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Welcome to the Forum. Your Public Profile shows that you just joined. Please read this and create a signature that includes details of your car so we don't have to keep asking you about it. See my signature at the bottom of this page. It's automatic at the end of my posts https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/n...-up%2A-241802/
The X150 was introduced in 2006, and since then almost every question has been asked and answered. Learn to use the Advanced Search function or find answers to your questions using Google. Simply preface your Google search with "Jaguar X150 Forums" followed by a few key words.
Here is the extreme opposite way. At the tire shop when the car is on a lift waiting for new rubber, take a rag and cover the disk as much as possible. Then spray the caliper on as much as you can see. Change rag for the next. I have seen all four done in less than 4 minutes. And when you drive, the overspray will disappear!
Welcome to the Forum. Your Public Profile shows that you just joined. Please read this and create a signature that includes details of your car so we don't have to keep asking you about it. See my signature at the bottom of this page. It's automatic at the end of my posts https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/n...-up%2A-241802/
The X150 was introduced in 2006, and since then almost every question has been asked and answered. Learn to use the Advanced Search function or find answers to your questions using Google. Simply preface your Google search with "Jaguar X150 Forums" followed by a few key words.
I hope you enjoy your XK as much as I've enjoyed mine.
Stuart
Many thanks for the information. I was not aware that "signature" meant your vehicle but I've now added mine in.
Regarding searching I did try searching for information in the "Search Threads" box but nothing of use was returned.I'll take your advice on board.
I've also read the thread you pointed out.
Regards
Rob
Here is the extreme opposite way. At the tire shop when the car is on a lift waiting for new rubber, take a rag and cover the disk as much as possible. Then spray the caliper on as much as you can see. Change rag for the next. I have seen all four done in less than 4 minutes. And when you drive, the overspray will disappear!
Errr, thanks for that but what about cleaning N thousand miles of gunk off the calipers before spraying?
Just askin'
I have to say my calipers are relatively kept clean during every car wash. The mags are cleaned once a year, when I put on the winter set. Other than factory silver, I don't know which color to paint them. Maybe they should be Ford blue, or Protestant orange. But red is too Ferrari.
RobT-UK, yes I just painted my calipers in February. Took the long approach as I wanted to turn the rotors, replace the brake pads, and flush the brake system at the same time. So here's an overview and some pictures.
1. First thing was to disconnect the battery as you will be working with the electric parking brake.
2. Then remove about half the brake fluid in the reservoir as depressing the brake pistons will force fluid back into the reservoir and may overflow it. For this, I use a "HOLT INDUSTRIES Pneumatic Air Operated Brake Bleeder with Auto-Refill Kit" from Harbor Freight (https://www.harborfreight.com/pneuma...kit-57057.html). It will suck out the entire reservoir and will bleed brakes - each in a matter of seconds - so it's a very good investment.
3. Using page 105 of the X150 Repair Manual (http://jagrepair.com/images/AutoRepa...150Service.pdf) covering Floor Jack and Axle Stands, put the car on stands and remove the wheels, brake calipers, and rotors. My rotors had likely never been removed and came off with significant release of force using a large 3-jaw gear puller - so be careful. I caught myself in the jaw with the back of my hand and it took about a week for the swelling to go down.
4. I started with the rears as shown on page 499 of the Repair Manual. Remove the brake hose, badge, and anti-rattle spring. Without kinking the hose, either use wire or caliper hangers to hold the brake lines up to further prevent drainage. Next remove the parking brake spring followed by the parking brake cable. Then remove the caliper guide pins and caliper anchor plate bolts to remove the calipers.
5. For the fronts, you do not need to disconnect the brake hoses as the pistons are in a housing separate from the calipers you will be painting. Be very careful removing the front badges because their anti-rattle springs are under very high tension and will come off with significant force. Front caliper guide pins are somewhat recessed and need an allen wrench to remove. Hang the piston housings with wire or caliper hangers so not to put stress on the brake lines.
6. Use a brake caliper tool to wind-back the parking brake. This ~$20 tool is another wise investment.
7. In a well ventilated area and with a dust mask on, use a wire brush on an electric drill to clean all the residue off the calipers. Blow them off with compressed air. Then put all the parts you will be painting in a bucket with a quart of mineral spirits and scrub them to remove any oil/grease. Use nitrile gloves to protect your hands.
8. Mask off all polished mating surfaces, rubber pieces, and bolt holes you will not want to paint. Use a razor knife to trim the masking tape.
9. Paint all parts with primer. I used Rust-Oleum 249340 High-Heat Primer. Since I was going to have my rotors turned, I did not mask them, but I did hold a plastic lid in place to prevent painting their surfaces that will mate with the axles and wheels.
10. Paint all caliper components with multiple coats of caliper paint of the desired color. I used Rust-Oleum 251591 Red for the calipers and Rust-Oleum 251592 Black for the badges. Only one can of each color of paint was necessary for the whole job. Paint can be cleaned up with mineral spirits. Remove and soak the spray heads in mineral spirits between coats and afterward to prevent clogging. I then cured the caliper components (not the badges) in a counter-top oven that I bought at a pawn shop for $20. I cured them in three stages as recommended on the spray can; except, I only went to 400 degrees F in the last stage because the residual brake fluid in the calipers began smoking and I did not want any boiling - or worse.
11. While waiting a day or two for all paint to be more fully dry, I had my rotors turned. We have an excellent brake and alignment shop in Tyler that will turn rotors for $10 each (and alignments for $75 no matter the car). After turning, all rotors were well within specs shown in the Repair Manual (page 493 rear and 466 front). Turning the rotors removes all overspray of primer. I applied a very thin coat of anti-seize on rotor surfaces that mate with the axles and wheels (then wiped it off with a rag) so the rotors will come off much more easily in the future.
12. Apply new "R" stickers to the brake badges. I got an excellent set off Ebay (https://www.ebay.com/itm/115689174840). Then apply multiple coats of clear paint over the badge's stickers to keep them from coming off. I used Rust-Oleum 363572 Gloss Clear Engine Enamel.
13. Reassemble all components using torques specified in the Repair Manual. Put in new brake pads if that's in your project plan. Cover the front badges, and all caliper surfaces the anti-rattle springs will come in contact with, in masking tape. Guaranteed, you will still scratch the paint no matter how careful, so afterwards spray some caliper paint on a disposable surface and use a small paint brush to touch up surfaces. These front springs are quite difficult to install as they are under significant tension - so be careful.
14. Remove remaining brake fluid from the reservoir, then flush/bleed the brake system so all new brake fluid is in the system. Use the specified DOT 4 as it has a higher boiling point than DOT 3. If you took my advice and purchased the pneumatic bleeder, this will only take a few minutes.
15. Check everything before reinstalling the wheels.
16. When reinstalling the wheels, place a shop rag over the calipers to prevent any scratching. Wheels/tires are quite heavy and will likely come in contact with the rotors while fitting. The shop rag can be removed after a few lug nuts are holding the wheel away from the calipers. If anything is scratched, use the small paint brush for touch ups after the wheels are on.
17. Reconnect the battery leads - positive followed by negative. Before driving off, recalibrate the parking brake by holding the brake pedal down and then cycling the parking brake lever about five times. Lastly, reset your clock and right/left window memories.
18. Enjoy the finished product.
I have to say my calipers are relatively kept clean during every car wash. The mags are cleaned once a year, when I put on the winter set. Other than factory silver, I don't know which color to paint them. Maybe they should be Ford blue, or Protestant orange. But red is too Ferrari.
Each to their own regarding colour. I've only had my X150 6 weeks or so and it looks like there is 15 years of gunk (dirt etc.) on the calipers so I'm going to clean them thoroughly before painting as I want the paint to stick.
Thanks for your reply
Thanks Kurt for a very comprehensive post. The links you've supplied will be very useful.
The result (to my eyes) looks superb. The ribs on my wheels (19") are very close together so the impact of the painted calipers will not be as impressive as yours.
Regards
Rob
I've had really good luck with Por 15 on my cars and it's extremely forgiving to mistakes in a way that rattle can paint is not; but unlike rattle can caliper paint it's also much easier to make a mistake with it and apply too much. It needs to be monitored fairly closely as you're working on it.
I think I want to look into painting my calipers the color of pewter. Google says there are 25 shades of pewter. So I may name my choice, Aston Martin silver.
mine came as a copper color i change it red por 15comes in red also make sure you coat them in por 15 as a primer before putting on color then clear over the color
