Need some help with my calipers!

[Drunken Yak inc]

Ladies and gentleman, I need your help!

First, let me introduce myself,

My name is Beck, and I have an addiction. There. I feel better all ready. Now down to business.



Tonight, I modified a process in the way I detail my rims, tires and brake calipers. Normally, I would just put my car on jack stands and remove the rims to properly clean them and the calipers (and my Tein coilovers on occasion). However last time I did that, I didn't have the jack seated properly on the center cross member, which caused the jack to slip and do this:

(Bent upper and lower radiator supports)



Having just replaced those damaged bits, and not wanting to have a repeat, I decided to use Griots Garage Heavy Duty Wheel Cleaner and their wheel cleaning tools to clean my rims, granted a little over kill as I've only driven this car maybe 15 miles since my last cleaning (this passed weekend)... But I was anxious to use this product. Here is the result of using that product:





Any ideas on what it is exactly I'm dealing with here? At first I thought it was a film, and I tried using a mild cleaner with a rag, however that was only a minor improvement:



The flash makes it appear to be better then what it is (on top). Any ideas as to why this has happened? I want to believe that it is just a reaction to the coating of wax I had previously applied to them... And that if I strip said wax everything will be okay... But the way my luck has been going lately I may be looking at a refinish. Oh, and it should be noted that these calipers are 7-months old with around 2,000 miles on them. Last cleaning agent used was Wolfgang Auto Bathe.

Damned if I do, damned if I don't.

[Agfan]

It was probably from the wheel cleaner. Try some polish an see if it removes it at all. May take a bit I elbow grease but it should remove it.

[DaveT435]

I probably would have left the first part of that story off the site. lol

[rider9195]

It was probably from the wheel cleaner. Try some polish an see if it removes it at all. May take a bit I elbow grease but it should remove it.

Just looks like the finish on the calipers is sensitive, so I would be careful around them.

[Drunken Yak inc]

It was probably from the wheel cleaner. Try some polish an see if it removes it at all. May take a bit I elbow grease but it should remove it.

I hope your right, I will not be happy if I have to strip and repaint.

I probably would have left the first part of that story off the site. lol

Eh, I just wanted to explain why I changed my method of wheel cleaning. We all make mistakes, if I can't laugh at my own bouts of stupidity, then I have no right laughing at others.

[Drunken Yak inc]

Just looks like the finish on the calipers is sensitive, so I would be careful around them.

I just can't imagine why a company would have such a weak coating on an object that is designed for such brutal environments? If that is in fact the case, does anyone know if Brembo's finish is more resilient? Is there a cleaner that you would recommend?

[Agfan]

Get them powder coated!!!!!!

[DaveT435]

Eh, I just wanted to explain why I changed my method of wheel cleaning. We all make mistakes, if I can't laugh at my own bouts of stupidity, then I have no right laughing at others.

Just having a little fun. It's not like I don't have my share of oops's. lol

[Mike Phillips]

Remove the wheel and try to hand polish the paint.

Chances are good it's single stage and more porous than a clear coat finish and thus easily stained.

Use a cleaner/wax maybe and then seal or Opti-Coat or....

[Klasse Act]

Most EVO VIII's and IX's have "pink" calipers that were once red, its not the wheel cleaner, its the process Brembo uses to powder coat the calipers. I agree, try and hand polish them out and see how it goes.