Question for the Pros: Protecting High End Brake Calipers

NacsMXer

NacsMXer

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I just purchased a Brembo Gran Turismo big brake kit for my car like in the picture i've posted below. I've ordered it with a custom 2 stage clear coated automotive paint option.

What would be the best choice for protecting the finish on the brake calipers before I mount and install them? I was also not sure about applying a product to protect the black anodized aluminum rotor hats on the 2 piece rotors. This is obviously going to be a high heat application so whatever I use needs to be up to the task at hand. Thanks for your input. :xyxthumbs:

Products I have on hand (open to other options you may suggest):

- CarPro cQuartz UK
- CarPro cQuartz Dlux
- CarPro Reload 2014
- CarPro Hydro2
- Collinite 845
- Meguiars #21 Synthetic Sealant

5f5dle.jpg
 
I've had UK on my Brembo's 10 months and counting...
 
It all depends how you use them. If just on the street CQUK should be fine.

If you are tracking the car nothing will hold up. My red Brembos were rust colored after the first season. My silver Alcons were goldie-silver after the first year.

Be careful on the anodized hats. Some wheel cleaners interact with the black anodized and make it purples-ish.
 
I've never tried but Collinite, given its industrial origins, seems like an interesting option.

Has anyone actually tried this and can comment on the durability.
 
Ebg18t said:
It all depends how you use them. If just on the street CQUK should be fine.

If you are tracking the car nothing will hold up. My red Brembos were rust colored after the first season. My silver Alcons were goldie-silver after the first year.

Be careful on the anodized hats. Some wheel cleaners interact with the black anodized and make it purples-ish.
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Thats funny, the same thing happened to my friend who tracked his EVO, his red calipers turned brown from the heat.


I think an option might be Hydro2. It is such a great product for getting on things that have weird shapes since it is just sprayed on and hosed off.
 
I would find an Opti-Coat Pro installer in your area and just have them Opti-Coat'ed while they're off the vehicle. They shouldn't charge you much and it's permanent.
 
Jaretr1 said:
Thats funny, the same thing happened to my friend who tracked his EVO, his red calipers turned brown from the heat.
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When I used to instruct at the HDPE events we used to be able to tell who was feeding us a line of BS by looking at their calipers. It was always funny to hear someone tell us how much track time they had on the car (or how this was their full time track car) and give us all this techie jumbo-jumbo and their calipers still looked perfect. Within minutes on the track the excuses started flowing..
 
Thank you for your replies and suggestions, I appreciate it.

I think I will do a couple coats of CQUK and use Hydro2 to give things a boost when I wash the wheels.

I will not be tracking the car so hopefully the CQUK will hold up as long as 281 mentioned above.
 
NacsMXer said:
Thank you for your replies and suggestions, I appreciate it.

I think I will do a couple coats of CQUK and use Hydro2 to give things a boost when I wash the wheels.

I will not be tracking the car so hopefully the CQUK will hold up as long as 281 mentioned above.
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What pads are you going to use? Stock Brembo's dust like crazy. Also, what are you using to clean the wheels? I switched from Sonax Full Effect to Megs D143 Wheel and Tire Clean 1:4 ratio and works awesome. UK and Hydro2 will provide plenty of protection...definitely apply 2 coats of UK :props:
 
281 said:
What pads are you going to use? Stock Brembo's dust like crazy. Also, what are you using to clean the wheels? I switched from Sonax Full Effect to Megs D143 Wheel and Tire Clean 1:4 ratio and works awesome. UK and Hydro2 will provide plenty of protection...definitely apply 2 coats of UK :props:
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I researched different pad options for the Gran Turismo kits, but have decided to stick with the supplied Brembo pads (Ferodo FM1000). I've read they can be a bit dusty, but they are quiet and are an excellent street pad. There aren't a whole lot of other options unless you want to step up to more aggressive race pads which compromise on rotor life, increased noise, and cold temperature performance.

My chrome Roush wheels are already CQUK'd with Reload applied to the inner barrels and that has been working out nicely. I don't use any dedicated wheel cleaning chemicals. I simply use Adams Car Shampoo (pH neutral), a foam gun, a Boar's hair wheel brush, and Speedmaster brush to keep the wheels clean. I clean the rims at least once a week, so embedded build up hasn't been a problem.

I'll definitely give the new calipers at least 2 coats of CQUK, thanks for the tip.
 
NacsMXer said:
There aren't a whole lot of other options unless you want to step up to more aggressive race pads which compromise on rotor life, .
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Don't forget about checking Pagid pads. If you don't find what you want, CarboTech will make a pad for you. You take your backing plate and chose their compound. iIRC the 1604 compound is their street compound with little to no dust. I have used CarboTech over the years for hard to find pad sizes.
 
Ebg18t said:
Don't forget about checking Pagid pads. If you don't find what you want, CarboTech will make a pad for you. You take your backing plate and chose their compound. iIRC the 1604 compound is their street compound with little to no dust. I have used CarboTech over the years for hard to find pad sizes.
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I've heard good things about the Pagid RS series pads but they are several hundred dollars a set for the Brembo GT kit. I also read some mixed reviews on the Carbotech 1521 Bobcat street pads. I almost pulled the trigger on a set for the rear but read that the initial bite when cold isn't as good as OEM. They are supposed to be better than OEM once they heat up though, Carbotech confirms this.

I think i'm going to get my money's worth out of the supplied pads and then possibly look at alternatives if necessary. Basically the only downside to the Brembo Ferodo FM1000 pads is moderate dust, which the OEM pads exhibit already.
 
NacsMXer said:
I researched different pad options for the Gran Turismo kits, but have decided to stick with the supplied Brembo pads (Ferodo FM1000). I've read they can be a bit dusty, but they are quiet and are an excellent street pad. There aren't a whole lot of other options unless you want to step up to more aggressive race pads which compromise on rotor life, increased noise, and cold temperature performance.

My chrome Roush wheels are already CQUK'd with Reload applied to the inner barrels and that has been working out nicely. I don't use any dedicated wheel cleaning chemicals. I simply use Adams Car Shampoo (pH neutral), a foam gun, a Boar's hair wheel brush, and Speedmaster brush to keep the wheels clean. I clean the rims at least once a week, so embedded build up hasn't been a problem.

I'll definitely give the new calipers at least 2 coats of CQUK, thanks for the tip.
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Are your Roush wheels same as the ones in my signature 20x9.5? Having the wheels coated does make it super easy to clean. When I coated mine I also did the barrels, only problem I ran into was Roush put some kind of protection on the barrels, had to scrub it off with a wire brush - a real pita but its nice and shiny inside the barrels and super easy to clean with a wheel woolie and Megs D143
 
281 said:
Are your Roush wheels same as the ones in my signature 20x9.5? Having the wheels coated does make it super easy to clean. When I coated mine I also did the barrels, only problem I ran into was Roush put some kind of protection on the barrels, had to scrub it off with a wire brush - a real pita but its nice and shiny inside the barrels and super easy to clean with a wheel woolie and Megs D143
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Yep, same ones. The silver coating on the inner barrels was the reason I had to use Reload on them. It was much too coarse to be able to apply CQUK to it. I called up Roush regarding the coating and they said they did that sort of as an OEM touch to prevent corrosive brake dust from damaging the chrome and possibly causing it to peel. Most people don't even clean the insides of the wheels so I can appreciate why Roush did that.

I applied Reload using an old foam sponge very liberally. With CQUK on the outer chrome face and Reload protecting the barrels, I don't get a speck of brake dust buildup. The water beading is also insane.

Here's what they looked like right after coating
8vrbro.jpg

2welzkg.jpg
 
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