painting rusty drilled and slotted rotors

[ronstang94]

first, do most rotors rust? I assume there are some stainless steel ones out there but, they must be expensive.

As far as I know there are three options: let them look ugly, zinc coating, or painting.

Does zinc coating look ugly yellow/gold?

Im thinking of using black high heat header paint. I have already started masking off the braking surfaces of one of the rotors. Im leaving the outer edge, inner hub, slots, and holes exposed to be painted. How bad would it be if a little overspray ended up on the braking surface and then would be transfered to the pad the first time the brakes are aplied? Not a big deal?

Is this the best option?

Thanks

 

[Chythar]

All rotors will rust. The zinc/cadmium/paint coatings you can get only protect the part of the rotor that the brake pads don't touch. Where the brake pads contact the rotor, they WILL rust no matter what you do. The friction from the pads will rub off any coating on the rotors.

I don't like the gold colored coatings. Silver or black (when you can find it) is better IMO. Never tried to paint the rotors myself. Any overspray will get in the pads but will wear off in time. It should wear off after a few hard stops, no problem.

 

[XxFaceYourFear]

I painted mine with a high temp black paint. I did several coats over the bell top and edges. I didn't bother masking anything off since the brakes were going to clean themselves up. The paint on the braking surface didn't affect anything at all and getting everything black looks worlds better.

Make sure you clear them of rust clean them of oils before painting. Mine were new so I didn't bother with the rust, but I used a quick drying brake parts cleaner to get rid of any finger oils or lubricants they use to keep the rotors from rusting on the shelves before spraying.

 

[Chythar]

I painted mine with a high temp black paint. I did several coats over the bell top and edges. I didn't bother masking anything off since the brakes were going to clean themselves up. The paint on the braking surface didn't affect anything at all and getting everything black looks worlds better.

How long ago did you do this, and how is the paint holding up? I also prefer black rotors but it's hard to find a company that will do black zinc coatings.

 

[urban96]

i always give my rotor hats a quick coat of high temp paint b4 installing them.

the ones on my 02 still look great after 2 years. you can always touch them up easilyif needed

 

[reddy351]

Keep a few things in mind:

Paint remains "fluid" for a long time, even after it's "dry". There WILL be dried/burned paint to contaminate the pads, if you get it on the braking surface. A little paint on the pad edges won't hurt anything but, you don't want to coat the whole rotor. (Ask me how I know.)

DON'T get any paint on the surface that touches the hub or the wheel. When heated, paint becomes very much like superglue. It WILL make the rotor or wheel difficult to remove, when it comes time to do so. (Ask me how I know.)

I just did this on my Cobra rotors. I used a 500 degree engine enamel because it's what I had. I would prefer to use the really good 1200 degree header stuff. Duplicolor pretty much make the only "rattlecan" paint to use. Use it, if you can.

In any case, a few "moderate" stops will provide enough heat to bake the paint onto the rotor.

Good luck!

 

[Chythar]

OK, I'll bite. How do you know this?

 

[reddy351]

OK, I'll bite. How do you know this?

Experience.

I painted the rotors on an old Fairlane that I had. It was going to be sitting for a few months, before the weather would be nice enough to drive it. Didn't sand it off, before I drove it. I figured it would just "burn off", when the brakes got hot. It just turned into a sticky mess. Don't do it.

As far as the hub, I worked at a tire store. Occasionally, some dufus would bring his "hot rod' in for new rubber. Usually, if the hubs had been painted and the wheels replaced and then the car driven, the wheels would be as good as welded onto the hub. Same with the inside of the "hat" part of the rotor. It required a sledgehammer (weilded by the car owner) and subsequently, a broken wheel.

We have enough headaches, working on our own cars. Why make more of them, when we don't have to?

 

[Pokageek]

My cross-drilled and slotted rears are zinc coated. Got the off of ebay and they don't rust at all other than a little surface that gets "sanded" off when I hit the brakes the first time afdter rain. But then again I do not drive in the rain hardly at all.

 

[urban96]

Experience.

I painted the rotors on an old Fairlane that I had. It was going to be sitting for a few months, before the weather would be nice enough to drive it. Didn't sand it off, before I drove it. I figured it would just "burn off", when the brakes got hot. It just turned into a sticky mess. Don't do it.

As far as the hub, I worked at a tire store. Occasionally, some dufus would bring his "hot rod' in for new rubber. Usually, if the hubs had been painted and the wheels replaced and then the car driven, the wheels would be as good as welded onto the hub. Same with the inside of the "hat" part of the rotor. It required a sledgehammer (weilded by the car owner) and subsequently, a broken wheel.

We have enough headaches, working on our own cars. Why make more of them, when we don't have to?

hrmm... i painted mine right b4 install, used light coats and drove it right after to "bake" the new paint and have not had any issues the paint was also not a gloss type finish (matte silver)

 

[earleys94gt]

If you want a rotor that looks "clean" all the time go zinc coated.

I am sure you can make them look good by painting them, but it is going to take some good quality paint(DupliColor), some good prep. work and most likely a good deal of patience.

 

[reddy351]

I think that I'll be hating the 500 degree paint, sooner than I thought. I have 300-400 miles on them, since I painted/intalled them. I just took the opportunity to really "test" them, tonight. (Damned good stopping! Cobra brakes..FTW!!!!) I got them hot enough that I smelled the paint burning a little. That prolly can't last long.

BTW, I used "Cast Iron Grey" Duplicolor. It's a really nice look, against the red calipers.

 

[FastFord]

I have zinc coated cross drilled/slotted rotors. installed in '99. Eventually, the zinc coating began to look crappy. I use a sponge brush to dab high heat silver paint works great, lasts, and is easy to touch up with the tires on (plus no over spray ).

 

[GTA_V6_Mustang]

I painted mine black with this special brake rotor paint crap we have at work and so far still good. Didnt do any prep except spray rotors with brake cleaner and then paint, came out good and still look good, no rust

 

[ronstang94]

Thanks for all of the replies.

This is what im getting from this thread:

1. Most have sprayed the inside and outside of the rotor hats and not had a problem

2. Some have seen that painting the inside and outside of the rotor hats will cause the paint to melt and glue things together (I suspect that the paint used in these situations was not meant to be used in such high heat situations, and that a better paint w/ a higher heat rating would have solved these issues.)

3. Some have sprayed the entire rotor with paint, the brake pads took all excess paint off, and there were no problems.

4. All seem to be believe that a little overspray will not hurt a thing.

I have decided to paint the entire rotor except for the area that the pads will make contact with. I will be masking off these areas leaving the drilled holes and slots exposed to be painted.

Ill put some pics up of the process and final product.
Thanks.