# Taking apart brake calipers.



## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

I'm assuming that taking them apart is as simple as changing brakes. I spoke with someone and they said sometimes when you take them apart and put them back together, they can leak. Is this true? And what about it would case the leak, bad seals I'm guess? So is this something I can just order? I'm not sure what the part number or name would even be.

The reason I'm asking is because I'm debating on painting and clearing my calipers/mounting brackets. Don't wanna go powder coating because the car is a DD and I'm not trying to put that much money into it. I already have a sand blaster to clean them up nice before paintint too.


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

Are you talking about taking the pistions out of the caliper? If your just painting them why you just can't tape off the pistions and seals good, and proceed with cleaning and painting?


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

GM4life said:


> Are you talking about taking the pistions out of the caliper? If your just painting them why you just can't tape off the pistions and seals good, and proceed with cleaning and painting?


:agree Are they 2 piece calipers that you take apart? I wouldn't pull the piston ever, I replace calipers, I don't rebuild. Tried rebuilding in high school, pisses you off when all is said and done and they leak. I use caliper paint, it holds up real well if you have the caliper prepped correctly.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

:agree never take the piston out.


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## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

Thanks for all the info. Guess I'll just tape everything off. I have a spare caliper from a from clip I bought last year and will practice painting and taping on that.


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## pcviper13 (Dec 1, 2009)

If you are wanting to bead blast them just use some duct tape on the pistons and boots/seals.It will hold up to the blaster. Also remove the guide pins and boots for them, then tape the holes up that are in the caliper and you are ready to go. I just got done painting my mounting brackets but I am going to leave the calipers alone.


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## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

I want to do my caliper, mounting brackets, and rotor hats red.


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## pcviper13 (Dec 1, 2009)

jpalamar said:


> I want to do my caliper, mounting brackets, and rotor hats red.


That is not a hard task,it is just a little time consuming. 
If your rotor hats and caliper brackets are not bad rusty I would just clean them up with a steel brush and some sand paper. Then wash it good with dish detergent along with a final wipe down of acetone before you paint it. 
If you have unpainted calipers now just clean them up with detergent and some acetone before you paint them. If they are painted and chipped then you will either have to sand them with a fine sand paper or glass bead them. Just be careful using sand/glass bead on the calipers. If you get it in it it will destroy it.
I used engine paint on my brackets. But I painted them black along with the spindles,radius rods and front control arms.


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