How To: Paint your rusty brake rotors

[Crock]

I know many people have gotten this taken care of at the dealer but if you want to do it yourself, here is how I did it and I'm very happy with the results.

Big thanks to Savoire for sending me excellent instructions and helping me out.

The before picture
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Crock/before.jpg

Things you need...

Bricks or wooden blocks
Jack
Lug Wrench
Wheel Lock Key
Flat-Head Screw Driver
Sand Paper or Steel Wool
Hi Temp Spray Paint
Masking Tape
Ratchet with a 12mm and 14mm

-Take a look at your rust and decide to do something about it.

-Put your car in gear and let down the parking brake. Make sure you have blocks in front and back of each wheel you're not taking off.

-Using your jack, Lug wrench and wheel lock key remove the tire.

-The hand brake cable comes from the front of the car ending with a T and a clip. Remove the clip that holds the handbrake cable to the spring arm. This is easily done with a long flat-head screw driver.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Crock/clip.JPG

-Push on the spring arm (where the cable T ending is attached) towards the front of the car. This should give you enough slack to get the cable off from where the clip was holding it. Now the handbrake is completely removed.

-Now, locate the brake S line. You should see a clamp holding it to the strut. Remove the clamp by tapping on it with a long flat head screw driver and a hammer. This step will be handy later on.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Crock/strutclip.JPG

-Now locate the top caliper sliding bolt. It’s a 12 mm bolt you have on top of the caliper. Unbolt it. To un-torque the bolt I tapped a bit on the ratchet with a hammer. Now this is a long bolt but of course the thread isn’t. Just remove it and protect it from any dirt. There should be grease on it. Keep it greased.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Crock/caliper_bolt.jpg

-Now you will be able to rotate the caliper on its lower sliding bolt. This will make it clear the pads. That’s the previous step is useful is useful. Be sure to not stretch the brake oil line too much though.

-Now push the caliper inward the car, so that it slides off of its last sliding bolt and off the caliper mounting bracket.

-Attach the caliper to the frame so as to be sure it doesn’t fall. You can attach it with rope to the shock spring. I found it convenient to simply lay it between the sway bar and link bar.

-You can now remove the anti rattle spring between the two pads. After that, the pads themselves. They are pretty tight but will come off. Remember which is which because they have already adapted to your rotor. Best thing to do is to leave their protective plates on, which in turn have rust marks giving away their previous positions.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Crock/spring.jpg[/spring]

-Now to the caliper mounting bracket. First, notice the other sliding screw, greased. You also should avoid getting dirt on this one too. The caliper mounting bracket has two bolts holding it. A 14mm nut with ratchet will quickly take these off, after what you’ll have complete access to the rotor.

[img]http://www.msprotege.com/members/Crock/14mm.jpg

-The rotor should now be stuck there because of rust. Gently vibrate it to remove it. You can also use a hammer with a wood piece to tap on it, front and back. If that doesn’t work, try to put WD-40 into the two holes on the hub that are there for exactly that. And there you go, rotor in your hand.

-Sand off the rust. The more you sand, the more rust you remove. I sanded for about 15 minutes per rotor. I used 40 grit sand paper and then I cleaned off excess dust and rust with rubbing alcohol.

-Tape off the rotors with masking tape.

-Spray away. (I sprayed on 2 coats of primer and about 5 or 6 coats of high temp paint.)

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Crock/suppliessm.jpg

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Crock/taped.jpg

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Crock/after.jpg

[srtchick]

wow very nice write-up !! great job :D

[chillinmcmillan]

good job thanks for the write up, I need to do this, my rotors are rusty for sure.

[1338]

you went the long way, at it i wouold just taken off the 2 calpier bolts and then slip the rotor off.

[srtchick]

mods plz move this to the HOW TO SECTION :D

[jflo]

wow that looks GOOOOOOOOOD. one day i will do this hehe

[Natey]

I painted my rotor-hubs with a brush, it took me about 4 hours to do all 4 corners with 3 coats apiece.
No need to mask everything off, and no need to take the caliper off. :)
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20979&highlight=paint+rotors

Tip: use a sponge-brush. It won't make any wood-like grain in the paint.
Tip2: Spray the paint into a big gulp cip and let it sit for about 10-15 minuted before brushintg the paint on. This will give the paint a chance to thicken up a bit.

[t3ase]

Mooooooooooooooving.

Feels nice to be back!

[Newf]

two pieces of card board (1 for front, 1 for back)with the shaped of the caliper cut out in them, one jack, and about 3 hours. I did all 4 with 3 coats each. would have been a lot quicker if i had a better jack and could do more then one wheel at a time, and of course I had to wait for each coat to dry before moving on to another wheel. All I did was take the wheel off, and sprayed away. Didn't remove the caliper or anything, and I never got paint on anything besides the caliper, and a bit on the rotor that came right off once I hit the brakes. I cleaned them up best I could before the paint dried.

Good how to, this is the "right" way to do it though, I'm just lazy. same results.

[Demoniam]

Sorry to Necromance, but I don't want the Search Nazis on my ass...


I just bought brand new rotors, and want to paint them before the install. Should I paint just the outside of the "Hat", or both the outside and inside?

What about the sides, (or fins) can I paint those to keep the rust out?

FWIW: I think I'm going with black instead of silver...

[Savoire]

Good choice going black. I think I'm going that way too (probably painting them tomorrow).

If your rotors are new, I would suggest painting : outside of the hat, inside of the rotor, fins and exterior of the rotors.

That way you are sure to keep the rust off. If I can I'll take pics tomorrow to show you what can happen if you don't paint say the inside. I didn't bother painting the interior of the hat (although I always painted the surrounding) and once rust is on there, it'll slowly make its way over the inside of the rotor on the braking surface.

So get your masking tape out, mask the braking surface (allow like 1/4 inch of the braking surface to be painted, the pads will scratch if off and leave it perfectly round.

Do not forget also to remove the glue left by the tape with a disk brake cleaner. That way you'll be sure your brand new pads don't get filled with contaminants.

[mazda protege 2]

i just painted mine yesterday black, i taped everything off and put a few coats on, they look soo much better!

[Savoire]

Well I just finally did it. I was nervous, but the result is surprisingly good (to my taste at least). I painted my calipers RED (and the discs black). The brakes are due to be replaced though...

[iluvmacs]

How has the paint held up? I used high temp paint once, and the salt made it rust through. I powdercoated them next, same result.

What the heck do I coat these things with so that the dang salt and snow doesn't eat through?

Thanks.

[Savoire]

How has the paint held up? I used high temp paint once, and the salt made it rust through. I powdercoated them next, same result.

What the heck do I coat these things with so that the dang salt and snow doesn't eat through?

Thanks.

Well I think it's a question of refreshing your paint every year sadly. I paint them with VHT caliper paint. Generally the paint is still good after a winter, but I'll refresh it at the same time I do my annual brake lubrification and checkup.

[Keop0007]

sub

[bradf_420]

hey this may sound dum but i know nothing about brakes. but i want to paont mine if you take the rotors off. you can just paint the hole thing? or is ther parts you have to paint off? does this effect breaks.

[IAMHOLLYWOOD]

subin, this is on the to do listy along with calipers and rear drums

[IAMHOLLYWOOD]

do you paint the entire rotor?

[mnkyboy]

how does painting the face of the rotor not mess up the brake pads? Seems like it would scar them up in no time.

[blkspdfreak]

good job, i did mine right on the car, all black and it looks great.

[mnkyboy]

good job, i did mine right on the car, all black and it looks great.

pics?

[blkspdfreak]

^ no

[Muppet]

Good stuff, that looks great! thanks for taking the time for the deatailed description.

[Diehonda]

pics?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diehonda/3076497322/

This is the best picture that I have of my painted calipers/rotors/dust shield.

Painting them on it allow you to hit up other brake components.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3059/3076497322_06e92931be.jpg

The link has larger pics.

[memphis22]

nice work there!

[brian2029]

wont the paint scrap off after a wile when u brake ?

[Diehonda]

wont the paint scrap off after a wile when u brake ?


The paint will only scrape off of the area that the pads have contact. the rest will stay painted, for the most part.

Prep is important. If your don't hit the edge of the rotor up with a wire brush or sand paper the rust will cause the paint to not last long.

I hit it up with a fresh coat when I change my pads.