How to install Brake Caliper Covers

When tuning a car, people mostly think about improving performance and handling. However, giving your car a better appearance will make it stand out from other vehicles on the road. With cosmetic upgrades, you can personalize your puppet on wheels to look like no other.

One of the best ways to make your car get noticed is by installing new wheels, of course. But the moment you do that, you’ll see that the brakes don’t look very good anymore. Aftermarket wheels tend to show everything inside the wheel including the generic-looking brake calipers.

Installing painted disc brake caliper covers will elevate your car to another level. The best caliper covers will give you that finished look that you always strived for. Furthermore, many custom brake caliper covers are available on the market today. You can have the logo of your car imprinted on them or even your name.

The best thing about brake pad covers is that you can order them online at a discount and install them yourself. Brake caliper covers installation is pretty straightforward, especially if you have a little know-how about mechanics. And, since you’re already on this page, we are confident that you have the knowledge to do that.

That said, there are still some details to iron out. Not all brake calipers are created equal. Consequently, there are different disc brake caliper covers for various vehicles. Luckily, we will cover the two most prevalent brake pad covers and give you detailed instructions on how to install them on your car.

Why Not Just Paint the Calipers?

Painting the brake calipers was very popular in the past simply because brake pad covers weren’t available. However, we aren’t fans of painting for a few reasons.

First, in our experience, the paint will get damaged pretty fast. And when that happens, the brake pads might look uglier than before. More importantly, when the paint comes off the calipers, it might enter the area between the pads and the disk. This debris can easily damage the disc and the pad, which can result in very costly repairs.

And, let’s be honest, even when using the best paint available, the end result still won’t be satisfying. The calipers on your car aren’t designed to be painted, and when you do that, the result will be rough and certainly not pleasant to the eye.

Finally, good luck drawing the logo of your vehicle successfully – you really need to have a very good artistic hand. Custom brake caliper covers have laser-imprinted logos that will look stunning throughout the years. The highest-quality ones are also made from aluminum, a material that stands well against the test of time.

The Two Most Prevalent Caliper Covers are Slot-Type and Stud-Type

Depending on your vehicle, there are two different caliper covers available. The first ones install with a slot, while the others install via a stud. We recommend checking thoroughly what caliper cover type best fits your vehicle before purchasing.

Luckily, brake pad cover manufacturers already have that information on their web pages. Apart from the attachment, these covers are designed to fit your calipers perfectly.

Preparation for Brake Caliper Covers Installation

Before you start working on the brake calipers, you first take the wheels off. You can do this with a simple jack – the one that you have in your car. However, if you have access to a floor jack that can lift your whole vehicle, then even better.

For removing the wheels, you should use the same practice for when you’re changing your tires. Start with loosening the lug nuts on the wheels. Then, jack your car up. Be sure that the jack is placed under the designated area on the vehicle. Also, putting wheel wedges is a good idea (if you use the jack in your vehicle).

Afterward, use a lug wrench to completely remove the lug nuts. Remove the wheels completely so you can work on the calipers.

Before starting, though, we recommend measuring the space between the caliper and the wheel. Most brake pad covers are 1/8-inches thick, so be sure that there is more than that. Otherwise, the wheels will touch the disc brake caliper covers and might get damaged.

How to Install Slot-Type Brake Pad Covers

Only a few steps are required for slot-type brake caliper covers installation. This is a very easy and straightforward method that everybody should manage to do. Here are the steps required for installing slot-type brake pad covers:

1. Start by placing the caliper cover onto the brake caliper. If you purchased the right caliper cover for your car, it should fit right away. Ensure that the brackets that are attached on the cover line up with the corner areas of the caliper.

2. Put the slot (should be provided in the package) over the bracket. Ensure that the slot fits snugly into place before tightening it with locknuts.

3. Tighten the locknuts (should be provided in the package) over the threaded studs. Be gentle while doing this and don’t overtighten the nuts. Make sure that the clip and brake disc don’t touch – there should be at least 1/8-inches of space between them.

How to Install Stud-Type Brake Pad Covers

Installing stud-type caliper covers is also very straightforward. However, in this brake caliper covers installation, you first need to put the clips into place, and then the caliper covers. Let’s dig in and see how this goes:

1. First, take the clips provided in the package and put them on both sides of the caliper bracket. Be sure that they fit the calipers on your car precisely.

2. Then, put the disc brake caliper covers over the caliper bracket. Make sure that the holes on the caliper cover fit over the clips. You might need to put extra pressure so that the covers fit perfectly.

3. Just like with slot-type covers, tighten the brake pad covers into place with the provided lock nuts. Be gentle while doing this, and don’t overtighten. Also, makes sure that there are at least 1/8-inches of space between the clip and brake rotor.