Caliper Covers

caliper covers

If you are contemplating a visual upgrade to your car's wheel and tire package, make sure you consider the whole package. Upgrading to larger rims and lower profile tires will expose the beauty of your brakes. The big question, then, becomes: Are your brakes beautiful?

Every car enthusiast wants the look of a massive set of brakes sitting behind their shiny new rims, with a bold, bright brake caliper sitting on the edge. Brake size is largely determined by your car's overall setup, and changing the diameter of your brake rotors could introduce some unnecessary safety risks. Your best bet for upgrading the look of your brakes is to improve the visual appeal of your calipers.

What About Caliper Paint?

You could paint your calipers to either match or contrast your car's body color, or you could install caliper covers, which will completely transform the physical profile of your brake calipers. Caliper covers also offer practical benefits as well, in the form of better heat dissipation.

Brake caliper covers may not be the ideal solution for everyone, but we'll explain why they might be the best option for you.

What Are Caliper Covers?

Caliper covers are precisely what the name implies - covers that are designed to fit over your existing brake calipers. They are easy to install with a couple of clips and are engineered to ensure they do not adversely affect the functioning of your car's brake systems. Caliper covers vary widely in quality, price, and material, so there's a solution for every car and budget. Plastic ABS caliper covers are affordable and durable, thanks to added silicone that helps the plastic withstand the intense heat your brakes can generate. In daily driving, these covers will perform adequately, and since they are not made of metal, they will resist rust and corrosion for a long time.

Vinyl Caliper Cover Wraps

Vinyl caliper covers provide a great alternative, balancing both cost and aesthetics. Vinyl is a versatile material that allows for various designs and color schemes. Though not as high-end as aluminum, vinyl caliper covers are a stylish and practical choice for many. Vinyl caliper covers allow you to achieve the appearance of premium brake calipers, such as Brembo systems found on many performance cars worldwide. If you're aiming for a speed and performance look, these calipers will assist in achieving that image.

Vinyl caliper covers are notable not only for their appearance but also for the practical benefits they can offer. They provide a sleek look without the higher cost associated with more expensive materials. While they may not enhance heat dissipation as much as aluminum, they still offer a visually appealing option without breaking the bank.

Why Use Caliper Covers?

These covers are primarily an aesthetic modification. You're considering this product to enhance your car's curb appeal. While vinyl caliper covers may not provide the same performance benefits as aluminum ones, they can still significantly change the appearance of your brakes.

If you want to take your car on the track, vinyl caliper covers might not be the answer. However, for everyday driving and the occasional spirited adventure, they are a viable and affordable choice.

Caliper cover wraps can redirect the brake dust coming off the pads, which will help you keep your wheels cleaner. The dust will be sent back towards the rear wall of the wheel well, which is already plenty dirty from road dust and debris, so you'll never notice a little brake dust added to it.

Caliper Covers vs. New Calipers

If you are considering an upgrade to your calipers and you might actually take your car out on the track, you may be wondering how to decide between a set of caliper covers and a whole different set of calipers. Figuring out which solution is right for you comes down to the same two factors as everything else: time and money.

In this case, the time consideration comes into play in two different ways. First, you must consider the time you will invest for installation. A good mechanic can do a brake job in an hour or so, which isn't much, all things considered. Are you a good mechanic? If not, doing it yourself could require quite a bit more time. If you would rather let a professional handle it, you'll be paying for their time.

Caliper cover wraps, on the other hand, are installed in a matter of minutes. All you need is a few hand tools and access to the caliper behind the wheel. This will likely require you to put the car up on a jack stand and remove the wheel, but that is still much easier than a full brake job. No professionals necessary.

The second time factor to consider is just how much time you are going to spend pushing the limits of your brakes. We mentioned before that aluminum caliper covers do improve the heat dissipation of your brakes, but this tiny performance improvement can't possibly compete with an actual set of performance-engineered brakes.

This leads us to consider the money factor. Are you going to spend a lot of time on the track? Spring for the real thing. Do you just like to engage in some spirited driving around town and out on the back roads? Save yourself a couple hundred bucks and get a set of caliper covers.

Caliper Wraps vs. Caliper Paint

If you know you don't need to shell out for a set of performance brakes, you have the option of choosing caliper paint over caliper covers. Painting your calipers can give you the color contrast you are looking for, but there are a few other factors to consider.

Caliper paint won't change the physical profile of your brake calipers, so if they are sort of ugly to begin with, a new set of paint will simply make them colorfully ugly. Caliper covers will give your brakes a whole new profile to go with that pop of color.

The task of painting your brake calipers is not small, either. If you really want to do it right, you'll have to remove the calipers from the brake pads, lest you cover other suspension components with paint and your brush with dirt.

After you have removed your calipers, you'll want to clean them very thoroughly to ensure the best possible adhesion of the paint to the surface. This could possibly be more time-consuming than the paint job itself. And since even the best paint jobs only last about four years, you could possibly be looking at doing this all over again before you are ready to sell the car.

Installing caliper covers takes a matter of minutes, and removing them is just as simple. Plus, they will last anywhere from 2 to 3 years when installed correctly.

This is not to say caliper paint is not worth the hassle. Perhaps you have a set of handsome brake calipers, and you simply wish to provide some color contrast with the car's body color. A paint job could be exactly what you are looking for.

However, when you compare the time and money investment each product requires, and the quality of the finished product, the scales tilt heavily in favor of caliper covers.

Find the Right Caliper Covers at Rvinyl

By now you should have an idea of the benefits caliper cover wraps can offer. Caliper paint does have its appeal, but when you are contemplating upgrading your brake covers, your decision really comes down to these simple questions:

Do I have the money to spring for the higher-quality aluminum covers?
Am I satisfied with the aesthetic quality of the plastic options I have to choose from?
Do I even need to spend more for the aluminum caliper covers?

Rvinyl has options at every price point in nearly every possible cover for almost any make and model vehicle. Browse our selection and pick out the option that works best for you.