Calipers

LSPIII

LSPIII

LSPIII

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Joined
29 Jan 2003
Posts
1,063
Location
Surrey
Right, so upgrade time is round the corner for the Brakes on the S3 and I've decided I can't be bothered (read: afford) to upgrade to the Brembo calipers so I'll have to stick with what I've got and upgrade everything else instead on the Brakes.

Here's my concern: the state of the calipers currently. In the Swiss Mountains last year a bit of spirited driving caused the brakes to overheat somewhat. There were very large plumes of smoke billowing from each wheel as we pulled to a halt at some traffic lights. This has caused the paint (lacquer?) on the calipers to erode and has left me with this:

Drivers Side:
caliper-ds.jpg


The worse Passenger Side:
caliper-ps.jpg


Should I be seriously considering doing something about this or should I not be too bothered? If I need to do something, I assume a sand down and new paint layer would suffice? If so what's the best thing to use. I have seen Foliatec Caliper paint as an option but wondered if you could recommend anything else.

If I do need to consider painting, I need to choose a colour :) I have for the benefit of the unimaginative produced the following. Cast your votes please but do bear in mind I'm only going to bother if the calipers need to have something done to them. Too much like hard work otherwise :p

Original:
brakes-current.jpg


Black (you might ask how different this really is):
brakes-black.jpg


Silver (still subtle but will it suit the colour of the car?):
brakes-silver.jpg


Red (my favourite colour, but I don't have the Brembos so can I really get away with it?):
brakes-red.jpg


Cheers for your help as always people :)
 
Red gets my vote to, I might do the ones on my 306 soon.. Silver behind silver wheels just doesn't cut the mustard with me :p
 
people will see from a mile off that youve painted the standard calliper red, a pointless cheesy mod and it wont stop your brakes from overheating.

get some decent pads, discs, fluid, they actually stop you, not the colour of the callipers
 
It will look awful unless you pay to get them properly dipped and coated. Brushed on colour will be full of blemishes, never hold a shine, and look so tacky on such a nice car :(

Either go for something un-noticable (silver/black) if you will be doing them yourself, or get them done properly. However at the cost of getting them removed, shipped, coated, returned and re-fitted, you might as well have gone the brembo route from the start.

Matt82 said:
people will see from a mile off that youve painted the standard calliper red, a pointless cheesy mod and it wont stop your brakes from overheating.

get some decent pads, discs, fluid, they actually stop you, not the colour of the callipers
Click to expand...


^^ Best thing said in the thread.
 
Matt82 said:
get some decent pads, discs, fluid, they actually stop you, not the colour of the callipers
Click to expand...

Already being done. I'm ordering the following next week:

Tarox G88 Discs front and back
Ferodo DS2500 Pads up front with DS standard pads at the back
Goodridge Stainless hoses
Motul RBF600 brake fluid.

I'm primarily trying to gauge whether I need to even bother considering doing anything with the calipers before I actually do it.

And the Brembos are ludicrously expensive with the current exchange rate and I've heard only so-so responses to the pads and discs in the kit. This and I need to do the rears as well as they are due for replacement. I'd love to do the Brembos but I'd want to do it properly and I just don't have that sort of cash right now :(
 
Drill with wire brush attachment then spray on hammerite smooth silver or black. Should give the best finish your going to get.

Just say no to red standard calipers :(:(
 
Ferodo DS2500 are really dusty, if that matters to you...

Personally i'll be trying something else when mine are done with.
 
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