Os Inspector

Hey guys looking to redo my caliper paint as it has faded and has a couple Chips into it.

Looking at what paints people are using or who they used to change the color of the Calipers and how it has held up.

Im looking at a non traditional color of either Green like the 918 or Blue like seen on newer lambo's.

So tell me your experience with your caliper repaints

powdrhound

There is no paint or powder coat that will stand up to the heat from track abuse over time. The only way to preserve the caliper paint to any degree is to have very good brake cooling. With that said, I'm running large front 996Cup ducting along with 997GT3 upper air ducts that divert radiator air over the front brakes. In the rear, I'm using a 997GT3 belly pan which has NACA ducts and diagonal arm air guides that channel air to the rear calipers. I addition, I'm using rear LCA 997GT3RS brake ducts that channel air directly to the rotors. I'm running the 997GT3RS 380/350 brake system and my rotor temps measure around 400F after a cool down lap at the track. Caliper temps are right at 300F. After about 75 track hours, my caliper still look great even though they are not quite the vibrant yellow they were when new, they are a little darker. Without proper cooling, I've seem caliper temps around 500-600F. At those temps, your caliper paint will quickly darken to nice dark brown....

I've had several sets of calipers completely blasted down to bare metal and professionally repainted before with two part epoxy paints. It has held up great on street cars like my Cayenne but did not stand up to track use very well on my track car. The factory caliper paint the Brembo use seems to be the most durable.

"02996ttx50

i have custom ducting in the front fascia with home coolant hoses leading directly to the calipers and still the lettering cannot be read OR red lol. its a faded pinkish reddish. it;'s awful.

only reason i haven't had the re-done is i dont want to have the car sit just for caliper repaint! but i've decided to do it now i need rear rotors, and i'm gonna go anthracite gray with white lettering to match my oz's. tasty cant wait.

Os Inspector

To be honest i wont be punishing my brakes at the track, but im looking for the best option to offset the chance of them discoloring.

mostly will be doing spirited driving and high speed runs, but doubtful ill be doing long track sessions with these brakes.

Powdr you had wheel dynamics do yours right?

powdrhound

Yes, they did a set of 6pots for me about 4 years ago and a set of Cayenne calipers recently. The only caveat is the fact that when you get the calipers back you will need to completely disassemble them down to the piston seals. No matter how many times you tell them, they don't have the cranial capacity to plug up the the bleed screws when they bead blast the calipers and you end up with the abrasive fine blasting media crud inside the calipers. You need to completely break them down and flush everything out, re-lube all the seals and reassemble everything. Takes a couple of hours, not a big deal, but it's irritating. $600 for the set, about 2 week turnaround.

"02996ttx50

thats the problem. two weeks to wait for calipers to be painted.

rmc1148

Not too bad for people with bad winters like myself but for the everyday drivers that is a long wait. I have seen exchange programs on Audis but I personally would want mine back. Just drive your other cars and do some other maintenance during down time.

Ridin Dirty

I recommend epoxy/ not spray paint


On Amazon:

High Temperature High Gloss Self Leveling Brush On Red G2 Brake Caliper Paint System Kit



1. Did my first with engine enamel (because it was cheap)
Did not last one track day

2. Did my second with spray caliper paint....lasted one season

3. Then I did the epoxy (as above). That was three years ago still going strong....no sign of failure anywhere
It's much more of a bitch to apply tho (much, you brush it on and it self levels if your are patient and diligent)

Ridin Dirty

.....oh sorry I didn't see you wanted a custom color.....they will mix for you but costs more like $100. Still cheap and this stuff (epoxy) is bullet proof in my experience...it doesn't (actually it can't) flake off like paint.

And an actual almost equal dilemma is the lettering. Do you want "PORSCHE" lettering? That's not to be treated as an afterthought IMHO.

Turbodan

you can just use a metal brush attachment to a drill and scratch the paint and repaint all while on the car using caliper paint, takes a couple hours for all 4 including clear coat and stickers. will last for street use, but not so long for track.

"02996ttx50

youre saying these can be reasonably repainted while on the car, stickers affixed and they'll last for street use? what kind of paint and what type of tool to remove the existing faded paint?? a brush extension on a power drill? like a dremel?

Ridin Dirty

Paint on car?....yes you can.

Street use? That's easy. I'd still use epoxy b/c it looks factory when done right actually indistinguishable from factory. Paint will fail eventually...epoxy will not.

Stickers for street no brainer...they work and you can't stencil better than a cut sticker.

Stencil or nothing for track... stickers will not last more than one hour on the track...ask me how i know....i was called "posh" at the end of the day b/c that is what letters were left on the one caliper.

"02996ttx50

interesting, thx. i thought ALL caliper repaints used the stickers!?

well, i'm about to ( soon i hope.. ) find out. i just need decals.

SOS

Sorry to bring back an old thread, but you guys talking about caliper painting got me into a search of my own for something that could hold up to high heat.

Is this 997 GT3 upper air duct something that I can install on my stock front end 996TT?