I'm curious to hear what you guys have done in cleaning brakes and making them look better than you got them. I just received a set of 97' rear brakes to mount on my rear end. They look like they came from a junkyard. There was complementary mud packed into different areas. I've taken the time to wash off the mud, etc from the calipers but what do you do for rust and etc? My plan is a couple coats of VHT yellow when it's all said and done. Thanks in advance for advice.

 

sand blast and cover the piston seal with tape as well as plug the bleeder and line holes to keep sand out or use a drill with a wire brush attachment.

 

i wish i had before pics but mine were a mess when i got em. the were covered in grease and brake dust. they were pretty nasy. but i used a product i have at work called zep-a-lum. its made by zep and this stuff will clean just about anything. just dont breath it in or get it in ur eyes. heres the after pic before i put em on the car.
matt

 

Camaro, NICE. Mine are pretty nasty. I can say for sure they probably came off a yard car or a nasty wreck. The parts seem to be in good condition, just need some TLC on the cleaning and aestetics. Did you use VHT type paint, POR, or normal high temp enamel?
Noticed your in E.Haven. I've just come back to CT after a 9 year haitus. Good to see another nice 3rd gen such as yours.

 

AC, mine we a mess like urs when i first got em. id prolly rebuild em too before you put em on the car. i did mine i think it was like 10 bucks for everything from the dealer, i get a discount tho so im not sure on the actual price. judging by ur info u seem to have a pretty sweet car. if u need a hand with anything im always willing to help out a fellow thirdgener.
matt

 

Camaro, thanks for the info. When you say rebuild, there's not too much to rebuild. A couple of rubber seal/covers that go over the bracket posts and a zerx fitting or are you talking about replacing seals, etc in the piston itself? I may take you up on your help offer sometime soon. I'm going to be putting the final assembly touches on this project. Next in line (Oct 28th&29th) is putting the Hooker 2210's in.

 

yea im talkin about replacing all the seals and rebuilding the pistons. its pretty simple, i did it just to make sure the calipers worked as they werent as clean as i thought they were gonna b. id be interested in helpin with the headers, thats next up on my list for winter projects. im gonna b in italy til the 29th tho.
matt

 

Bead blast them using glass bead as the media. That's what I did. Of course covering the areas not to be blasted with masking tape as already mentioned.

Lon

 

I got a set of PBR rears from e-bay and they weren't very pretty. I didn't have access to and kind of blaster. I used LOTS of brake cleaner (no respiratory protection, still coughing it up) and steel wool. I painted them with VHT brake paint and clear coat (900*). Look alot like the calipers in JamesC's oft-promoted thread.

I also got a set of rotors with this set and I was gonna have them turned. However I found out they need to be trashed (after I painted the hub). IF you have rotors, get em checked before beautifing them.

Definately get a rebuild kit. Old brakes with "NOS" parts will work better than something lying around in the yard for a few years. My stuff is on the work bench now waiting for me to get down to work.

Eric