I did this "how to" guide on another forum a while back - it's a bit anal, but some folk migt find it useful
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1. Remove wheels and thoroughly clean callipers. Suggest using a rag at first to wipe calliper and back of pads clean. Then use a wire brush or a load of wire wool to buff off more stubborn dust / dirt. The important point is to try and remove as much loose material as possible, and to roughen surface so the paint has something to key to. Try to clean the whole calliper and not just the face of the component – This includes the side and the back of the calliper. Once completely cleaned – blow off loose dust as best as possible.
2. In the past I’ve used Hammerite for callipers and hubs, however, I have found that high temperature paint is the best. This is slightly more expensive however I believe the results are better. Apply one thin coat at a time allowing a good few hours to properly harden and cure (remember to mask off pad faces and any parts that are not to be painted). For best results apply two coats in one day, refit wheels and leave to harden for a few days whilst driving the vehicle in a normal manner. Then re-apply a further 2 coats and again refit wheels allowing paint to harden. It is important to let paint properly cure as otherwise too many layers that have not cured properly and get hot – basically start to melt and go “sloppy†once callipers get some heat into them.
3. After a week or so, once paint has properly hardened (you should be able to make a very slight imprint with your fingernail at this point but no more than that), it is best to apply a clear lacquer. This can be bought at paint shops / car accessory shops. To apply, again remove wheels and wipe down callipers (to remove the weeks worth of brake dust). Apply 2 thin coats of lacquer and leave to harden for a few days. The lacquer serves 2 purposes – Firstly it protects the paint you’ve applied & secondly, the slick surface makes the callipers look more shiny and also makes cleaning them a lot easier (if you’re sad like me that is! )
4. Should you wish to apply decals, wait a few days for the lacquer to totally harden. To apply – remove wheels – wipe callipers clean and then carefully apply decals spending time to ensure that the stickers are correctly lined up. Once stuck to the callipers, apply one clear coat of lacquer using a very clean brush (a dirty brush will leave streaky marks over your new decal). The lacquer helps to protect the decal and also helps to make sure it is stuck to the calliper and cannot peel off.
5. Refit wheels and admire results !!
This whole process takes about a week and the wheels need to be taken on and off a couple of times. It is possible to do a rush job in a couple of hours on a saturday afternoon, however I donÂ’t believe the results are as good and they certainly donÂ’t last as long. I painted mine black 3-4 months back and there is absolutely no sign of the paint chipping / melting or the decals falling off. The car has on occasion had rapid road use but has not been put on the track- therefore I couldnÂ’t vouch for track car suitability.
One last point is that I painted the hubs (again in Black) on my car as the original finish tends to look a bit rusty after a while. This dosenÂ’t take long and only 2 coats of regular paint are needed (they donÂ’t get the heat that the callipers do). This makes a subtle but significant difference to the appearance of the car and shows off the wheels to better effect.
