Best way to clean paint/crap callipers to paint

I'm slowly getting my new axles ready to fit on my 90, however the callipers look very tatty so i want to paint them, is a small wirebrush on a drill at low speed too aggressive? Failing that is degreaser then nitromors ok or could this damage seals etc?

Thanks guys, Harry

Dont use paint stripper unless you are completly stripping the calipers and replacing the seals cos it will eat all rubber.

I just find cleaning them up with out using any harmful chemicals and paint them by brush using hammerite, or the you could go for the propper calliper paint, think its called Folia-Tec. I'll stick to hammerite my self!

Clean with a wire brush on a drill at low RPM and then use a can of brake cleaner to clear the dust off before applying several coats of hammerite for a nice tough finish.

I just wire brush the worse off then clean with a good alloy wheel cleaner, as that gets through the brake dust, then wash them off with onother good scrub with a stiff brush.

Then I usually find Hammerite is fine for calipers as long as the corrosion and dirt is removed.

I have had sets sandblasted in the past but you will need new seals afterwards.

After I broke my finger by using compressed air to remove the pistons I dont bother with that method any more.

Brian S said:

After I broke my finger by using compressed air to remove the pistons I dont bother with that method any more.

Click to expand...

If you've done that I bet you've, like me, wondered why the goggles are pink whilst grinding :mil10:

Not done that yet... lol

I am usually carefull as I hate hospitals, but I wanted to remove the pistons to change the seals, and was so impressed that my idea to used a plug in tyre compressor in the fluid hole, that I was not expecting the piston to fire out with a bang as I held the caliper and watched the pressure go up and up.

a few days later, after the operation to my pinky, I did the second one very very carefully....

halfords used to do a high temp spray paint for brakes my brother used it on his vectra bright red! propper chav sri now.

Three or four diff colours too .