prepping old brake calipers/sandblasting?

Recon as renewing seals etc or just prepping for painting?
If the later, just a wire brush and I have like a wire brush attachment that can go in the drill which is uber handy.
Then couple of coats of Hammerite and sorted.

well mainly just in terms of prepping for painting, but if you have any useful tips advice for the more mechanical recon job I am always up for learning some good advice and tips etc.

Ahhh you can get an attachment for a drill which will do the job along with just a common or garden wire brush, excellent stuff thanks for that Marny, I was envisaging having to go round trying to find some shot blasters who would do two calipers but if its possible manually then i'll go down that route.

Cheers mate.

i did mine with a wire brush for the drill. if you are not renewing the seals then just be careful with the wire brush
i used something like this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Twist-end-Rotary-wire-end-brush-drill-wire-24m_W0QQitemZ270535174310QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM?hash=item3efd2728a6
there are various sizes and styles to choose from at b&q, homebase etc as well as ebay

Just ordered some drill attachments that should get em back to clean ready for painting.

However, now you've both mentioned renewing seals, I will definitely go down this route, better safe than sorry, I aint taking any chances with my brakes hence the desire to upgrade in the first place.

Just scoured the wiki for details on reconditioning calipers and renewing seals etc but couldn't find any info.

Any chance you guys could give me the low down and what would need buying?

Cheers

found these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ford-Mondeo-Brake-Caliper-repair-seal-Kit-5729_W0QQitemZ310124650228QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item4834de9ef4#ht_4905wt_939

and these:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ford-Mondeo-Brake-caliper-slider-bolt-1247_W0QQitemZ310130767991QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item48353bf877#ht_6647wt_939

will I need new pistons too etc?

I might as well send these off in exchange for some recondition ones already if im going the whole hog lol

i was just looking at them and was going to post you the link lol.

i'd do the wire brush work first so the old seals will keep the crap from entering the calipers, cleanliness is paramount.
depending on your ability, it would be an ideal time to replace the old brake fluid with new if it hasnt been done in the last few years

I had already bookmarked the slider bolt but missed the seals so thank god you two mentioned them otherwise I would have had no idea.

excellent stuff re clean em up as is first then do all the changing over etc, obvious stuff I spose but we are dealing with me here lmao

as for brake fluid, I was going to go down my local garage and get him to change that, I would do it myself, but I have never done anything like this, and while I am confident of my ability to dismantle and then reassemble in the same order etc, re disks, calipers, brake lines etc, I wouldnt know where to start bleeding the brakes and refilling etc so will more than likely get the local garage to do that.

as i said, keep things clean and be careful you dont score or damage the housing for the pistons or the pistons themselves. do one side at a time and
you will need to bleed the air out of the calipers when refitted so have a small tin of brake fluid available to top the resevoir up.
if you remove the fluid reservoir cap and put something like a plastic bag over the top and refit the cap after you have pushed the piston back then that will reduce fluid loss when the pipe is disconnected.

awesome stuff cheers DC, I already clocked the cling film trick you suggested in the how to so will be doing that.

Be a few weeks till I do this job yet as uni is making quite a few demands on me at the moment and I still need to get some bits like the ebc pads and now the seals etc, but I will do a pictorial as I do it and post up my successes lol

Thanks again for all ya help mate,

Cheers.

no worries, glad to help

one of my rear calipers had really bad surface corrosion, screwdriver and wire brush wouldnt touch it.

i used an angle grinder and sanding disk, and its brought it up really smooth and new looking. it even took the rough cast marks off the caliper and was very easy to do.