Need some help with my calipers!

Ladies and gentleman, I need your help!

First, let me introduce myself,

My name is Beck, and I have an addiction. There. I feel better all ready. Now down to business.



Tonight, I modified a process in the way I detail my rims, tires and brake calipers. Normally, I would just put my car on jack stands and remove the rims to properly clean them and the calipers (and my Tein coilovers on occasion). However last time I did that, I didn't have the jack seated properly on the center cross member, which caused the jack to slip and do this:

(Bent upper and lower radiator supports)



Having just replaced those damaged bits, and not wanting to have a repeat, I decided to use Griots Garage Heavy Duty Wheel Cleaner and their wheel cleaning tools to clean my rims, granted a little over kill as I've only driven this car maybe 15 miles since my last cleaning (this passed weekend)... But I was anxious to use this product. Here is the result of using that product:





Any ideas on what it is exactly I'm dealing with here? At first I thought it was a film, and I tried using a mild cleaner with a rag, however that was only a minor improvement:



The flash makes it appear to be better then what it is (on top). Any ideas as to why this has happened? I want to believe that it is just a reaction to the coating of wax I had previously applied to them... And that if I strip said wax everything will be okay... But the way my luck has been going lately I may be looking at a refinish. Oh, and it should be noted that these calipers are 7-months old with around 2,000 miles on them. Last cleaning agent used was Wolfgang Auto Bathe.

Damned if I do, damned if I don't.

Agfan said:

It was probably from the wheel cleaner. Try some polish an see if it removes it at all. May take a bit I elbow grease but it should remove it.

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I hope your right, I will not be happy if I have to strip and repaint.

DaveT435 said:

I probably would have left the first part of that story off the site. lol

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Eh, I just wanted to explain why I changed my method of wheel cleaning. We all make mistakes, if I can't laugh at my own bouts of stupidity, then I have no right laughing at others. :xyxthumbs:

rider9195 said:

:iagree:

Just looks like the finish on the calipers is sensitive, so I would be careful around them.

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I just can't imagine why a company would have such a weak coating on an object that is designed for such brutal environments? If that is in fact the case, does anyone know if Brembo's finish is more resilient? Is there a cleaner that you would recommend?

Thanks for all the input, I appreciate your help! I'll try buffing them tonight and let you all know how it went.

FPEvo said:

Not to be a downer. But inless Stoptech does something differently, you might/probably have to get them repainted. Owning 2 Evo's, ive been through this and when they get hot or old, it fades and turns pink. Nothing was able to bring them back. I use sonax on all the wheel stuff, followed by either OCW or 845.

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Unfortunately you are correct, it is inevitable. However, this time Meg's 105 worked like a champ! I'll post a pic after I'm finished in the garage.

DaveT435 said:

Let me ask this...where the calipers hot when you used the wheel cleaner?

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No sir, Racheal had been sitting in the garage for about 6 hours before being cleaned. Prior to that was a 3-mile trip home from work to switch vehicles before the rain was supposed to hit.

Thanks for the help guys, I would have started in a much harsher fashion then what was necessary! :dblthumb2: