Painting Your Calipers With Foliatec

Foliatec makes kits to paint your calipers.  Several colors are available: Red, Yellow, Blue, Black, Silver and God help us all, Gold.  Thinking everyone might like to see some pictures, I thought I'd write up the procedure and some general impressions.

First and foremost, this is messy stuff.  It’s not particularly drippy or anything but if you aren't careful, it will get where you don't want it.  And since it’s a two-part lacquer, where it touches is where it stays.  You can get it off surfaces with mineral spirits etc though if need be.

Second, painting calipers on the car is a pain.  You can't possibly get to every nook and cranny on the backside without removing the calipers and hanging them where you can really get to them. I suggest doing this job when replacing pads and rotors so you can take everything apart and do it right.  I personally plan on removing the calipers at the next brake job and rebuilding them.  While I'm at it, I'll just have these sandblasted and powder coated.  Might as well.

So lets get on with it!

First lets get that bleeder nipple cover and clip off.

Position a screwdriver as shown, whack the handle with the palm of your hand to loosen and pry back and off.  This is a rear caliper but they are all basically the same.  This is the infamous guide pin.   You pull the cap off the end of the dust cover and remove them with an 8 mm hex socket.  Now push the piston back and remove the caliper. Yada, Yada, Yada.   There are lots of sites that will tell you how to do a brake job.  Follow their instructions.  Foliatec gives you a can of brake cleaner to clean the calipers.   Don't skimp, get them clean.  I mean really clean.  Tape off everything like brake hoses, bleeders etc.  Start painting.  Don't worry; red spots on your garage floor are cool.   Smear a few around too; it'll look like you off'ed somebody.   Seriously, put paper or something else down to catch the drips.  Wear crappy clothes and have some rags and mineral spirits around to clean up drips.

Let the calipers sit for about 2 hours.  24 hours, if you've taken them off the car to paint them.  If you painted them on the car, you can put the wheels back on after the first 2 hours.  Foliatec warns not to drive the car for 24 hours after painting.   There she is, all done!

Taken fromhttp://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/foliatec.htm