Caliper Paint Comparison...G2 Epoxy vs DupliColor
08-06-2004, 06:35 PM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Caliper Paint Comparison...G2 Epoxy vs DupliColor
For those of you considering painting the stock calipers, here's a quick review of two of the most popular high temp paints available...
To start, I must say, if you have time to lay the car up for a few days, you should seriously consider powder coating instead of painting. see below for pics of powder coating versus painting....
My first go round, when doing the fronts, I chose to use the G2 two part epoxy. It's not a paint, it is a true epoxy, very hard. I took time to clean the calipers well. It helps to have air tools and a die grinder with a 3M RoLoc surfacing pad made smoothing out the casting marks easy. I also used a wire brush on another die grinder to get the last bits of caked on brake dust off before srpaying them with brake cleaner and blowing them with compressed air.
<img src="http://images3.fotki.com/v34/photos/4/43687/963203/P5220013Small-vi.jpg">
Take time to mask everything you don't want paint on.
The epoxy requires mixing two parts...the hardner and the color base. If you are doing the front and rear at the same time, you can mix it all, but you'll have to work fast because it will begin to cure immediately. Yes, it cures, not dries.
Two or three coats and let it cure. It will be as hard and look much like powder coating.
Since I was a dick and mixed the entire can when I did the fronts, and wasn't planning on doing the rears for a while I had to buy a second paint kit and found DupliColor High Temp Gloss black at a local parts house.
It's a one part paint and goes on much thinner than the epoxy and requires at lease two or three coats.
I did rears using the same cleanup and prep as I did for the fronts.
<img src="http://images6.fotki.com/v97/photos/4/43687/963203/P8060016Small-vi.jpg">
After three coats of black paint and letting it dry a few hours, I mounted up the rears and stepped back to admire it...
<img src="http://images6.fotki.com/v97/photos/4/43687/963203/P8060002Small-vi.jpg">
<img src="http://images6.fotki.com/v99/photos/4/43687/963203/P8060005Small-vi.jpg">
<img src="http://images6.fotki.com/v99/photos/4/43687/963203/P8060006Small-vi.jpg">
<img src="http://images6.fotki.com/v99/photos/4/43687/963203/P8060019Small-vi.jpg">
The DupliColor is just as glossy and wet looking as the G2, however it isn't as syrupy looking. The G2 has a very deep waxy look that the paint doesn't have. Given a choice, definately go witht he G2. The G2 is as close to powder coating as you can get.
I just bought a set of Porsche 993TT Brembo calipers for the fronts that were red. I don't like that much bling so I had them powder coated gloss black...and the G2 is pretty close to the finish of the Brembo's.
<img src="http://images6.fotki.com/v97/photos/4/43687/1207956/P8060014Small-vi.jpg">
<img src="http://images7.fotki.com/v109/photos/4/43687/1207956/IMG_0227-vi.jpg">
Summary...In order of preference...go with powder coating, but if you plan to paint definately go with the G2 two part epoxy. DupliCote should be your last choice.
<i>Edited 12/20/2004</i>
I recently removed my summer wheels to mount up my winter stock. Although the front stock calipers are now gone, they were still in excellent condition when I sold them. The rear calipers are already showing signs of wear and will nee to be done agin in the spring. I plan to do the S8 rear rotor upgrade so I'll do them over with the G2.
The powder coated brembo's look perfect. Not a mark on them.
<i>Edited 11/18/2005</i>
I never refinished the rears. Mainly because I never did the S8 rear upgrade. I most definately need to give the rear brakes some attention this spring and will be doing the calipers over with G2. The Duplicolor has succumb to brake dust and quite frankly looks like ****. I don't know the condition of my old stock brakes as they are long gone, but the powder coating is still perfect.
To start, I must say, if you have time to lay the car up for a few days, you should seriously consider powder coating instead of painting. see below for pics of powder coating versus painting....
My first go round, when doing the fronts, I chose to use the G2 two part epoxy. It's not a paint, it is a true epoxy, very hard. I took time to clean the calipers well. It helps to have air tools and a die grinder with a 3M RoLoc surfacing pad made smoothing out the casting marks easy. I also used a wire brush on another die grinder to get the last bits of caked on brake dust off before srpaying them with brake cleaner and blowing them with compressed air.
<img src="http://images3.fotki.com/v34/photos/4/43687/963203/P5220013Small-vi.jpg">
Take time to mask everything you don't want paint on.
The epoxy requires mixing two parts...the hardner and the color base. If you are doing the front and rear at the same time, you can mix it all, but you'll have to work fast because it will begin to cure immediately. Yes, it cures, not dries.
Two or three coats and let it cure. It will be as hard and look much like powder coating.
Since I was a dick and mixed the entire can when I did the fronts, and wasn't planning on doing the rears for a while I had to buy a second paint kit and found DupliColor High Temp Gloss black at a local parts house.
It's a one part paint and goes on much thinner than the epoxy and requires at lease two or three coats.
I did rears using the same cleanup and prep as I did for the fronts.
<img src="http://images6.fotki.com/v97/photos/4/43687/963203/P8060016Small-vi.jpg">
After three coats of black paint and letting it dry a few hours, I mounted up the rears and stepped back to admire it...
<img src="http://images6.fotki.com/v97/photos/4/43687/963203/P8060002Small-vi.jpg">
<img src="http://images6.fotki.com/v99/photos/4/43687/963203/P8060005Small-vi.jpg">
<img src="http://images6.fotki.com/v99/photos/4/43687/963203/P8060006Small-vi.jpg">
<img src="http://images6.fotki.com/v99/photos/4/43687/963203/P8060019Small-vi.jpg">
The DupliColor is just as glossy and wet looking as the G2, however it isn't as syrupy looking. The G2 has a very deep waxy look that the paint doesn't have. Given a choice, definately go witht he G2. The G2 is as close to powder coating as you can get.
I just bought a set of Porsche 993TT Brembo calipers for the fronts that were red. I don't like that much bling so I had them powder coated gloss black...and the G2 is pretty close to the finish of the Brembo's.
<img src="http://images6.fotki.com/v97/photos/4/43687/1207956/P8060014Small-vi.jpg">
<img src="http://images7.fotki.com/v109/photos/4/43687/1207956/IMG_0227-vi.jpg">
Summary...In order of preference...go with powder coating, but if you plan to paint definately go with the G2 two part epoxy. DupliCote should be your last choice.
<i>Edited 12/20/2004</i>
I recently removed my summer wheels to mount up my winter stock. Although the front stock calipers are now gone, they were still in excellent condition when I sold them. The rear calipers are already showing signs of wear and will nee to be done agin in the spring. I plan to do the S8 rear rotor upgrade so I'll do them over with the G2.
The powder coated brembo's look perfect. Not a mark on them.
<i>Edited 11/18/2005</i>
I never refinished the rears. Mainly because I never did the S8 rear upgrade. I most definately need to give the rear brakes some attention this spring and will be doing the calipers over with G2. The Duplicolor has succumb to brake dust and quite frankly looks like ****. I don't know the condition of my old stock brakes as they are long gone, but the powder coating is still perfect.
08-06-2004, 06:54 PM
#2
Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,216
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
any ideas on how to easily remove paint from a caliper?
the paint i used is cheap, it chips, and it does not look good. i would like to go with G2. anyone know what the easiest way would be to stripping that paint?
08-06-2004, 07:25 PM
#3
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Re: any ideas on how to easily remove paint from a caliper?
If it's chipping already I'd say you could remove it with a wire brush or surfacing disk.
3M RoLoc diskx can be foud at Sears Hardware. They come in many grits and work great...
3M RoLoc diskx can be foud at Sears Hardware. They come in many grits and work great...
08-06-2004, 07:31 PM
#5
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 12,088
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2nd. Old bleed fluid is a great paint remover.
I save it for environmental reasons, but it does come in handy as a paint/wax remover sometimes.
Research this so you know exactly what it does before you use it!!!
Research this so you know exactly what it does before you use it!!!
