Caliper Color: Covers vs Painting?

[BoredOhio]

Hey all, I have a 2019 A7 Prestige w/ S-Line package and I'd like to add some color to the stock gray/metal brakes. The front brakes look pretty nice and beefy other than the gray color, but the backs are just plain metal.

What have others done for these cars? Are there good quality replacements or covers available that look nice? Or is removing the existing calipers and painting them and adding some Audi logos the best bet? Any idea how much that might cost?

I'd love to see pictures of what you guys have done with your cars and some info on why/how you went that direction.

[LegoManiac]

IMO caliper covers look cheap, especially for 6 piston calipers. I used G2 Caliper paint. One can, 2 coats on the rears, carefully put the wheels back on, then 3 coats on the front and let it sit overnight . Added Audi Sport high temp decals from eBay.

IMG_8262.jpg

[BoredOhio]

So you didn't have to remove the calipers to paint them? Did you do the rears as well? Was it hard to get the decals to stick on the rears? Good job, they look great.

[LegoManiac]

No, I didn't remove the calipers. In all honesty, you can get really good coverage on the car. Removing the calipers will let air into the system and you'll have to bleed them several times. I did the rears too, but they're just single piston sliders, so I didn't do stickers.

G2 paint is a pretty solid product, although picking up some nicer brushes is definitely worth it. I used it when I swapped Macan calipers onto my MK7 R too.

brembo.jpg

[Gbop98]

I had mine painted at the same time I was getting my wheels powder coatedScreenshot_20240222_210605_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20240222_210510_Gallery.jpg

[JWebb_C7_Comp]

No, I didn't remove the calipers. In all honesty, you can get really good coverage on the car. Removing the calipers will let air into the system and you'll have to bleed them several times. I did the rears too, but they're just single piston sliders, so I didn't do stickers.

G2 paint is a pretty solid product, although picking up some nicer brushes is definitely worth it. I used it when I swapped Macan calipers onto my MK7 R too.

brembo.jpg

Wow, that looks fantastic. My solution would have been to find someone willing to do powder coating, but as you noted, that means the car is out of service, air might get into the system, etc.... Nice work~!

[JustNick]

Wow, that looks fantastic. My solution would have been to find someone willing to do powder coating, but as you noted, that means the car is out of service, air might get into the system, etc.... Nice work~!

I wouldn't powdercoat calipers based on one of my racing friends experience. He found that the heat would make the coating pliable again and would let contaminants like brake dust and dirt imbed in the surface and ended up with a burnt look that he couldn't get rid of without a strip and recoat.

But he might have also used a low quality or lower temp powder

[Gbop98]

I wouldn't powdercoat calipers based on one of my racing friends experience. He found that the heat would make the coating pliable again and would let contaminants like brake dust and dirt imbed in the surface and ended up with a burnt look that he couldn't get rid of without a strip and recoat.

But he might have also used a low quality or lower temp powder

The place that did mine also told me that they paint the calipers vs powder coating like they do for wheels because the powder coating can't stand the heat from the brakes.

[Biggu]

Personally any time I see some one with brake caliper covers I laugh at how terrible they look. They are not fooling anyone with those things. My calipers are out right now getting coated and should have them back soon. As far as the concerns that powder cant stand the heat from brakes, if you are doing constant track time then yes you will probably overheat the powder. for an every day driver and spirited driving you will absolutely be fine.

[Sean@TAG]

We paint all of ours in house :)

[Biggu]

Just picked up mine from power coating. Decided against a decal because I didnt think having a straight decal on a curved face would look right.

[LegoManiac]

Just picked up mine from power coating. Decided against a decal because I didnt think having a straight decal on a curved face would look right.

Agree. You can't see them in my pic, but I got curved Audi Sport decals on the 'Bay. Most are straight, but curved are available....

[BoredOhio]

Agree. You can't see them in my pic, but I got curved Audi Sport decals on the 'Bay. Most are straight, but curved are available....

Which curved stickers did you end up going with? Could you post a picture of them? That sounds like a great option for these weird calipers

[LegoManiac]

Which curved stickers did you end up going with? Could you post a picture of them? That sounds like a great option for these weird calipers

The wheel spokes really hide them

A6_Brakes_close.jpg


These are the ones I used. They're 100mm long (about 4 inches)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/29443139224...Bk9SR-aA_6bDYw

[SleeperCar]

IMO caliper covers look cheap, especially for 6 piston calipers. I used G2 Caliper paint. One can, 2 coats on the rears, carefully put the wheels back on, then 3 coats on the front and let it sit overnight . Added Audi Sport high temp decals from eBay.

IMG_8262.jpg

back from the dead on this one, did you pre-sand or prep the surface in anyway prior to applying G2? my stock brakes are quite a rough surface, so was curious