Brake Caliper Paint Code?
Discussion
Thanks Johnny, yes I'll be popping out the pistons for a check over, I am 90% expecting to need to replace them they are a similar age to yours.
I've just fully refurbished my AMG brakes all-round as a dry run, 4 pots at the front and 2 pot at the back, and changed all the pistons and seals too. I used a well known proprietary kit to paint them which worked really well and worked fine, but I want a really pro finish on the Aston ones that will be fade-free, so they are going off to the paint shop!!
I'll be trying the following top tip to see if it works - before you take off the callipers, take out the pads and replace with a thinner sheet about 4mm, pump out the pistons with the brake pedal making sure you don't run out of fluid or pop out a piston too far. You can see which ones may be stiff and it makes the whole piston removal job a lot easier when you do remove the calipers from the car. I will report on progress, but will possibly add to your thread as it's more appropriate for those searching...
I've just fully refurbished my AMG brakes all-round as a dry run, 4 pots at the front and 2 pot at the back, and changed all the pistons and seals too. I used a well known proprietary kit to paint them which worked really well and worked fine, but I want a really pro finish on the Aston ones that will be fade-free, so they are going off to the paint shop!!
I'll be trying the following top tip to see if it works - before you take off the callipers, take out the pads and replace with a thinner sheet about 4mm, pump out the pistons with the brake pedal making sure you don't run out of fluid or pop out a piston too far. You can see which ones may be stiff and it makes the whole piston removal job a lot easier when you do remove the calipers from the car. I will report on progress, but will possibly add to your thread as it's more appropriate for those searching...
Take the caliper to a paint shop that has a paint analyser. Most decent body shops will have one. It’ll give you the exact paint mix and you can then get the paint made up.
Are you getting them blasted/stripped first ? Would no worth using a mild process to strip them so the grooves that the seals sit in don’t get damaged.
The caliper refurb places charge a fortune, but if you can get the majority of the donkey work done yourself it’s a pretty cheap process.
Are you getting them blasted/stripped first ? Would no worth using a mild process to strip them so the grooves that the seals sit in don’t get damaged.
The caliper refurb places charge a fortune, but if you can get the majority of the donkey work done yourself it’s a pretty cheap process.
Well the front ones are discoloured so I can't use them, and I was hoping to leave the rears alone and on the car for the mo although it isn't a massive job to get one or both off.
What I could do I take off a rear one and send it off for the paint shop to match it, which if I can't find the code I suppose I might as well.... so thank you for the idea!
The reason I'm using a caliper shop is that I track the car occasionally and the caliper paint has discoloured from high temps (as the AMG ones had too...) I don't want that to happen again and there are very limited options when it comes to spray-friendly high temperature paint and lacquers. They charge about £110 per caliper for a lifetime warranty paint job including the return postage, another £80 odd to stencil the white Aston Martin on them. Having done the job on the Merc I am happy to fork out for this but do all the mechanical stuff myself - I will send them off sans pistons etc, just the metal caliper.
What I could do I take off a rear one and send it off for the paint shop to match it, which if I can't find the code I suppose I might as well.... so thank you for the idea!
The reason I'm using a caliper shop is that I track the car occasionally and the caliper paint has discoloured from high temps (as the AMG ones had too...) I don't want that to happen again and there are very limited options when it comes to spray-friendly high temperature paint and lacquers. They charge about £110 per caliper for a lifetime warranty paint job including the return postage, another £80 odd to stencil the white Aston Martin on them. Having done the job on the Merc I am happy to fork out for this but do all the mechanical stuff myself - I will send them off sans pistons etc, just the metal caliper.
I give up! I am going to paint all four calipers gloss black (2-pack from BCS in the UK) with white lettering.... and refurb the pistons and seals per Johnny's excellent posts.
Btw the rear main brake caliper pistons need to be measured and are available from the Fren suppliers with seals although not in a fully-formed kit - they are 30.00mm high and with the bigger hole in the middle! See the Fren site.
One more thing, the absolutely top tip for the handbrake caliper, to undo the two Torq bolts on the face of the outer sliding part of the caliper to get at the pad and disc is an excellent one. Then wind in the piston with a tool or a pair on long-nosed pliers... sorted.
As is using an impact driver on the disc retaining screws, the little b*ggers...
Btw the rear main brake caliper pistons need to be measured and are available from the Fren suppliers with seals although not in a fully-formed kit - they are 30.00mm high and with the bigger hole in the middle! See the Fren site.
One more thing, the absolutely top tip for the handbrake caliper, to undo the two Torq bolts on the face of the outer sliding part of the caliper to get at the pad and disc is an excellent one. Then wind in the piston with a tool or a pair on long-nosed pliers... sorted.
As is using an impact driver on the disc retaining screws, the little b*ggers...
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