Painting Rotors to Prevent Rust
 

After a couple months, the front rotors on my RR Racing Sport kit are looking pretty nasty where the brake pads don't touch.

http://i64.tinypic.com/2myrcz4.jpg

Does anyone have experience painting roters to prevent this? I'm seeing recommendations VHT Caliper Paint on various sites. I'm not sure if I need primer in this case. There are a couple VHT primers like this one, but I'm not sure which would be best.

I know I should mask off the area where the pad touches the rotor to prevent the paint from contaminating the pads. Is there anything else to be on the lookout for?

Leave it, it matches your wheel spacer.

Haha, well played.

Prep is key too it lasting and not chipping. Sand off all the rust, alcholol clean off area. High heat primer,color, clear. Make its the 1000 degree plus paint since rotors can get very hot. I wouldn't worry about masking as driving and braking will take off any excess paint

Is clear coat necessary to protect the paint, or is it just for aesthetics? Can it be skipped if I don't care about a gloss finish?

Clear coat is not high temp. I would use brake cleaner to clean the brakes. I also would tape off areas you do not want painted. Unless you want paint in your slots....

It seems like the potential products here are brake cleaner, primer, paint, and clear coat. I see tutorials where people use only brake cleaner and caliper paint. Can primer and clear coat be skipped for this application?

Yes. Clean the shit out of the parts. Tape them off. Spray a couple coats of high temp paint. Primer and clear are unnecessary.


Do not touch them till they are dry. 24 hours should work if your parts stay at least 60 degrees F.

Next time you can buy rotors that come with the coating in the first place

disagree Ive done the just paint color on method and it will chip off. The primer is to grip to the iron/metal.


And there is high heat clear coat, not too look glossy but to protect the color coat. The amount of nasty particles, road salt, brake dust can eat through the paint.


What I said is important if you want it to last. If you want to skip steps and do it quick you will be doing it again next year.


Saying from old guy at work : "If you don't have the time to do it right when will you have the time to redo it"
https://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-Au...62129512&psc=1

Show me some 900 degree primer. I used to work at a paint shop. Additionally, Hi temp paint is like enamel, and does not need clear coat.

It's in the link you replied to.

That is clear; not primer.

too easy https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Ole...9340/203051510

I think the rotor looks just fine - however, the rest of the wheel is a mess - ;)


humfrz

We drive the car quite hard and the rotors get cherry red. That is about 1300 F. The paint said 900 F intermittent.

Do you recommend that over something like this? The car only sees occasional spirited driving, so I don't think the rotors get super hot.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...KIKX0DER&psc=1

You're not wrong. Seattle weather hasn't made it easy to keep her pretty and clean.

Fer sure, fer sure. One year, a few years back, my father and mother, who retired in California, bought me a "California Duster" for my cars.

I reckon he didn't realize that we didn't have "dust" here in the PNW. Ya can't have "dust" when it rains twice a day - :iono:


humfrz

why not get the 2000 degree paint its the same price?

My only concern is that requirements to cure a higher-heat primer may be more stringent. That's just a guess though. Also, might there be advantages to staying consistent with the primer and paint brands?

Other than that, yeah, it seems like the Rust-Oleum one has a greater benefit.

Yes, I believe you have to cure it at high temperature.

Yeah that could be true. I would go to you nearest pepboys and read the cans. 500 degree may work if you are only cruising around

The VHT paint said to bake the parts in the oven for an hour at 200 F.
Which is totally doable, but a PITA!

Sorry for the late update. I ended up using Dupli-Color Engine Enamel Primer and and silver Caliper Enamel with Ceramic. The paint has held well for the last couple months. It's a big improvement over swaths of rust, but the silver doesn't look very good. I'm planning to redo it black.

http://i64.tinypic.com/2v0h3rc.jpg

http://i66.tinypic.com/14csnlw.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/28bqpts.jpg

YIKES! One of those lug nuts has a nick on it - how do you stand that?

:D


humfrz

You can get a high heat clear coat (https://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color®-.../dp/B0082LGJ2C), but it's not necessary.

Thanks! :cheers: