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Author: Subject: Trouble with Halfords brake caliper paint
blueshift

posted on 29/11/03 at 06:53 PM Reply With Quote
Trouble with Halfords brake caliper paint

This is either a warning, or me asking to be told I'm an idiot..

I got a £10 can of halfords brake caliper paint, de-rusted the calipers, brushed and dried with paraffin then meths to de-grease.
applied two coats as per instructions.

On the can it says leave to dry for 24h but after 3 days the paint still doesn't seem hard. the first 24h were in the cold garage, then I've had them inside. I started trying to reassemble the brakes today and have caused a few chipped/sheared off spots in the paint where hard things have come in contact with them - not hard, just a glancing tap from a spanner, say.

The last straw was when I clamped one in a vice between bits of cardboard to fit the handbrake return spring. When I took it off one side the paint had gone noticeably matt (as if the cardboard texture had been pressed into it) and on the other the paint had kind of sheared, as if it was rubbery, leaving some patches of bare metal.

I'm going to leave them alone for a week now and see if the paint hardens properly.

anyway folks, either be warned about this paint and its slow drying / crappiness, or tell me that I'm an idiot for using meths to degrease and should have used petrol / celly thinners / something else.

bah.

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Northy

posted on 29/11/03 at 07:04 PM Reply With Quote
Nope, 'tis the paint fella, it's shite!

It doesn't stand upto brake fluid very well either.

It does dry eventually though.





Graham


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blueshift

posted on 29/11/03 at 07:43 PM Reply With Quote
bollocks.

what should I have used instead? still got the front calipers to do, might be possible to save them from the same fate (although they'll be a different colour.. hrm)

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Hellfire

posted on 29/11/03 at 07:55 PM Reply With Quote
We used Foliatec 2 pack paint. Don't know about it's performance yet as we're not to the driving stage. However, it is chip resistant and gives a good finish and basically does what it says on the tin - (for now!) It is expensive at £20 and there is JUST enough for 4 calipers...






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Hellfire

posted on 29/11/03 at 09:58 PM Reply With Quote
Not only paint either...

just on my browse - looking for bits and bobs of idea's (like you do) I priced up some trailor wire from them 5m for £8. Shop less that 100 yds away sells it for 70p/metre. That is seriously taking the p**s!






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Avoneer

posted on 29/11/03 at 11:17 PM Reply With Quote
Best thing I've found for calipers is PlastiKote ceramic paint form B&Q (little jars like baby food) - about £3.00 a go (enough for two coats on both calipers). Comes in loads of colours including chrome. Dries quick, only needs two coats and get harder the hotter it gets. Easy to brush on as well.
Pat...

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Spyderman

posted on 30/11/03 at 01:00 AM Reply With Quote
You could always try stoving the calipers!

After about 24hrs you could put them in the oven on a low heat for about an hour.
Make sure the wife isn't around though!
If that doesn't help then I'd say the paint wasn't adhering to the metal. It may need a primer or better surface scuffing first.

Terry





Spyderman

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ChrisW

posted on 30/11/03 at 08:52 AM Reply With Quote
That is good stuff, especially the chrome. Takes ages to dry but as suggested earlier I expect half an hour in the oven would sort it.

Chris

quote:
Originally posted by Avoneer
Best thing I've found for calipers is PlastiKote ceramic paint form B&Q (little jars like baby food) .......






My gaff my rules

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Ben_Copeland

posted on 30/11/03 at 09:12 AM Reply With Quote
I used to hammerite mine... worked a treat, but used to paint them while still on the car. Used to last ages, cheaper and better than crappy Foliatec caliper paint





Ben

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PeetBee

posted on 30/11/03 at 11:08 AM Reply With Quote
I think the problem is that the halfords stuff is only designed to work on citroen saxos or vauxhall novas!
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RichyMkIndy

posted on 30/11/03 at 12:51 PM Reply With Quote
i painted mine in silver halfords paint ? will this get hot and mess up ?
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Deckman001

posted on 30/11/03 at 01:57 PM Reply With Quote
I used the Halfords Caliper paint, needed to apply about four coats to get a half decent coverage, but will have to paint again to cover up all the thin spots. It took about 3 hours to paint em both, and now need to wait t'ill after christmas to give another coat, ho hum, a word of warning tho, the red is Bloomin BRIGHT Oops

Jason

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ChrisW

posted on 30/11/03 at 02:57 PM Reply With Quote
I've done my Locost calipers in Hammerite too. I guess time will tell if the heat will kill cause a problem. Used to do my Fiesta rear drums with 'normal' black spray can. Used to last about a year then it needed another coat but that was 'straight on' - ie no primer or anything!

Chris





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Ben_Copeland

posted on 30/11/03 at 04:07 PM Reply With Quote
I used the hammerite on my cavalier front calipers, and they get very hot when i'm playing, to the point where the brake pads start to burn/stink the hammerite is never affected by the heat.





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stephen_gusterson

posted on 30/11/03 at 07:45 PM Reply With Quote
is that the 'ordinary' spray plasticoat paint chrome? or is there a ceramic pot type as well? I was thinking of trying that for a windscreen surround paint. the 200 quid quote for real chrome was a bit steep


atb

steve






quote:
Originally posted by ChrisW
That is good stuff, especially the chrome. Takes ages to dry but as suggested earlier I expect half an hour in the oven would sort it.

Chris

quote:
Originally posted by Avoneer
Best thing I've found for calipers is PlastiKote ceramic paint form B&Q (little jars like baby food) .......



[Edited on 30/11/03 by stephen_gusterson]






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stephen_gusterson

posted on 30/11/03 at 07:47 PM Reply With Quote
according to the hammerite site, they say if its too hot to touch, its too hot for their paint.


atb

steve




quote:
Originally posted by Ben_Copeland
I used the hammerite on my cavalier front calipers, and they get very hot when i'm playing, to the point where the brake pads start to burn/stink the hammerite is never affected by the heat.







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Ben_Copeland

posted on 30/11/03 at 08:56 PM Reply With Quote
Probably talking about applying to hot surfaces.... and not it staying on hot surfaces. Once it's done all it's drying it stays there !!!!

I've had them to the point that the jet wash water was steaming off... 5 mins after stopping !





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Hellfire

posted on 30/11/03 at 09:21 PM Reply With Quote
quote:

I used to hammerite mine... worked a treat, but used to paint them while still on the car. Used to last ages, cheaper and better than crappy Foliatec caliper paint



IYHO






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Ben_Copeland

posted on 30/11/03 at 09:31 PM Reply With Quote
Well foliatec £20 for JUST enough..... Hammerite.. enough for all the cars in the street, £cheaper (cant remember price now). Lasts just as long, easier to paint on, and you can really put it on thick. NEVER chipped any of mine off.. and been using it for years.

and at the end of the day... when your caliper is covered in brake dust, you cant see what colour it is





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andyps

posted on 30/11/03 at 09:59 PM Reply With Quote
I used red hammerite (the hammer finish sort) for a stand for a barbecue. Even with the barbecue resting on the painted stand the paint has survived - it is just that it has gone a different (gold) colour. Interesting graduated effect as at the bottom the legs are still red.

I did put red smoothrite on brake calipers once and it seemed to survive OK.





Andy

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Julian B

posted on 1/12/03 at 09:17 PM Reply With Quote
I have used the Halfords caliper paint, i aqree that it needs about four coats to get a good finish. I left mine on top of my oil fired central heating boiler for a couple of weeks just to harden off but i guess time will tell how good it is!
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Northy

posted on 1/12/03 at 09:24 PM Reply With Quote
It does actually seem ok when its actually dry!





Graham


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nige

posted on 16/12/03 at 09:04 AM Reply With Quote
caliper paint

i just use ordinary house gloss
tried on the wife corsa first and it
stayed on.............
plus its locost or if youve got some in
stock its nocost





when you start this journey
you think it will be done in " no " time but then " no " turns into a " bloody " long time

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blueshift

posted on 16/12/03 at 04:55 PM Reply With Quote
Just to update my rantings on the subject of the halfords paint, in my experience it's utter crap. chips of it are flaking off at the slightest provocation, I had to keep cleaning flakes of paint out of the bore when I was reassembling the piston, just touching the paint with metal tools seems to result in flaking.

This is with two coats after de-rusting with The Tool and cleaning with meths.

It is possible that the de-rusting was not up to scratch, or that meths isn't the best degreaser for painting, or that I should have done them somewhere warmer than the near-freezing garage. I would use the electrolysis de-rusting technique if I was doing them again.

But still.. heartilly not reccomended stuff.

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James

posted on 16/12/03 at 05:43 PM Reply With Quote
I've used Halfords engine paint. Stored at room temperature.
Been on a couple of weeks and I've put them on/taken off a couple of times- seems to be ok so far- fingers crossed!

The bright gold new callipers only need a single coat- the dark brown old pad carriers need a 2nd!

James

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