Painted the calipers on my silver 8 this weekend. I spent most of Friday evening and all day Saturday on this, plus a few other mods. There are several things I figured out as I went that will help others out.

1) The front rotors come off with only two philips screws, but make sure you break them loose before removing any of the calipers. Have someone apply the brakes to hold them from turning.
2) Remove the pads before painting the calipers, just pay attention to were the little clips on the front calipers go. The inside and outside clips are different.
3) Home depot sells 18" pre-taped masking plastic. Run the tape around the wheel well and pull the plastic to the axle. Saves a lot of time and tape. (one roll is plenty).
4) Use a brake cleaner and a new wire brush to clean before painting.
5) If you paint the inside of the rotors because of the rust (another thred on this), use 1/4" pinstrip to make the inside circle. It is easily curved and makes a nice edge.
6) I painted the heat sheild as well, clean the same as calipers and rotors.
7) Save enough paint in the spray can for touch up when your done. You WILL need it. I sprayed the paint into a container then used a brush for the touch up.
8) Take advantage of the car being up on stands and the wheels off for a day. I cleaned the wheel wells, waxed the wheels inside and out, waxed the lug nuts, cleaned under the hood, painted the cross member, did the fog light rewire (very easy), changed the oil and filter, and finally rotated the tires when reinstalled. If I was really organized and thinking, I would have Dawn washed the car for a good clay baring and waxing while the it was in the garage on stands!

The paint I used was Dupli-color engine enamal. It's good for 500 degrees and that should be good (hopefully). I have caplier decals from SHOWOFF. PM him if you want to order them, he stated in several threds that they will last. If you want to paint the on POLAK has a pretty cool method as well. He is selling the masks as well.

I think that is it....here is some pics....

Before shot....

before w/ rotor off...

rear taped off for painting...

finished front....

finished rear...

wheels on....

Painting under the hood...

XcelR8

What a nice job you did. I wish you lived closer to Spokane. I'd hire you to do mine. I'm not very good at this stuff.

Thank you...I think a plane ticket and hotel stay would not make it worth it!!! LOL

XcelR8:

What's that warning label in front of the radiator overflow tank?

Very nice job XCELR8, will do the same on my red8 as soon as i get it. Been waiting since before chrismast for it . Was told last tuesday it was on the train from Vancouver to Montreal. When i will get it i am taking two days off to work on it. Thanks for the tips on the caliper's. A la prochaine.

The warning label was ordered from e-Bay. Do a search for rx8 and it will come up. I just saw them the other day. Looks factory!

Sorry it's sideways. Tried rotation it, but it cut off the edge.

Originally posted by mngpao
...I'm not very good at this stuff. Yeah, riiiiiight Bill. :D

Looks awesome, XcelR8. Nice work.

Very nice work. I did exactly the same, but opposite colors, silver and black on a sunlight silver.

http://www.rx8tristateclub.com/project_rotor.asp

$12 for decals? Thats pretty high!

Looks great. This is probably my next mod project. I was thinking of adding Polak's Mazdaspeed caliper stickers though.

I saw Polak's method after I was done with the painting or I probably would have used it. I will if I have to redo them for any reason. I am expecting the decals anyday and will post a pic with them on.

Here is a pic with the decals on...
They look good, are easy to line up, properly sized for front and rear calipers and have held up for quite a few heat cycles...look like they will last.

rear...

here's mine...haven't done rear yet...maybe this weekend...not the best picture...i used duplicolor(i think) caliper painting kit, available from AutoZone...

Very nice. I heard they were coming out with a kit. I will have to check the kit out. I have a couple of people at work that want their Mustang calipers none.

It worked really well for me. It is a brush on paint, not spray, but that was fine, because it meant I didn't have to do as much taping off/removal of components.

Originally posted by ScudRunner
It worked really well for me. It is a brush on paint, not spray, but that was fine, because it meant I didn't have to do as much taping off/removal of components. I only had the chance to do one of my calipers last weekend. It looks marvelous. I bought the Duplo caliper kit like ScudRunner. I got mine at Meijers for $15. They only had red and yellow at that time. It is easy to paint on. I didn't do any masking what so ever, I am good at painting only where I want it at. Two coats look very good and I took nothing apart. I am only painting what shows, though. My only concern is the heat resistance, it's only 500 degrees.

Tomorrow, I am taking the day off to finish the other three and I will be posting some pics tomorrow night. Red on my velocity red. No logo though, not yet anyway. :D

I went against the logo, too. This might be blasphemy, but I didn't want to put Mazdaspeed on my calipers when they're not, and I also think the care might already say "RX-8" on it in enough places(especially with my sweet ass sweet brake light mod). Two coats did pretty well on mine, and they're holding up perfectly well after a week of driving. I painted a little beyond just what shows, but I just couldn't stop once I got going. :D

Did mine last weekend with the G2 Kit. Also took the time to paint the rust prone areas of the rotors and add mud flaps. All told a day ½ up on jacks stands but love the results.

The paint I used was only 500 degrees also. I have 2500 miles on them and no issues with the paint or decals.

Spent the day doing my calipers. I also painted the hubs and added one little thing more...the reason that I didn't paint the logo on it is because I wanted to highlight one other near by thing...

Here is a closer view of my front wheel...

And the rear wheel...

Very cool. I like them body color. I'd paint mine to match the car but they are already silver...lol. They look good red.

Originally posted by XcelR8
Very cool. I like them body color. I'd paint mine to match the car but they are already silver...lol. They look good red.

That's true, I never thought about the Silvers or the Gray ones. You could always paint them in the color of your RX-8 or Mazda Speed Logo paint, if you have done that to your calipers.

...
8) Take advantage of the car being up on stands and the wheels off for a day. I cleaned the wheel wells, waxed the wheels inside and out, waxed the lug nuts, cleaned under the hood, painted the cross member, did the fog light rewire (very easy)


Tell me, oh great one, how did you do the fog light re-wiring? Seems like people, including myself, are having difficulties

These are the directions I used orginally posted by Maniac in the Fog Light Rewire thred. You can access the pictures there. I followed these to the letter and it was very easy.

-QUOTE-

I think some may want to wire their fog lamps to be on with the running lights and not just the ignition so that you can leave the fog lamp switch on and they will only come on when you turn on the lighting circuit, but not only with the headlights.
This is how you wire them to be tied to the running lights and unaffected be the presence of the headlamps:

First, open the hood and fuse panel, then unclip and raise the buse block out of the tray:

http://www.mazdamaniac.com/images/rx8/fog/fog_01.jpg

http://www.mazdamaniac.com/images/rx8/fog/fog_02.jpg

Locate the two wires needed to complete the modification - the BROWN fog lamp relay wire and the BLACK and RED tail light fuse wire:

http://www.mazdamaniac.com/images/rx8/fog/fog_03.jpg

http://www.mazdamaniac.com/images/rx8/fog/fog_04.jpg

Cut the BROWN wire about 2 inches from where it loins the harness and strip a small section of the BLACK and RED wire in the middle of its accesible length:

http://www.mazdamaniac.com/images/rx8/fog/fog_05.jpg

Place a small piece of shrink tubing over both parts of the BROWN wire - one to cover the splice that you will create and the other to cover the unused section as it enters the harness:

http://www.mazdamaniac.com/images/rx8/fog/fog_06.jpg

Attach the BROWN wire to the stripped section of the BLACK and RED wire, solder the connection and cover the junction with the shrink tubing. Shrink the two sections of tubing with the heat from the solder gun:

http://www.mazdamaniac.com/images/rx8/fog/fog_07.jpg

http://www.mazdamaniac.com/images/rx8/fog/fog_08.jpg

Here are the two relevant wiring diagrams:

http://www.mazdamaniac.com/images/rx8/fog/fog_09.jpg
http://www.mazdamaniac.com/images/rx8/fog/fog_10.jpg

Now your fog lamps will come on when they are switched on and the lighting selector is set to either the first or second positions.

Links to pictures do work.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by XcelR8
[B]These are the directions I used orginally posted by Maniac in the Fog Light Rewire thred. You can access the pictures there. I followed these to the letter and it was very easy.

You DA MAN!

Does anyone have any pictures of a w Blue car with red calipers?
If so please post.
Thanks
Todd

What would be a good color for titanium 8? Does anybody done calipers painted on titanium 8?

Yeah - I did my Ti with flat black calipers and rotors. Looks pretty sharp in an understated way - kinda like the Titanium.

That should look good...any pics?

Did mine gloss black with red letters. The rotor hubs and edges are painted aluminum. I used Polak's stencils. I've had several people ask me if that was how they came stock. :)

Here's the front.

I need to get the RX-8 logo on mine (in black).

.

Very nice Jason.

I did alright with mine. Your job was cleaner since you took everything apart. All I did was take off the wheels.

I still think the real paint is better than spray paint appliation because of the thickness of the canned paint, and that it smooths out the calipers.

Originally posted by jinani4eva
What would be a good color for titanium 8? Does anybody done calipers painted on titanium 8?

Duplicolor has a metallic purple kit that I would love to see used on the calipers for someone's car... I'd do my own with it, but I haven't gotten up the nerve to try to jack the car yet. :)

...Paul

For those looking to paint their brake calipers, who have never done a spray job in their life, and may screw up the masking. And don't have the tools or facilities to completely take apart their rotors and calipers, I have found a feasable soulution.

1. I bought a can of dupli-color hi-temp spray paint, and went with 1200 degrees, just to be safe (you'd be suprised what temperatures a caliper and rotor can achieve! Not that it would reach 1200 degrees, but well over 500, trust me, look at my occupation)! ;)

2. I have various modeling brushes to apply the paint

3. I got two glass jars (1 for paint, and one for thinner)

4. I removed the wheels, two by two, rear then front, and proceeded to hand paint the calipers, after I removed the dust with a wire brush. I found this method alot easier due to the fact that I have experience painting small scale models. The detail you can achieve is remarkable. I sprayed the paint directly into one of the jars until I had a small amount within and painted from it, I wouldn't even say I used half of the can by the time I was done!

I used a small brush for the large portions and a detailing brush for the minute and hard to reach places. I paited one caliper, then moved to the other side to begin on the other. By the time I finished with the first coat on the second caliper, the paint was dry on the first and ready to recieve a second coat. Just alternate sides to allow the paint to dry and apply as many coats as you feel is necessary.

You can correct any slips with a third brush and the thinner! I'd say it took just as much time to complete the mod as it would if I had removed all four calipers, and all four rotors, about four hours time! No masking, no taping, no overspray, no more paint used than necessary! But... "To each his own"

I didn't paint the rotors yet because my sons mother dropped him off and I had to do a quick clean up, plus I'm not sure what color I want to paint the center of the rotors, but I did finish the calipers!

I'll post pics as soon as I procure a camera suitable enough to take the pictures with (from my dad)! ;)

I did a bit of searching for a friend for a couple of the brush on brake caliper painting kits.

I used a Duplicolor kit to do mine and was very pleased and still am. However, it only comes in 4 colors: red, silver, yellow and black. I have never noticed any deterioration in mine and the temp rating is only 500 degrees F.

Of course the RX-8 comes in more than 4 colors so, I looked a little further and found this G2 brand caliper paint kit from our friends at tirerack.com:
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/g2/caliper_paint.jsp
They offer red, yellow, blue, silver, gold, black, purple, green and white. (the green is a bit bright for the Nordic Green RX-8s) This kit sells for a bit more but looks very similar to the Duplicolor kits in it's application method. I think the heat rating for this kit is 900 degrees F whereas the heat rating for the Duplicolor kit is 500 degrees F.

The Duplicolor kit retailed for around $19 but I know I bought mine at Meijers for only around $15 so I suggest you look locally before you order off the Internet, pay more plus shipping fees. Normally I do not practice this but this is what I would do.

it's $38 at tirerack. i got it on ebay for $18.99 + $12.99 shipping.

Originally posted by D MENAC 7
I did a bit of searching for a friend for a couple of the brush on brake caliper painting kits.

I used a Duplicolor kit to do mine and was very pleased and still am. However, it only comes in 4 colors: red, silver, yellow and black. I have never noticed any deterioration in mine and the temp rating is only 500 degrees F.

Of course the RX-8 comes in more than 4 colors so, I looked a little further and found this G2 brand caliper paint kit from our friends at tirerack.com:
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/g2/caliper_paint.jsp
They offer red, yellow, blue, silver, gold, black, purple, green and white. (the green is a bit bright for the Nordic Green RX-8s) This kit sells for a bit more but looks very similar to the Duplicolor kits in it's application method. I think the heat rating for this kit is 900 degrees F whereas the heat rating for the Duplicolor kit is 500 degrees F.

The Duplicolor kit retailed for around $19 but I know I bought mine at Meijers for only around $15 so I suggest you look locally before you order off the Internet, pay more plus shipping fees. Normally I do not practice this but this is what I would do.

I haven't seen any pics of any Whites with painted calipers just yet..

Anyone done any? Wondering what colors would look good.

So far I'm thinking either Black or Silver, nothing too fancy.

I am thinking of doing this soon and can not decide if I want to paint them blue or red. Which do you think would look best on the Winning Blue? Does anyone with a Blue RX8 have pictures of their painted calipers?

I am thinking of doing this soon and can not decide if I want to paint them blue or red. Which do you think would look best on the Winning Blue? Does anyone with a Blue RX8 have pictures of their painted calipers?

I don't have any pictures of my Winning Blue with the painted calipers but my blue calipers blend in very well and look great. Red calipers would really stand out and be noticed but I don't know of any shade of red that would be complimentary to the beautiful Winning Blue.

Whatever color you choose, make sure you do a professional job of painting because the calipers are very visible and any slight imperfections, crooked lines, paint drops, etc will show like a sore thumb.

I don't have any pictures of my Winning Blue with the painted calipers but my blue calipers blend in very well and look great. Red calipers would really stand out and be noticed but I don't know of any shade of red that would be complimentary to the beautiful Winning Blue.

Whatever color you choose, make sure you do a professional job of painting because the calipers are very visible and any slight imperfections, crooked lines, paint drops, etc will show like a sore thumb.

What caliper paint did you use for your car? I was thinking that blue calipers would look good.

What caliper paint did you use for your car? I was thinking that blue calipers would look good.

I used the Blue G2 Brake Caliper Brake System.

Doing mine tomorrow with the duplicolor kit. I am have decided silver for my nordic green. It should match the new rims that will be shipped my way this week. Didn't like the yellow, red, or black so we will see.

I am thinking of doing this soon and can not decide if I want to paint them blue or red. Which do you think would look best on the Winning Blue? Does anyone with a Blue RX8 have pictures of their painted calipers?

Hey I did my blue 8 in a nice Metallic Sapphire. Only one coat, I'm going to wait till warmer weather before I put another coat.

Here's some pics.

Hey I did my blue 8 in a nice Metallic Sapphire. Only one coat, I'm going to wait till warmer weather before I put another coat.

Here's some pics.


Lookin' good. Nice shine to them.

if you are not using the factory jack and the jack has a circular head what parts of the car do you jack it up from? also where do you put the jack stands... ive seen where do put them in the center of the car but thats rather difficult... can anyone take EXACT pictures of where to jack/ place jack stands? that would be very helpful
thanks

There are clear pictures of the locations to jack you car in the manual.

for the factory jack. not jack stands or circular jacks

Has anyone Power coated there calipers?

I used the kit people are talking about as well, and didn't have any major problems except for one thing. If you try this, I think the most important thing is MAKE SURE the calipers are clean prior to painting. First brush them off, then use the degreaser it comes with (or some other degreaser if you only bought paint) and then clean it WELL with a cloth. If there is ANY dirt or grease coming off you need to repeat it until it's clean. I didn't do a very good job of this, and some of the paint started beading up, so it wasn't very even, and there were some small spots that were simply unpaintable. I'll go over it with another coat or two and it will be alright, but not perfect.

Just another case of, "if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right." So make sure of that. Goooooood luck.

-Andrew

I painted my calipers on my TG this weekend. I went with silver and it looks great!

I've attached before and after pics.

I did one of mine....came out well

I dunno if anyone mentioned it, but you can't wash the brush because the paint won't dissolve in water. If you're not planning on doing it all at the same time, you'll need multiple brushes

.

Hey people great thread it's really helped me out however ... ... (and I have looked very hard)
What is the trick to removing the rear rotor?
I would like to remove the rear rotor in order to paint the shield behind it.
I found this thread asking the same question, it's rather old but his question wasn't really answered.
http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=59673&highlight=remove+rear+rotors

Obviously the rotor comes off by removing the huge nut holding it on but what kind of mess will I get in after I remove it?
Will the wheel bearing be exposed after I remove the rotor?
To put the nut back on is it one of those tighten then back off 1/2 turn sorta things? The last time I did something similar to this... there a Castle Nut with a codder pin.

Any help or direction to a thread I was unable to find would be appreciated.

I don't think you need to remove any thing (except the wheel (#)) to take the rear rotor off. Once the caliper is out of the way, just mark a wheel (http://www.rx8club.com/#) stud and a point on the rotor (so you can put it back in the same position you took it off) , take a rubber mallet and knock the rotor...it just falls off. The only thing holding it may be a little rust.

I don't think you need to remove any thing (except the wheel (#)) to take the rear rotor off. Once the caliper is out of the way, just mark a wheel (http://www.rx8club.com/#) stud and a point on the rotor (so you can put it back in the same position you took it off) , take a rubber mallet and knock the rotor...it just falls off. The only thing holding it may be a little rust.

Damn Really !!???
That's seems soooo simply. When did Mazda adopt the iMac methodology.
I'm going to try it right now.
Thanks

I took the easy route. When I bought the car, I told the floor manager that I was going to walk unless he threw in a year of free oil changes and would have painted my calipers red :D

Here's an update. My about 20,000 miles later and the caliper paint (duplicolor from walmart) is chipping off. I'm going to clean them off and redo in G2 paint.

G2 will chip also, but after 40,000 miles the chips are not bad enough to make me redo them.

Here's an update. My about 20,000 miles later and the caliper paint (duplicolor from walmart) is chipping off. I'm going to clean them off and redo in G2 paint.

Alot of people on this site and the other site have had problems with the duplicolor paint. It seems to hold up well in the heat but the cold weather really beats it up. I wouldn't recommend it unless you live somewhere with no snow...

Some of the guys have used testors enamal paints for models and have had no problems at all. Seeing that it comes in so many colors, it may be another option...I re did mine in the model paint from duplicolor. We'll see how long it last. 2 months so far and looking good...

Alot of people on this site and the other site have had problems with the duplicolor paint. It seems to hold up well in the heat but the cold weather really beats it up. I wouldn't recommend it unless you live somewhere with no snow...
Well, I'm in sunny Tampa. No snow. The paint lasted almost two years. Until recently it was okay.

Has anybody with a white 8 painted their calipers? I would love to see some pics.

I think a white 8 with black caliper would look awesome... should even get the rx8 stencil's in white from polak...

http://www.polakgraphics.com/gallery/full/usercaliperstencils1large.jpg

Has anybody with a white 8 painted their calipers? I would love to see some pics.
zenmoused:

I painted my calipers with DupliColor's anodized metal paint components last October and they have held up quite well. Below is the link to the post I made showing the result. The only chip on the paint job that I've sustained since this application, resulted from when the technician who was rotating my tires let the wheel fall against the caliper.

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=17533&page=5

Regards

I decided against painting my calipers. All that extra paint is just dead weight :mdrmed:

I decided against painting my calipers. All that extra paint is just dead weight :mdrmed:heh. You could just go without your socks and save the same amount of weight.

Or I guess I can put down this donut...

BTW, thanks pletchrx8 for the pics! I like the blue against the white! I would think really any color would look good with our white cars.

Thanks. I painted my using the G2 and I'm the guy that can screw up any DIY...it came out very nice.

i appreciate everyones comments and inputs in this forum, becuase ive recently developed the interest to paint my calipers, and I just have one question. My rotors are pretty rusted, as well as the metal circle area in the middle of them, I was wondering if all this can be sanded or wire brushed without any damage, thx in advance for the help.

My rotors are pretty rusted, as well as the metal circle area in the middle of them, I was wondering if all this can be sanded or wire brushed without any damage, thx in advance for the help.
Not a problem. Go for it, but the key is to make sure that the area to be painted is squeeky clean. After removing the rust with a wire brush and/or sandpaper, use a paint-prep cleaner to remove any remaining contaminants. If the area is not perfectly clean, the paint may begin to chip off in time.

Use a high-temperature caliper paint on the rotors. If you use G2 caliper paint, you may not have enough time (before the paint begins to set in the can) to paint multiple coats on the calipers and rotors. So plan accordingly.

Now I haven't done this on the 8 yet (taking check to dealer in the morning to purchase) but I have done it on my 96 Impala. Duplicolor's kit comes with everything you need to get the job done. I like their kit because it brushes on and you can apply a couple coats within minutes of each other. You will however need a wire brush to get the area to be painted clean, which is the most important part of the process. The cleaner in the kit works well. No need to mask everthing off, just the surrounding areas. I got mine for under $20 at autozone. 6 months later it still looks new. Easy mod, car can be driven 2 hours after painting, just take the wheels off and get to work. Total time=2 beers.

I've been looking for hot pink caliper paint everywhere, but it's just too hard to find. =( Do I mix two colors or something! I really want hot pink!!!! =(

I've been looking for hot pink caliper paint everywhere, but it's just too hard to find. =( Do I mix two colors or something! I really want hot pink!!!! =(
I think Morgan painted hers pink, try asking her...

I have decided to begin the caliper painting this weekend, and I just have one question, did you guys actually sand the brake calipers, like noted on the Dupli-color caliper paint can? or just clean it with cleaner..thx

Mainly, they need to be clean of rust and any other contaminants like grease, oil, silicone, etc. Use a wire brush to clean up the rust and a paint prep chemical to remove any contaminants. Not necessary to sand them per se unless you need to do that to remove rust/oxidized areas. The key to a good paint job like this is the preparation. So spend time on that and the paint will not flake off in time.

thx for the help go, I didn't have much time on my hands this weekend to do all 4..but i managed to complete one of the brakes, I love the way it turned out..and obviously i think u get better at the whole process after a couple tries, so Im hoping the next 3 wheels won't take to long, and I'll be able to get them turning out even better

hey one last question, I have done two calipers and they are llooking great.. but are the brake pads able to be painted?? has anyone does this?? thx

Just got done painting my calipers today...

Here are some pics I took over the course of the day and progression of the project.
Supplies used:

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0018.jpg

Caliper and rotor hat before painting:

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0002-1.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0003.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0004.jpg

Adding paint...

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0008.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0011.jpg

Caliper/rotor hat with wheels (http:///#) (please excuse the dirty wheels (http:///#), gonna wash up the 8 tomorrow)

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0013.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0014.jpg

Rear caliper/rotor hat:

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0015.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0017.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0021.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0024.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0025.jpg

Rear wheels installed...

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0019.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k159/nopstnz/Calipers/DSCF0026.jpg

Gonna take some pics tomorrow when the light is better. As some pics show, there is some silver paint on the rotors. A few good stops with the brakes (http:///#) will burn off the excess paint and they will look good as new.

The black/silver is very subtle but a major difference over the "rusty" look :)

is any sanding involved?

No sanding needed, but wire brush the H*%$# out them to get them as clean as possible. Then use a paint prep chemical (available at auto parts stores) to clean off any oil/grease/brake dust. Painting is the easy part. Good preparation is the key to a lasting paint job. Make sure you use a high-temp paint like G2.

Im getting ready to do the job this coming weekend wanted to know; do i need to take off the whole brake assembly or can i just take the wheel off and turn the whole brake assembly phenomenon so i can reach behind and paint the calipers, then move on the to the hub housing?

i used quiznos napkins and MEK - methyl ethyl ketone. painted with dupli high temp semi-gloss black. worked great, lasts great (outdoor fl car), and matched my ultraleggeras perfectly.

so in the end according to most of you if you live in a hot place like texas were it doesnt snow which brand of paint would be better G2 or Duplicolor?

anyone have red on a black car? i have my front ones black right now but i think i want to change the color of them

I"m doing by brakes today and i'm doing red on my BB car

Chase: dude...look at pictures of Jedi's car. He's a BB w/red calipers.

Did mine black last weekend. Car is galaxy grey. I'm very happy with the results. I used the G2 system and it's about as easy as you could hope for.

Thanks to this thread:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b326/SkimmerBoarder/RX-8/GetAttachment-2.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b326/SkimmerBoarder/RX-8/GetAttachment-1.jpg

lol @ Chase

dude, you're one of us now (Night Wrenchers) lol

Looks clean bro :cool:

serioulsy i cant work in the day i never have time so i started this project at 10pm and when i was putting in my K & N intake that was at midnight haha

u think pink cals will look good on the black 8? im either painting them pink or red... i may jus do 1 pink an see how it looks and go from there

I just did mine last weekend. Got a SS 8 so I painted black with G2 paint and Polaks white decals - I am very pleased with how it turned out - now I just hope the decals stay on well.

Did my calipers and hubs a few weeks ago. Duplicolor Black kit... enough paint for 5 more coats :D:

I just did mine last weekend. Got a SS 8 so I painted black with G2 paint and Polaks white decals - I am very pleased with how it turned out - now I just hope the decals stay on well.


I'm debating doing black with white decals, or white with black decals

I drive a BB....

Any input? (This is actually a repaint from blue)

Definitely black with white decals

i have an 04 winning blue i gonna order polaks rx8 decals and do the bottom coat then decals then paint over and take the decals off

suggestions on color combinations?
and what kind of paint to use g2 duplicolor some other brand?

im in georgia now snow so cold weather not a problem

if i decided to do blue which paint brand would be best to match the color of my car? or come close i want it to look good
anyone have pics of WB with painted calipers that you did yourself?
that show a side view of the whole car
ive seen acouple where they said they were a wb then only took pics of the wheels

blue lettering and black base

I used the g2 paint and it's great.

what if i did white lettering and blue base?
would that be too much?
the blue base i would get G2 to color match my winning blue as close as possible

if so ill just do black base blue lettering

can you use the brake caliper paint on the engine covers?

hey i was just wondering where do u get the car stands from and how much would they cost?? also where do u put them underneath the car??

Autozone, Pep Boys, Sears, most anywhere they sell automotive products. We have relatively lightweight vehicles so the two ton stands are adequate.

They typically go along the sills at/near the standard jack points.

Always use jackstands. It's not worth the potential injury working off a jack alone.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/accessories/accessoriesShelf.jsp?categoryDisplayName=Repair+an d+Lift&fromType=accessories&fromString=search&parentId=cat30082&filterByKeyWord=jack+stand&currentPage=1&navValue=100010&categoryNValue=100043&fromWhere=&subPartId=prod62985&itemId=prod62985&displayName=Jack+Stand

hey i was just wondering where do u get the car stands from and how much would they cost?? also where do u put them underneath the car??

Sorry if this info is burried somewhere, but searching for Caliper Paint DIY instructions is proving to be impossible...

I'm looking for DIY INSTRUCTIONS on how to Remove/Paint the calipers & rotors...... I understand this is an OLD post, but since it's still active, I wondered if someone might post the instructions themselves, specifically how to remove the calipers, rotor and any relevant brake bleeding (no clue what that is but I've seen it mentioned).

The Pics and observations posted here are nice, and give great advice on how to tape things up, colors, etc... but they are missing the key info for a DIY.. that is how to actually start the project.

If this info is located in another thread that someone is aware of, please feel free to shoo me in that direction.

My main goal is to not F#@# up my breaks because I did something stupid to the Calipers :)

The G2 caliper paint kit comes with complete instructions.

Removing the calipers to a bench for painting is optimal, but you can paint them on the '8 as long as you mask around them properly and of course stay away from the brake runners.

Basically you just wire brush (if necessary), degrease the calipers with the included solvent, mix the 2-part paint and brush it on. Let dry and repeat as many coats as desired (two coats adequate - there's a time limit once you mix the paint).

Sorry if this info is burried somewhere, but searching for Caliper Paint DIY instructions is proving to be impossible...

I'm looking for DIY INSTRUCTIONS on how to Remove/Paint the calipers & rotors...... I understand this is an OLD post, but since it's still active, I wondered if someone might post the instructions themselves, specifically how to remove the calipers, rotor and any relevant brake bleeding (no clue what that is but I've seen it mentioned).

The Pics and observations posted here are nice, and give great advice on how to tape things up, colors, etc... but they are missing the key info for a DIY.. that is how to actually start the project.

If this info is located in another thread that someone is aware of, please feel free to shoo me in that direction.

My main goal is to not F#@# up my breaks because I did something stupid to the Calipers :)


If I had to do it again, I would go with a brush on paint and mask with the calipers still on the car. I had to do touch up with the calipers on and it was pretty easy and painless.

The G2 caliper paint kit comes with complete instructions.



I do not have this "G2 Caliper Paint Kit"... I simply have a few cans of Caliper Paint and of course the cleaning supplies...I didn't see the need to buy an overpriced 'kit' just to include paint brushes, stirring sticks and a decal. Is there something else inside that makes the $40+ worth it?

According to G2's website however they don't even recommend removing the Calipers, per the instructions they have online.. perhaps they changed it since you bought your kit? (Or are there different kits perhaps)

1.Remove all four wheels from the vehicle. This product was developed for easy DIY application so removal of calipers and/or drums will not be necessary; however, if you intend to paint inside the calipers, the brake pads may have to be removed before continuing.


The main reason I need/want to remove the calipers is so I can remove/paint the Rotor and shield behind it properly. The rotor itself is what has all the rust anyway, and I figured it'd be a pain in the ass to scrub.. rotate wheel.. scrub again..rotate etc...


Either way.. still hunting for instructions.. or a kind soul near me that might be able to show me how :)

The paint included in the G2 kit is arguably better than other brands and it was a easy 'one stop shopping' if you will.

I don't know what more you could be looking for as far as instructions - this ain't rocket science. Again, remove calipers or mask, wire brush if necessary, degrease with brake cleaner, mix the 2-part paint and brush it on as many coats as desired/within the paint's time limit (typically 2 coats). You can also do the hubs and rotor hub-rims (of course don't get paint on the rotor-brakepad contact surfaces). Done.

I don't know what more you could be looking for as far as instructions - this ain't rocket science. Again, remove calipers <snip>
Aha! And there lies the key part of this DIY.. removing said calipers... I'm sure it's not difficult, however as someone who's never changed brakes/calipers I'm having a hard time locating any decent instructions.

I've found a few highly technical 'blow-up' type of pictures from various manuals.. but nothing that guides you step by step, as a typical DIY would do.

I've seen quite a few threads on these forums alone with people who have had problems putting on the calipers once removed, often lacking specific tools that seem to be required or not knowing 'simple' things that anyone who's done this before would know.

I guess I was a bit to optimistic that a DIY on painting calipers would have more info than "remove, clean, paint". The original poster had some great tips on things he found out but I don't think I'd call this a DIY by any means, perhaps a "Tips when..xxx" would have been a more appropriate title. (Just my option btw..)

Anyway.. I've finally purchased my jacks and stands, so this weekend I'll see how things go trying to clean it all while leaving the brakes on the car itself.. then seeing how easy it will be to tape everything off so I don't mess up the rotors/pads etc.. :uh:

Check out the Brake DIY's for caliper removal. You should probably just mask yours.

http://www.hi-impact.org/ryang/modify/rx8_brakes/rx8_brakes.html

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=172382

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=68073&highlight=brake+pad+DIY

Aha! And there lies the key part of this DIY.. removing said calipers... I'm sure it's not difficult, however as someone who's never changed brakes/calipers I'm having a hard time locating any decent instructions.

I've found a few highly technical 'blow-up' type of pictures from various manuals.. but nothing that guides you step by step, as a typical DIY would do.

I've seen quite a few threads on these forums alone with people who have had problems putting on the calipers once removed, often lacking specific tools that seem to be required or not knowing 'simple' things that anyone who's done this before would know.

I guess I was a bit to optimistic that a DIY on painting calipers would have more info than "remove, clean, paint". The original poster had some great tips on things he found out but I don't think I'd call this a DIY by any means, perhaps a "Tips when..xxx" would have been a more appropriate title. (Just my option btw..)

Anyway.. I've finally purchased my jacks and stands, so this weekend I'll see how things go trying to clean it all while leaving the brakes on the car itself.. then seeing how easy it will be to tape everything off so I don't mess up the rotors/pads etc.. :uh:

Check out the Brake DIY's
http://www.hi-impact.org/ryang/modify/rx8_brakes/rx8_brakes.html

I had seen this one, it's missing a few critical pics and honestly I couldn't even figure out where that first pic was from (Missing a reference point that I could identify, or perhaps just zoomed in too much for me).


http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=68073&highlight=brake+pad+DIY
This one I also looked at but only mentions how to swing it out.. no mention of how to remove it, and exactly how to put it back on correctly.... I almost went this route...

Finally.. you mentioned this link..

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=172382

PERFECT! :icon_droo

I hadn't seen this one before, and it's not listed in the Alpha/Category sticky list for some strange reason... It's a bit hard to read due to lack of formatting, but by far it's the most comprehensive instructions I've seen, with great pics...

NOW I understand why everyone's been pushing to just mask it off.. OMG that's a lot of work.....

I tried to start the project today, thinking I had everything I needed...
Jack.. Check..
Jack Stands.. Check
Wheel Lock.. check...
Paint and materials.. check...

Then I ran into a few snags.. which required a few trips to Sears.. For anyone else who attempts this for the first time.. here's a list of items I neglected to make sure I had on hand..

1) Break-Bar/Flex Wrench - Used to help undo the lug nuts, especially when tightened properly to the right torque.. that little 10' wrench in the RX8 Toolkit simply does NOT have the right leverage.

2) To go along with the wrench, a 21 MM 6 point socket. (Strangely my tool kits all only had 19 or 22mm.. and all 12pt.. ) The 22mm probably would have worked but didn't want to risk stripping anything.. NOTE: Home Depots selection of sockets is dismal these days.. Sears Had the right one for about $6.50 among the other hundred or so sizes.

3) Torque Wrench to put back on the nuts properly. I never used a torque wrench before on my old cars..I just kinda tightened till I 'felt' they were good. I don't think you should risk it on the RX8.. Wrenchs can run quite a bit of $$... locally I can't find a good one under 79bucks... however I'm looking at a few off the internet:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=239
or
http://www.amazon.com/Michigan-Industrial-Tools-Torque-Wrench/dp/B000HCQOT2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1250387974&sr=8-3

Perhaps someone has an opinion of a good one under $50? Or will these suffice for light duty? I'm leaning toward the amazon simply because it appears to also include an adapter I can use with my other tools which all are 3/4' (I only plan on rotating tires, and perhaps a few minor items)

Note: Make sure whatever one you get that it's rated at least over 100torque.. reason is our wheels are rated at something like 65-85 lbs.. and the smaller wrenchs usually stop at 75. Also pay attention to the driver size.. make sure it's the same size as whatever socket/break-bar you get so they are all interchangeable.

4) Finally... the Jack.
I just got this model from Sears, for over half off during last weeks sale.. $39.99!! http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950140000P Looks like a decent light-weight system. Also bought 2 extra stands for the rear.

Now as a few others have noted in various threads... the RX8 is VERY low, even at stock. Most jacks will have trouble fitting under the front.. and even those that do, often have issues pumping the jack due to clearance. I've not solved this yet myself.. still debating which route to go.. the main two options I've seen are A) Use ramps (or some used 2x4's) to get a few extra inches to start, while using the front jack point.. or B) use the side rails with some sort of notched wooden block or foam/rubber padding on the side rails where the normal jack would be used. (a Spring Coil Booster works good I'm told).

Make sure you have all those 4 points covered before even thinking of starting a project like this.. most of the DIY I've read about 'assume' the user has these tools already and is familar with them. I suppose a decent 'home-mechanic' might.. but for those of us who never had the time before (Thank you Wall-Street!) we might need to spend a bit to get our toolset up to date.

Welp.. tommorrow I'm off to solve my jack issue.. then the 8 goes up.. hopefully I'll have enough time to at least clean 1-2 wheels of rust before I need to go anywhere.... I figure this weekend I'll clean all the rust.. then next weekend, a light cleaning again + paint. (Should be easy with the rust gone i hope)

Anyway.. thanks for that link Huey, It definitely helped me choose not to bother taking them off!

Most of my tools are from Sears (Craftsman), Northern Tool, Autozone (Duralast), and Harbor Freight (the latter for lesser used items). The Harbor Freight torque wrench is fine, but as you're building up your tools the Amazon linked is probably preferable as you cite it has the adaptors you may need. I prefer an ol' school click type as well. I can't be bothered looking at a needle. ;)

Yup, an 18" breaker bar is a must. Autozone has a good one.

Get a "race jack." The very low profile is just right. 1.5 or 2-ton is fine. I can get to my front center jack point (just aft of plastic undercover) with the low profile jack, and that's the lowest point. Some other typical:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=67022

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NPULJC/ref=asc_df_B000NPULJC876307?smid=A12SJVPNTL3HU5&tag=nextag-tools-tier6-mp01-delta-20&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN=B000NPULJC

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950239000P?vName=Tools&cName=Auto+%26+Mechanics+Tools&sName=Lift+Equipment+%26+Jacks

http://www.calcarcover.com/product.aspx?id=324&cid=

Also get a set of Rhino Ramps (Autozone or similar) for when you don't need to remove the wheels but still need clearance e.g. oil changes.

http://www.rhinoramps.com/12000.html

Wheel chocks are a good safety item as well.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96479

It's not really that hard to take off the calipers/rotors. Proper tools, take your time, don't force anything, and you'll be fine. But masking for caliper paint will also work aok.

I'm debating doing black with white decals, or white with black decals

I drive a BB....

Any input? (This is actually a repaint from blue)

heres mine with the stickers on front and back
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e289/brad22000/IMAG0048.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e289/brad22000/IMAG0049.jpg

coments welcome

just a note to all the guys using the decals on your calipers. The decals are best used as masking for the base coat of color you put down before the top color. If you want white lettering on your caliper you would put a base of white on that area, wait for it to dry, put on the decal over the white paint, then paint everything your top color (ie black). Once you were done painting you would remove the decal exposing the white paint beneath.

I don't think a vinyl decal is going to hold up for very long on our calipers.