. Dismantling the calliper first make such a difference to the quality of the finished look, compare to painting on the van.

 

[.50]

I'm actually using stove paint in a spray can to do these.

Its very durable and has lasted really well on my Vivaros flash rusted discs.

Technically this type of paint should be heat cured withing 8 hours of application, but I just use my heat gun and get it pretty hot being carefull around the piston housing and seals.

I've run out of paint at present, and have ordered a new can of ebay eBay £7.50 which should hopefully come by the weekend.

I'm in no rush, as I'm not exactly using the van at the moment.

With regards to the colour I chose.

I was torn between black and silver, as, as some of you guys have mentioned previously, silver calipers is as factory as you can get.

I probably went for black as its what I had in the cupboard, but ultimately, anything looks smarter than the dull, corroded state they were in before.

 

[.50]

Looks very good. Makes such a difference...... and adds 10bhp a calliper ;-)

I'll be a bit disappointed if I only gain 10bhp as I remember back in 1986, when I painted the calipers on my mk1 XR2 I gained about 20bhp.

 

[Smr72]

@BognorMotors @.50 thats where you went wrong... should have painted them red and fitted a go faster logo and you’ll easily pickup 50bhp and 30mph top end

 

[.50]

Got the near side rear put back together this evening.

Really pleased with the results and wondering if I should have gone with silver.

Either way, its a vast improvement over how it was.

Just the other 3 to go now.

 

[Stooble]

Was just contemplating the same thing but can't decide between brush or spray.
Looks great tho, what paint have you used .50?
Cheers

 

[.50]

Was just contemplating the same thing but can't decide between brush or spray.
Looks great tho, what paint have you used .50?
Cheers

I used a black bbq/stove spray paint.

I've used it before on my Vivaro discs and its very hardy.

I use a heat gun to cure it after its dried.

 

[Stooble]

Thanks

 

[.50]

Got the other side rear done.



Just the fronts now.

 

[.50]

One more down.