Cleaning calipers

[aruffell]

I've got some front 206 GTI 266mm calipers and they look horid.

I've bought these:

http://www.toolstation.com/images/library/stock/images/81867.jpg
and
http://www.toolstation.com/images/library/stock/images/83133.jpg

I've tried putting vinegar on the caliper in places to hope to clean them up a bit and using elbow grease but its not coming out like i hoped.

I was wondering, can i put the calipers in a vinegar bath? Or will this screw the calipers up etc...

I am wanting to get them back to a decent shiny metal and then paint them red.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Andy

[stevo67]

You shouldn`t really put any acid or cleaner on the calipers in addition to what you`ve bought get a hand wire brush(small 1) & its a case of plenty of elbow grease.


Steve.

[aruffell]

I have got most of the crud off but have seen people have used white spirit/a product called `Gunk`? and brake cleaner, and am wondering what is the best for me to use so i can get a smooth surface to paint it.

Andy

[steking25]

if you do use gunk you will have to give it a really good clean afterwards as the paint wont stick to it. its good to get all the crap off though. if you do get them nice and smooth you could always try polishing them. might be a bit of a pain though as they will be fiddly;)

[aruffell]

I've got a Karcher jet washer anyway so will get anything off.

I've been told toothbrush and white spirit lol.

Andy

[Mark51]

carefull with those brush heads on a drill, if you get carried away you will start to wear away the actual caliper.

if your painting them you just need to get them smooth.

if you want to all the way get them shot blasted and get a caliper rebuild kit, will be as good as new once you have sanded them down and rebuilt them

[aruffell]

So what would you say would be the best way to get the smooth? Ready for painting.

Andy

[raunchz]

maybe some wire wool? Brillo Pad? bit of brake cleaner and job's a good'un and paint away !

[Marcus000]

if you want to all the way get them shot blasted and get a caliper rebuild kit, will be as good as new once you have sanded them down and rebuilt them

Indeedy and full caliper rebuild kits for all 4x can be had for £38 from Bigg Red! :y:

[steking25]

you could use a high grain sandpaper to get them smooth. plus if you are painting them it wont matter too much about how they come up. at least it will give you a good surface to paint :) and with sandpaper you wont have to bother too much about cleaning them as this will take all of the crap off.

[aruffell]

The calipers are all good, just wanted to clean the gunk off and paint them red and then fit them with my red braided hoses that im going to buy.

Andy

[steking25]

try them with a 120 grit aluminium oxide paper to get them down then go for a 1200 grit to get them really smooth. or just start with a 1200 if they are not too bad. at least that way you have more control over how deep you go, more so than you would with the wire brush drill bits:y:

[3cott]

Use a wire brush an loads of elbow grease:y:

[aruffell]

Wire brush doesn't seem to be doing much lol

Also tried methylated spirits too now which hasn't done much.

This is how the untouched caliper looks:

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/5114/picture10ea.jpg

This is how the one i've been working on looks:

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/3893/picture11e.jpg

How much more lol

Andy

[Sparco_Tom]

i'd leave it like that tbh and paint

[KrisB]

+1 Thats plenty good enough for painting. Ive painted a lot worse and they're still going 10k miles later.

[Predator_R32]

youd be better with a wire brush on a drill but as said give them a wash down leave to dry and paint them

[tomsmith5]

Get your other 1 the same as the 1 you have been workin on and they will be fine to paint...you wont get them back to the finish your looking for without doin a lot of work...