Debate: Do you prime brake calipers before painting or just go straight to the color coat?

I was helping a buddy do a caliper paint job on his 2015 Mustang last Saturday. He swore up and down you don't need primer if you clean the surface good enough. I've always used a self-etching primer first because I had a set peel after 6 months back in 2020 (that was on my old F-150). But his job came out looking just as smooth as mine. Makes me wonder if primer is actually necessary or if it's just extra steps for peace of mind. What do you guys do when you paint calipers? Have you had one way fail on you?

3 comments

3 Comments

ellis.susan11d ago

Gotta jump in on the primer thing. I mean, it's really about the prep more than anything else because even good primer won't save you if there's old grease or brake dust underneath. Had mine bubble up once on a Jeep because I was lazy with the cleaning, so idk, maybe the Mustang guy just did a better job scrubbing than you think.

lopez.quinn9d ago

Gotta disagree a bit, brake fluid won't mess with paint bonding unless you actually spill it everywhere.

felix_black11d ago

Does the kind of brake fluid they use affect how the paint bonds to the metal over time?