# Corrosion on Wheel and Brake Components, Painted Caliper



## W126C (Jan 27, 2005)

*Painted Calipers*

Time to get the summer wheels on the Phaeton. I thought, how about painting those old calipers? Note! This is a poser's paint job. I did not paint the back side of the caliper. "Only my mechanic will know."







I just wanted it to look good from a walk/drive by situation.
If you want to do this right, remove the calipers and have them powder coated. One more thing, this is not recommended for some one recovering from broken ribs. Man was I hurting by the time I was done.
I used *Duplicolor Caliper* paint. Follow the instructions. There is more info online about painting calipers than I wanted to read. But I did read a lot of it.


----------



## W126C (Jan 27, 2005)

*Re: Painted Calipers (W126C)*

















































Regards,
Brent


----------



## pretendcto (Nov 23, 2005)

*Re: Painted Calipers (W126C)*

I was just thinking how lousy my calipers were looking on my Phaeton. I was actively thinking about painting them silver or black. Thanks for the pics! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


----------



## pirateat50 (Dec 10, 2005)

*Re: Painted Calipers (W126C)*

Brent,
The calipers looks great. When I changed tires last month I thought about doing this, too. Thanks for posting all the great pics, and the powdercoating suggestion. 
http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


----------



## geowben (Jan 26, 2005)

Brent, I just bought the silver dupli-color kit for my car last week. My calipers are looking dull too. Thanks for the post.


----------



## Rowayton (May 29, 2004)

*Re: (geowben)*

You only went half way. Now you need to detail the wheel wells, steel wool, pressure wash and wax the suspension pieces too. Believe me, it makes a big difference and you can see it all. Especially with your choice of wheels.








RB


----------



## dcowan699 (Nov 22, 2004)

*Re: (Rowayton)*

Very nice job Brent.


----------



## Paldi (Sep 4, 2004)

*Re: Painted Calipers (W126C)*

Brent, you gotta come to the New England GTG. Bring some paint!
Gotta chime in here to say that really looks great!


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Painted Calipers (W126C)*

Hi Brent:
That looks really nice.
FYI if you buy a W12 or V10 in the Rest of World market, you get black painted calipers with it as standard equipment - see photo below.
Michael
*ROW Caliper- W12 or V10*


----------



## pilgrim7777 (Oct 27, 2004)

*Re: Painted Calipers (W126C)*

As Michael has pointed out the V10 has painted calipers. I was giving mine a clean today and the wheels a good clean on the inside rim and treating them with a covering of surface treatment to hold off the brake dust. As well as changing them front to rear and vice versa.


----------



## Rowayton (May 29, 2004)

*Re: Painted Calipers (PanEuropean)*

Michael,
Didn't know that there was such a big difference in the rotors on the V-12's/ V-10's. I thought that the calipers was where the differences were (six piston front calipers verses 4 piston?)? The rear rotors on the V-8's have what look like 3/4" holes in the rotor mounts and the front rotors are not bolt on like on your car. What are the holes in the rear rotors for on the V-8's? Brent you still need to detail all the suspension stuff and wheel wells








RB 


_Modified by Rowayton at 5:45 PM 4-14-2006_


----------



## W126C (Jan 27, 2005)

*Re: Painted Calipers (PanEuropean)*

Michael,
I used your photo album to find the ROW calipers. I remembered seeing a picture you posted of the euro rotors and calipers from the factory. I went with black because of the color of my car and wheels. I guess I kept it all "kosher." I can see from Terence's pictures the euro rotors and calipers are quite different. I know they are rated to a much higher speed than the NAR's. I thought NAR calipers were Brembo 6-piston on the front. The ROW sure doesn't look like mine. If you notice in one of my pre-painted pictures, (front rotors), I pulled off the front clip. In Terence's pictures there isn't a front clips. So what are the ROW calipers? ? piston Brembo.
Regards,
Brent


_Modified by W126C at 5:47 PM 4-14-2006_


----------



## W126C (Jan 27, 2005)

*Re: Painted Calipers (Rowayton)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Rowayton* »_ Brent you still need to detail all the suspension stuff and wheel wells









Please come to Kansas and show me just how to do it. I'm just not sure. OH, my ribs hurt today.








Regards,
Brent


----------



## Rowayton (May 29, 2004)

*Re: Painted Calipers (W126C)*

Hey Brent,
Want to trade those ribs for a sore back? If I weren't so tired I'd pull a wheel and show you how nice it all came out but then I would need to get the calipers painted like yours and at last count that means four paint jobs. I polished the calipers and suspension arms with a small buffing wheel on my drill using white compound then raged and pressure washed everything else I could reach. The pressure washer dose wonders in cleaning the rear wheel well fabric. A little tire black took care of the front wells. My wife just smiled and shook her head. She has seen this before








RB


----------



## W126C (Jan 27, 2005)

*Re: Painted Calipers (Rowayton)*

Last summer my neighbor borrowed my jack stands to paint his calipers *red.* It was on a blue X5 4.8 BMW. It looks good! Anyway, I went over to his house this past weekend, to get a closer look at his paint job before I did mine. He was not home. His wife let me in the garage but was confused to what I was looking at. I explained the painted calipers and showed her how nice they looked and that he had done her car also. *She never noticed it before.*







So do I tell him this story. Some things people just don't need to know. 
BTW, I took my wife out the garage and showed her the painted calipers. "Honey, I did this just for you."







That is why my ribs are still sore.
Regards,
Brent


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Painted Calipers (W126C)*


_Quote, originally posted by *W126C* »_So what are the ROW calipers?

Hi Brent:
Well, it would get quite confusing if I listed all the different ROW caliper configurations, because that would include the lighter V6 engines, etc.
The simple answer is that in NAR, both Phaetons (W12 and V8) have the same fitment, which is (more or less) what V8s get in the ROW. In the ROW, the large Phaetons have an 8 piston Brembo caliper and quite large disc up front. I can't recall offhand what the rear wheel spec is, but all that information - including complete ROW specs for every configuration - is listed in the PDF file attached to the "Understanding Phaeton Production Codes" thread, which is listed in the forum Table of Contents.
Michael


----------



## Four Speed Fox (May 16, 2005)

Brent,
Between the starter buttons and the caliper painting, you ain't never gonna heal! Give yourself some time off.
If you ask me - and nobody did - the NAR Phaeton needs more brake. I spent a couple hours last evening on the Car and Driver test loop in the Hocking Hills, taking some pace notes for an upcoming drive event. After a couple of runs up and down the switchbacks, I had very little brake left. This is hard work for any brakes - even my 911 gets a trifle boiled on this run - but I'd pay a little bit for the RoW Brembos.


----------



## brutus13 (Jun 3, 2006)

*ROTORS*

I have a 2005 Phaeton that is in for the 30K (KM) service.
I need new brake pads all around but I apparently also need new front rotors.
Do you think this is normal?
Weather wise, I live in Toronto.
What I find strange is that the rotors were rusting from a month after delivery (spring) and the dealership is saying that the problem is that the rotors are rusted.
Any thoughts?
Does anyone else have issues with rusting rotors?


----------



## Stinky999 (Sep 14, 2006)

*Re: ROTORS (brutus13)*

I can't give you any Phaeton specific info, but I have a fair amount of experience with brakes on many other cars, including my 911 race car.
All iron rotors will rust. You will even see surface rust appear on the friction surface of a rotor if it sits in humid conditions for a couple of days. Now, if your vehicle sat for a very long time (weeks, or months)in humid conditions, it's possible that the surface is badly pitted and no longer usuable. But I'll assume that isn't the case. As far as wear goes, it really depends on driving style. I go through brakes much quicker than my wife.
Shops love to replace pads and rotos. It's the "safe bet" and it brings in more revenue. By safe bet, I mean that this will always provide a good end result. Now, depending on the car and the rotor, it is not always necessary to change rotors when you change pads. Racers will easily burn through a set of pads during a weekend at the track and we don't swap out our rotors everytime we change pads. You need to see how much the rotor has worn and how it has worn. There is a minimum thickness stamped on the edge of the rotor (it may also be in the manual). You need to stay above that. Also, you should look to see if the surface of the rotor is evenly worn, no groves, or signs of warpage. 
If all this checks out, you can probably reuse your rotors. If you do, you'll want to "bed in" your pads. There are many posts about this on Porsche and other racing forums, but in breif, you want to make a series of hard stops to heat up the pads and deposit a layer of material on the rotor.
I hope this helps.


----------



## Motorista (Oct 28, 2005)

*Re: ROTORS (brutus13)*

I agree with Stinky. Rust will happen even after a 4+ hour stop in the rain, and will normally be abraded away in a few minutes with the first few applications of the brakes after you restart the car. Over thrity five years of taking care of cars, I have only found one case where the rotors needed to be replaced because of rusting: it was a classic car which had been left rotting outside for over ten years. So, I very much doubt that your rotors would need replacement at 30k miles, *unless* you feel vibrations when braking. This is best observed when applying light pressure on the pedal, as opposed to hard braking or a panic stop. I'm beginning to experience this problem in my car, at 20kmiles, and had service note it: if it gets worse over the next month or so, I will replace the rotors. The pads in my car are still fine.
Pad and rotor life is very dependent on many variables, including the weight of the car, prevailing traffic conditions, and most importantly driving style. Normally, pads wear and need to be replaced more often than rotors. Speaking from experience, in all of my Subarus, which are typically driven around town, I get a pad life of approx. 30k miles and a rotor life of over 80k miles, and even then, I typically replace them because of vibrations, not wear. But in the case of My '91 Acura Legend with 87k miles the rotors are original, never resurfaced and in excellent condition with minimal wear. The front pads were replaced once at 70kmiles, and the rear pads are original and have over 50% material left. Then again, this car is normally driven long distance, which tends to be lighter on the brakes. By the way, if you have to resurface the rotors, my golden rule is to do it only once, and make sure they take out only a minimal amount of material. The second time around, I replace them.


----------



## pretendcto (Nov 23, 2005)

*Re: ROTORS (brutus13)*


_Quote, originally posted by *brutus13* »_... What I find strange is that the rotors were rusting from a month after delivery (spring) and the dealership is saying that the problem is that the rotors are rusted ...

The '04 V8 Phaeton I used to own had rusty rotors all around. Not on the braking surface, but closer to the hub. I often contemplated removing them and painting them. The brake pads and rotors had lots of life left in them.
In your case, since the pads 'all around' need replacing, it's probably wise to replace the rotors at this time. The general consensus around here is that the rotors aren't robust enough to make it (safely) through 2 sets of pads. Careful measurements would be the only way to determine this in your case.



_Modified by pretendcto at 6:55 PM 10-25-2006_


----------



## cxg231 (Sep 24, 2002)

*Re: ROTORS (brutus13)*


_Quote, originally posted by *brutus13* »_I need new brake pads all around but I apparently also need new front rotors.
Do you think this is normal?

Absolutely normal. In an effort to save unsprung mass and provide better performance, most European car makers are going with "thinner" rotors that cannot be machined ("turned"). If one were to look at the rotor specs, the OE thickness is quite close to the minimum thickness. Some rotors are even coming with the words "Do Not Machine" stamped on the edge.
So - daily driving your way thru a set of pads means you do need new rotors. I think the better question to ask may be: "Is it normal for my Phaeton to go thru a set of pads in just 30,000 km?" That does not sound like very good pad wear to me, but, depending on your driving conditions, I suppose it is possible. Hope this helps.


_Modified by cxg231 at 10:29 PM 10-25-2006_


----------



## Stinky999 (Sep 14, 2006)

*Re: ROTORS (cxg231)*


_Quote, originally posted by *cxg231* »_
In an effort to save unsprung mass and provide better performance, most European car makers are going with "thinner" rotors that cannot be machined ("turned"). 
_Modified by cxg231 at 10:29 PM 10-25-2006_

If this is VWs attempt at making a "light" rotor, I'd hate to see what their "regular" rotor would look like (a manhole cover?). Seriously, these rotors are way thicker (and much larger diameter) than the new rotors I just put on my Range Rover. They look much bigger than the iron rotors on a new 997 as well.


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: ROTORS (brutus13)*


_Quote, originally posted by *brutus13* »_I have a 2005 Phaeton that is in for the 30K (KM) service. I need new brake pads all around but I apparently also need new front rotors....
...the rotors were rusting from a month after delivery (spring) and the dealership is saying that the problem is that the rotors are rusted...
Does anyone else have issues with rusting rotors?

Hi Alex:
I live in Toronto too. I now have 30,000 miles (not km's) on my W12 Phaeton, and I still have 75% of the pad material and 80% of the rotor material left. So, I guess that suggests that pad and rotor wear is very much dependent on what kind of mix you have of city/highway driving, and how 'enthusiastically' you drive the car.
The whole issue of rotor replacement and expected rotor life has come up for discussion before. The short answer is this: VW engineers the rotors so that they last approximately as long as the pads do... in other words, it is normal to need to replace the rotors at the same time you replace the pads. It may be possible to get more life out of the rotors when the pads are due for changing, but unless the rotor has more than 50% available wear remaining when you change the pads, it's pointless to leave the old rotor in place - you'll just wind up changing it before the pads wear out, and the additional labour cost will negate any savings on parts. Here's a link to one of the previous 'rotor life' discussions: Brake Service, Overhaul, Brake Pad and Disc Replacement. There are quite a few pictures there.
As for rust, there is *only one thing* that will cause Phaeton brake components (the rotor and the caliper) to rust, and that is harsh chemicals - specifically truck cleaning acid - that are used to clean the wheels and remove brake dust. Below are some pictures of my Phaeton wheels that I tool earlier this month when my Phaeton was at my local dealer (Volkswagen Richmond Hill) for the 48,000 km service. As you can see, there is no rust of any kind on the brake components, even though my car has been in service now since October 2004, and the car was actually built in September 2003. The reason is simple: I don't use harsh chemicals to clean the wheels, and neither does my dealer. 
For more information about how to clean wheels, see this thread: 3M Tire & Wheel Cleaner, VW Alloy Wheel Brush. The 3M product is an approved VW product - I buy it from my VW dealer.
For more information about preventing corrosion on the wheels and wheel mating flange, see this post: Corrosion Prevention Precautions when removing and replacing Phaeton wheels.
Lastly - I will be back in Toronto about October 30, but only for 10 days - would you like to get together for a coffee?
Michael
*Michael's W12 brake components at 48,000 km*
_remaining pad material_








*Front wheel - the brown stuff on the silver part of the rotor is brake dust,
the golden-brown stuff on the wheel flange is anti-corrosion wax.*








*Rear Wheel*


----------



## cxg231 (Sep 24, 2002)

*Re: ROTORS (Stinky999)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Stinky999* »_If this is VWs attempt at making a "light" rotor, I'd hate to see what their "regular" rotor would look like (a manhole cover?). Seriously, these rotors are way thicker (and much larger diameter) than the new rotors I just put on my Range Rover. They look much bigger than the iron rotors on a new 997 as well. 

Well, VW still needs the rotors to act as a large enough heat sink to battle fade. The Range Rover is probably not designed for multiple stops from Autobahn speeds, and your 997 is much lighter than your Phaeton.


----------



## Stinky999 (Sep 14, 2006)

*Re: ROTORS (cxg231)*

I hear what your saying, however, the Range Rover is also designed to tow (and stop) 6500 lbs in addition to its 4800 lbs, which I can attest that it does this just fine. As for the 997 brakes (unfortunately, I don't own one of these, mine is a "simple" '72 911), nothing is more stressful on a braking system than road racing. Being light helps, but those Porsche brakes are still quite large. 
So, IMHO, I still think the Phaeton brakes/rotors are comparatively beefy given it's intended purpose, which is a good thing.


----------



## cxg231 (Sep 24, 2002)

*Re: ROTORS (Stinky999)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Stinky999* »_So, IMHO, I still think the Phaeton brakes/rotors are comparatively beefy given it's intended purpose, which is a good thing.









But they are not beefy enought to be able to machine.








It's a real pair of ducks.


----------



## Stinky999 (Sep 14, 2006)

*Re: ROTORS (cxg231)*

Yes, I've never bothored to have rotors macined. If they are too worn, or uneven, just replace them.
I should probably clarify that I am not advocating NOT replacing rotors with pads. You have to be able to check this out. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, then go with the dealer's reccommendations. Like I said, replacing both is the "safe bet", it just may not be absolutely necessary.


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: ROTORS (Stinky999)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Stinky999* »_I hear what your saying, however, the Range Rover is also designed to tow (and stop) 6500 lbs in addition to its 4800 lbs...

The key issue that has to be addressed when determining braking requirements for any moving object is energy absorption and heat dissipation. Although the Range Rover braking system may be designed to stop 11,000 pounds of mass, it can reasonably be assumed that it won't be called upon to stop that mass from any speed greater than, perhaps, 80 MPH.
The brakes we get on the North American Phaeton are actually small, lightweight brakes. The ROW spec W12 Phaeton gets brakes that are designed to stop the 5,000 lb + weight of the empty vehicle, plus occupant weight, plus cargo, from 300 km/h (186 MPH). The amount of energy that has to be absorbed - and thus, the amount of heat that must be dissipated - increases proportionate to the *square *of the speed of the vehicle... thus, the Phaeton requires a heck of a lot more braking capacity than a SUV that has a considerably lower Vmax.
Michael
*ROW 'heavy' Phaeton front brake* (W12 and V10)


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: ROTORS (Stinky999)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Stinky999* »_...There is a minimum thickness stamped on the edge of the rotor (it may also be in the manual)...

There is a post that shows where this minimum thickness is, and illustrates the process of measuring the Phaeton brake disc (rotor) to determine how much wear has taken place at this link: Brake Service, Overhaul, Brake Pad and Disc Replacement.
Michael


----------



## stevieB (Jul 15, 2006)

*wheel center logos on warranty*

my wheel centers have a bit of corrosion so all 4 are being replaced on warranty. no questions from the dealer as he said "lots have been replaced already". He didn't even look at the car !
what else can i get replaced before the warranty runs out in a month ?


----------



## Francis007 (Aug 20, 2006)

*Re: wheel center logos on warranty (stevieB)*

Steve
What wheels have you on your car ?
My car goes back to the supplying dealer in Chester for its first service next month and the centre piece of my Performance alloys are just starting to show a tiny bit of corrosion.
Frank


----------



## adamkodish (Mar 5, 2006)

*Re: wheel center logos on warranty (Francis007)*

I had the rings around the centre logos replaced as part of the pre-delivery fix list. They were all in a pretty sorry state.
My car had covered 38K miles when I bought it.
Check out the wiring coming out of the boot lid on the left hand side .... mine frayed and was replaced under warranty. This problem is well documented in the forum.
Another item I had was a slightly loose external chrome door trim on the top of the driver's door - the problem could only be seen when looking down from above the car.
I have the clunky 1st gear, but still await a proper diagnosis of this problem.


----------



## stevieB (Jul 15, 2006)

my wheels are the same as Micheal's in the "how to change wheels "thread.
I'll post a picture tomorrow as the car's all tucked up in the garage for the day


_Modified by stevieB at 7:31 AM 8-4-2007_


----------



## deepak.tripathi (Apr 14, 2006)

*Re: wheel center logos on warranty (stevieB)*

Mine too were changed without question by the dealer.


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: wheel center logos on warranty (stevieB)*

When you say "wheel center", are you referring to the brake rotor? That is the only thing you can see behind the wheel when the wheel is installed on the car. If you remove the very small hubcap from the center of the wheel, you can look inside the hole and see corrosion on the middle of the wheel bearing assembly, but that is not normally visible when the car is fully assembled.
The assembly order of the parts related to the wheels goes like this, working from the outside (fully assembled car) inward:
1) Alloy wheel with tire mounted on it.
2) Brake rotor (brake disc)
3) Wheel bearing.
I have posted a few photos of these parts below.
Michael
*Alloy wheel removed, showing new brake rotor in place*








*Old Brake Rotor, after being removed*








*Existing (old) wheel bearing, visible after brake rotor is removed*
_The corrosion in the middle is just superficial and cosmetic, it has no effect at all on function or strength._


----------



## ai guy (Dec 29, 2005)

*Re: wheel center logos on warranty (PanEuropean)*

I expect they mean the plastic hubcap. I think they suffer from water ingress


----------



## stevieB (Jul 15, 2006)

*Re: wheel center logos on warranty (ai guy)*


_Quote, originally posted by *ai guy* »_I expect they mean the plastic hubcap. I think they suffer from water ingress
 Yep ...that http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


----------



## toph (Apr 23, 2007)

i had mine replaced last month(helios), seems to be a standard warrenty claim part, no questions asked they just put new ones on.

follow up- mine had corroded around the edges of the alloy, where the VW badge is.


_Modified by toph at 4:48 PM 8-11-2007_


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: wheel center logos on warranty (ai guy)*


_Quote, originally posted by *ai guy* »_I expect they mean the plastic hubcap. I think they suffer from water ingress

Ah, sorry, thanks for clarifying that... I was looking too deeply into the problem and thought the reference was to the parts behind the wheels.
You are correct, water does get trapped behind those little plastic inserts. The insert itself (the hubcap) does not rust. What rusts is the center portion of the wheel hub (the wheel bearing), and the rusty water then sloshes over the decorative hubcap, and deposits rust on the hubcap. To solve this problem, apply a squirt of VW Corrosion Protection Wax to the middle of the wheel hub before installing the hubcap. This will stop the ferrous metal parts from corroding, and thus stop the rust particles from being transported to the decorative hubcap. 
Here is a link to a thread that describes the process in detail: Corrosion Prevention Precautions when removing and replacing Phaeton wheels.
Michael


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: wheel center logos on warranty (PanEuropean)*

Photos re-hosted.


----------



## brosen (Jun 21, 2009)

*Re: Painted Calipers (W126C)*

My calipers are already *Black Painted*, that's the original paint from factory or they were painted after ?, maybe from factory they will be RAW, meaning no paint ?
There are some minor scratches on them, I would like to repair that to avoid corrosion during tough MN winter, where I can find the right paint to touch them up ?, what is the type of paint ? Duplicolor Caliper Black ?
Please your advice, thanks


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Painted Calipers (brosen)*


_Quote, originally posted by *brosen* »_My calipers are already *Black Painted*, that's the original paint from factory or they were painted after?, maybe from factory they will be RAW, meaning no paint ?

Please read the first page of this discussion, you will find the answers you are seeking there, complete with pictures.
To get to the first page, scroll down to the bottom of this page, then press the figure *1* in the lower right corner of your screen. Or press the word *First*.
Michael


----------



## aaron843 (Oct 16, 2010)

*Corrosion on brake calipers*

I'm noticing a significant amount of corrosion on what I assume are dust shields for my front brake calipers. Does anyone have information on this? I'm going to ask VW if they can be replaced under CPO warranty. If not, I supose I could buy new ones, or paint the existing ones. Having rusty parts on the car doesn't seem to make sense.


----------



## Prince Ludwig (Mar 24, 2007)

The anti-squeal springs do tend to go rusty. I took mine off and painted them a few years ago - I'll post the pictures of the process this evening.

Harry


----------



## aaron843 (Oct 16, 2010)

Thanks. It hadn't occured to me that these are springs because they are flat. Is it tricky to remove them? I do have jack stands that will support the Phaeton, but would I need any other special tools?

Aaron


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

aaron843 said:


> I'm noticing a significant amount of corrosion on what I assume are dust shields for my front brake calipers. Does anyone have information on this?


Hi Aaron:

This question came up about 5 years ago and was researched and discussed extensively at the time. 

Corrosion on the small rectangular metal plates that are about in the middle of the brake caliper is caused by chemicals that car washes spray onto wheels to remove brake dust. It is not a vehicle defect.

The easiest fix for this is to buy a small kit containing "black caliper paint" and paint the entire caliper assembly black. This results in a better looking (meaning, more discreet) caliper and permanently solves the corrosion problem. If you want to keep the original appearance (silver calipers), just buy the same kit but with silver paint, and paint only the affected part.

Michael


----------



## aaron843 (Oct 16, 2010)

PanEuropean said:


> H
> Corrosion on the small rectangular metal plates that are about in the middle of the brake caliper is caused by chemicals that car washes spray onto wheels to remove brake dust.
> 
> Michael


Thank you. Sounds like it wouldn't be a warranty item, although I'll ask anyway because it was that way when VW certified the vehicle -- I didn't spray anything  

Aaron


----------



## Prince Ludwig (Mar 24, 2007)

Here are the pictures of what I did with my brakes.

All you need is some brake caliper paint of your choice and some rust remover:










Jack the car up and remove the wheel:










Take a flat head screwdriver and prise the anti-squeal spring away from the caliper:



















Time for some elbow grease... Try and get rid of as much of the surface corrosion on the spring as possible:



















I then used some rust-removed gel to get rid of the remaining corrosion:










After a few applications and cleaning with some degreaser:










Next, paint the spring according to the instructions and let it dry fully:










Then reinstall the spring. The outside ends of the spring should be installed first and then use the screwdriver to push it back so the two inner tabs engage properly:










Those pics were from two years ago, and this is what the calipers looked like in November when I changed my brake discs and pads:










There's been a bit of corrosion around the edges but it certainly looks better than it did originally!

Harry


----------



## Rowayton (May 29, 2004)

I did exactly as Harry did two years ago (they still look fresh) except that I went one step further and polished my aluminum control arms. Might as well, the wheels are off anyway and everything behind them was screaming, "clean me!". What's another half hour of detailing per side on a nice day anyway .

Ron


----------



## geoffrey_fake (Dec 2, 2011)

I did mines too 



but not in black
(car with 49.000miles) 

Before - 

After - 



Before - 


After -


----------



## VloJoh (Jan 2, 2012)

Like...
:snowcool:


----------



## VloJoh (Jan 2, 2012)

I really need to do this now...


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Photos re-hosted.

Michael


----------

