Possible to remove anodizing from calipers? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Possible to remove anodizing from calipers?

(If Possible) Remove Anodzing?

  • Yes, looks bad

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No, looks good

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No, not worth it/doesnt look terrible

    Votes: 1 100.0%
  • Total voters
    1
Wyled

Wyled

Well-known member
I'm looking at a pair of calipers, I haven't received yet but they'd be coming in with some blue anodized paint on them. is there a way to remove this that doesn't look terrible and wouldn't affect the inner workings of the calipers like seals and pistons? And I guess is it even worth it to remove the anodizing? What do you guys think? I don't hate necessarily hate the look, but my bike's red not blue. It is Suzuki though.

I attached a picture of what they look like once I get them and one of my bike

s-l1600.jpg
bikr.jpg
 
From what I understand - anodized finishes are stronger than powdercoat?
If they dont have blemishes - maybe consider leaving them as is?
Otherwise, strip them chemically and refinish using paint or powdercoat?

I've used Rice Rocket before - business owned by this couple...wouldn't hurt to give them a call I suppose..

 
GreyGhost said:
You sure that's not powdercoat? Colour looks wrong for anodizing
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How so?
I had my sway bar end links done in purple (anodized) lol:

20210212_124502-jpg.297434
 
GreyGhost said:
In my experience, Blue ano is more like the colour below (or lighter), not as sparkly as those calipers and shouldn't chip off.
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Ah, that's good to know!
Thought chipping is something all finishes are vulnerable to...oh well.
 
bitzz said:
Media blast them.
What's wrong with the ones you took off?
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Well from my previous brake thread at the end of last year I never was able to get any pressure in my front system so I somewhat gave up after I replaced the seals again and the problem persisted. I also wanted to upgrade to a monoblock setup since I want to try track so I was gonna get these since they're a direct replacement. These coming with new lines too, I figure I can start replacing the system to see what the hell the issue really was.
 
GreyGhost said:
You sure that's not powdercoat? Colour looks wrong for anodizing and there's some chips at the top left.
Click to expand...
You could be right. I have no idea. the listing said anodized so I just assumed they were. You're thinking powdered?
 
Anodizing is an electrochemical treatment of the aluminum surface itself, and won't chip off (unless, of course, a chunk of the metal itself is removed or the surface is abraded). It can, and will, fade to a different colour over time. My experience with black-anodized Woodcraft parts is that they fade to a brownish-purplish hue.

What you have there, is powder-coating judging by the visible chips (the chips are on the surfaces where the calipers are clamped to the forks - you won't see them), and the "overspray" into the bushings. Those would not impede function, but I have a question: Were the calipers completely disassembled, including removal of all seals and the bleed screw, and properly masked off when that powder-coat was applied? And that's what you would need to do again if you want to have them stripped and re-coated (Rice Rocket link above - Colin at that shop is a bike guy and will know what needs to be done in order to do this right). I would not trust rubber seals that have been cooked to the powder-coat curing temperature. Brake calipers are designed to deal with heat, so maybe it would be okay, but why chance it.
 
Brian P said:
Anodizing is an electrochemical treatment of the aluminum surface itself, and won't chip off (unless, of course, a chunk of the metal itself is removed or the surface is abraded). It can, and will, fade to a different colour over time. My experience with black-anodized Woodcraft parts is that they fade to a brownish-purplish hue.

What you have there, is powder-coating judging by the visible chips (the chips are on the surfaces where the calipers are clamped to the forks - you won't see them), and the "overspray" into the bushings. Those would not impede function, but I have a question: Were the calipers completely disassembled, including removal of all seals and the bleed screw, and properly masked off when that powder-coat was applied? And that's what you would need to do again if you want to have them stripped and re-coated (Rice Rocket link above - Colin at that shop is a bike guy and will know what needs to be done in order to do this right). I would not trust rubber seals that have been cooked to the powder-coat curing temperature. Brake calipers are designed to deal with heat, so maybe it would be okay, but why chance it.
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Solid information thanks. I probably wont go through the hassle of all that then. I have no idea if they were disassembled before being painted but im sure ill get a better idea if they were when i get them in hand. But like you said, such a big job to just repair the chips isnt worth it to me as much as functioning brakes so for now Ill probably hold onto them until I either find the time to repaint or strip them, or grab another pair and sell those ones
 
Removing a coating that is harder than what's underneath is tricky. It tends to be hard on the underneath part. Removal can be mechanical (Abrasives), chemical (Strippers etc) or heat. You need to know the characteristics of the base material and the coatings. Some things are simple and others only appear simple.

IIRC some powders cure and others just harden and will remelt.
 
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