Rotor Painting

Tools Needed

Tape Measure
Poster-board
Rubbing Alcohol
Compass
Double Stick
Tape Hobby Knife


Painting your rotor hats not only keeps them looking good, but also protects them from rust. Any high temperature rated paint will work for this job. When choosing a paint look for one with a sustained heat rating of at least 600º. For a high-gloss colored finish, caliper paint will work well. For those of you looking for something more subdued and stock in appearance, BBQ grill paint will also work well. As with all painting, preparation is critical. Before you start to paint, remove any rust there may be and swab the entire surface to be painted with rubbing alcohol.

Using a tape measure, determine the diameter of the hat. Assuming a 7" diameter, set your compass for a 3.5" radius. Now draw and cut out a 7" hole in the center of your poster-board. You now have a template to protect the braking surface during painting. Using the piece that was cut out, make a shield for the area of the rotor that the rim comes into contact with. With that done, secure the paint shield to the rotor with double stick tape. Shown above are the two templates. Paint the two front rotors first, as they are smaller. When using spray paint multiple thin coats should be applied to avoid drips and runs. Once finished, you will be left with a set of very professional looking rotors that should look good for years.

The above rotor was painted with a semi-gloss black BBQ grill paint. Three coats were needed to achieve a smooth uniform appearance.