Protecting calipers from Iron X

K

kajunman

New member
I have tried poster paper and aluminum foil to protect the brake calipers when applying Iron X to wheels-to much hassle. Clingy plastic wrap seem to work the best. What are you guys using?



Thanks in advance.



Kajunman
 
kajunman said:
I have tried poster paper and aluminum foil to protect the brake calipers when applying Iron X...
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School me here....why do you need to protect the calipers from the IronX? If it's safe for the wheels, why wouldn't it be OK for the finish used on the calipers?



I'd think it'd be a good way to clean the ferrous deposits off of the calipers too :think: Not that I use IronX.... :nixweiss
 
Accumulator said:
School me here....why do you need to protect the calipers from the IronX? If it's safe for the wheels, why wouldn't it be OK for the finish used on the calipers?



I'd think it'd be a good way to clean the ferrous deposits off of the calipers too :think: Not that I use IronX.... :nixweiss
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The Iron X can discolor the cheap acyrylic paint used on some calipers by the manufactuers.



kajunman
 
When did manufacturers start painting their brake calipers?



I know they're usually covered with something to deter rust...which doesn't work usually anyways... But I've never heard of them being painted with acrylic from the factory...
 
Normal coating for brake calipers that have a "paint type" surface is powder coating.

If any object is "hot" when any surfactant or acid based cleaner is applied, discoloring is the usual result.

 
Huh...the cad plating (or whatever it is) on my "cheap vehicles' calipers) usually holds up fairly well as long as I clean 'em every time. No, they don't stay Autopian-perfect, but they don't look all corroded/crappy either (and consider how nasty Ohio winters are). The nicely finished (presumably powdercoated) ones on my "good vehicles" never have any problems from cleaners either :nixweiss But then I don't do them while they're hot either.



On the S8, I've been dong the calipers with BlackFire, and it seems to work OK, makes cleanup pretty quick and easy at least until the BF needs redone.



This reminds me that some day I need to send the '93 Audis calipers off to Goldline Brakes for proper refinishing; somebody just *killed* the finish on those while the original owner had it :rolleyes: Utterly terrible looking..
 
I called a friend of mine that works with Ford Engineering. He assures me the Focus calipers are painted and not powder coated.
 
kajunman said:
I called a friend of mine that works with Ford Engineering. He assures me the Focus calipers are painted and not powder coated.
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Ah, that was good, being able to go to a Ford guy! Interesting that they're painting them...but OK, does that make you even more leery regarding the IronX?



You're using the IronX to clean the wheels while they're still on the vehicle, right? Ya think you really need to do that? I never decontaminate my wheels except maybe when they're off the vehicle for one of the very infrequent "big redo" jobs, like if I'm gonna OptiCoat 'em or something. I'm pretty fussy about my wheels not having contamination/etc. issues, and I just never need to do all that much even though I let them get *nasty* between washes.
 
Accumulator said:
Ah, that was good, being able to go to a Ford guy! Interesting that they're painting them...but OK, does that make you even more leery regarding the IronX?



You're using the IronX to clean the wheels while they're still on the vehicle, right? Ya think you really need to do that? I never decontaminate my wheels except maybe when they're off the vehicle for one of the very infrequent "big redo" jobs, like if I'm gonna OptiCoat 'em or something. I'm pretty fussy about my wheels not having contamination/etc. issues, and I just never need to do all that much even though I let them get *nasty* between washes.
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Not really. I used the clingy wrap on the calipers, no problem. I would have taken the wheels off if my arthritis was not so bad.
 
I had my brake calipers lock up over a long period of time and ended up having the issue addressed after a thick coat of dust formed on the wheels. I wanted to remove as much dust as possible without agitation so I used Wolf's Deironizer. I had a new caliper installed due to the old one warping, and when I used the product, the caliper turned to pure rust. Even my OEM calipers look good, but the one new replacement one is brown and completely rusted.
 
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