Topic: Finishing drum brakes

[evantugby]

Gents,
Need your advice on how to proceed from here. My drum brakes have been walnut blasted with braking surfaces covered with aluminum tape. I want to make sure they get a natural-looking apperance, whether that is to reproduce a natural finish or speed up the aging process for them to look cast iron. 

how would you proceed?

[CharlesTurner]

On a driven car, you'd be best to coat them in a cast gray finish.  Several options like the eastwood stuff or take them to a shop that can do something like a caliper coating.

[J_Speegle]

Another option would be one of the ceramic paints that many use on exhaust manifolds applied not too thick so it looks painted. Would also redo the outer machined surfaces but your examples are pretty pitted so that might not be an option

[67gtasanjose]

Another option would be one of the ceramic paints that many use on exhaust manifolds applied not too thick so it looks painted. Would also redo the outer machined surfaces but your examples are pretty pitted so that might not be an option

Along the lines or refinishing the drums, having access to a lathe has it's benefits. I was able to strip my drums down using paint remover as a cleaning agent and then soaked them in Rust 911 (Evaporust in the AFFORDABLE form). The lathe patterns really cannot be duplicated any other way. (I have only a drum/rotor lathe but it is better than nothing. For whatever else it is worth, and directed at your other thread on the axle shaft machined surfaces, a friend will be summoned to turn-down the machining marks on the face-surface and other surfaces while the studs are still removed). 

[evantugby]

Another option would be one of the ceramic paints that many use on exhaust manifolds applied not too thick so it looks painted. Would also redo the outer machined surfaces but your examples are pretty pitted so that might not be an option

Jeff,
When you say outer machined surfaces, do you mean this area? Pic 1

Caspian/Jeff, which paint would you go with? Pic 2. The dupli-color is called cast coat iron which is an enamel with ceramic.

[CharlesTurner]

Those rattle cans won't hold up over time.  The eastwood exhaust manifold cast-gray would be good.

[evantugby]

Those rattle cans won't hold up over time.  The eastwood exhaust manifold cast-gray would be good.

Put it on semi-heavy and bake a 500 degrees won't hold up? 

[CharlesTurner]

Put it on semi-heavy and bake a 500 degrees won't hold up?

Find out for yourself if you like.  I can guarantee after 6-12 months you'll start to see surface rust coming through.

[carlite65]

+1 on the rust comeback.

[evantugby]

Find out for yourself if you like.  I can guarantee after 6-12 months you'll start to see surface rust coming through.

So what are you suggesting i do? Paint with a spray gun? 

[carlite65]

see reply #5. been there done that.

[evantugby]

see reply #5. been there done that.

"The eastwood exhaust manifold cast-gray would be good".  Is this what you are suggesting?  I do have that in a rattle can but you mentioned rattle cans won't hold up.  So what are you saying, not to use rattle can but to buy Eastwood exhaust manifold cast-gray in a sprayable? 

[CharlesTurner]

They make a manifold coating that comes in a can that is applied with a brush or foam pad.

[evantugby]

They make a manifold coating that comes in a can that is applied with a brush or foam pad.

copy that.  I just went to the eastwood website and found what you're talking about.  Thank you for that lead. 

Also, do you know what "outer machined surfaces" that Jeff was talking about?  I need a good picture of a restored drum to see about these "outer machined surfaces". 

[J_Speegle]

Since this is a general discussion of brake drums I would mentioned that the surfaces that were machined depended on year and model/options of the car

Here are a few examples showing the different surfaces that were machined on some applications



There are more that I don't have pictures handy of right this moment

For your application I would look to the rear outer surface but as mentioned your have such heavy pitting I'm not sure you can do that safely without taking too much material off and leaving the metal too thin