TheSamba.com :: View topic - New Brake Drums

Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:36 pm

This will seem like a dumb question. I have 4 new drums for my 65 Baja. Do I need to paint them and if not will they rust? They just look so nice right now I don't want to paint them if I don't need to.

Thanks,

Bob

Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:38 pm

I painted mine with POR15's Metal Mask. It's a "metal" looking paint.

Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:48 pm

Glenn,

Did you spray the POR on? Your drums look like mine to right now without any coating. That is exactly the look I want.

Bob

Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:50 pm

I brushed it on. The rough surface looks great. The machined surface does have some brush marks when you're closer to them. I wanted to protect them and give it a nice look, but remember i have my wheels on so you can barely see them.

Tue Oct 19, 2004 10:17 pm

desertbob, what on earth is a Suzuki Ozark???
sorry, just never heard of one.

Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:48 pm

ft_irwin_73baja wrote: desertbob, what on earth is a Suzuki Ozark???
sorry, just never heard of one.

Wed Oct 20, 2004 12:34 am

oh ok. in arkansas they call em "huntin' buggies". strap a cooler of beer to the front and head out in the woods looking for Bambi

Wed Oct 20, 2004 6:53 am

DesertBob wrote: This will seem like a dumb question. I have 4 new drums for my 65 Baja. Do I need to paint them and if not will they rust? They just look so nice right now I don't want to paint them if I don't need to.

All metal oxidizes - if you don't want it too, you need to protect it.

If you really like that 'bare' look but want something slightly less expensive then POR, restoration places have paint shades that look just like bare cast iron, aluminum, steel, etc. (Eastwood has a good selection of different types of "bare metal" looking paint). You could also try cleaning the cosmoline off your drums and spraying on a good quality matt/semi-gloss clear. It'll stick around for a few years. I'd suggest using a thin coat of whatever you decide to use- if you put a really thick coat on under the wheel mounting surface & then manage to get your drums hot, the paint will blister between your rims & drums causing the wheel bolts/lugs-studs to loosen up - not a real big problem if you re-torque your rims regularly, but some people never do - then it is a big problem.

Thu Oct 21, 2004 1:29 pm

ft_irwin_73baja wrote: desertbob, what on earth is a Suzuki Ozark???
sorry, just never heard of one.

HamburgerBrad got it right. It is my wife's quad. It rides nice and soft and has full coverage so the muck never gets her riding gear nasty. Apparently this is an important feature for women. I was trying to get her to buy a YZF450 Yamaha quad. Go figure.

I like the idea of using a clear coat. I also have a few cans of some industrial Stainless steel colored paint that I might use. Using a thin coat is something I never would have considered - I would have layed it on thick. Thanks for the ideas.

Bob