F8 Ok, I need your help

I’ve tried all I can think of as a detailer but I have not found a solution…. My emergency brake calipers and center ring (whatever it’s called) on my rotors have this oxidation. White rust. Discoloration…. It’s driving me crazy. The car was bought and brought down from New York like this and I can only guess as to why it happened. Maybe previous owner used some cleaning chemicals on the brakes which you shouldn’t do with ceramic and it did this or maybe salt roads or maybe just never cleaned the car— it seems all three as likely and possible… another reason for me to hate New York. Anyway, are both these parts aluminum? I believe so. But every other F8/Pista/488 etc I see, both these parts are black. Nice gloss black on caliper and a smooth black on center disc…. But I see ZERO remnants of paint on the E brake calipers as if there never was any… which confuses me.

I’ve tried white vinegar cleaning solutions, APC’s, high concentrate water spot remover chemicals, alcohol and other various cleaners and this white rust/oxidation or whatever it is doesn’t budge. Humbling as a detailer and annoying.

Can any of confirm that your e brake caliper is, in fact, painted black? Or is it just a black aluminum? And also, do any of you have ANY idea how I can fix these areas?

My best guess at this point is removing the wheels, removing the calipers, sanding them down and painting them but that seems extreme…. And as for the center discs, those seem to MAYBE be getting better with some of the cleaning I’ve tried. Maybe.. so with wheels off, perhaps I can spend lots of time and trials with products to get those back to black…

Any ideas or experience with this is greatly appreciated. Help please before I snap and sell lol.

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At work right now, so this is the best image I have (zoomed in). Hope this helps.
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They’re black on my F8…


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Yes, I see they are all black and nice on every F8 I look at— do you know if they’re painted or just some kind of black aluminum?


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I’ll have a look when I get home tonight but I think it’s painted


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I took photos of my front and rear wheels on my F8. I almost hesitated posting as I have not recently cleaned my wheels!

Rear #1
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Rear #2
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Front #1
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Front #2

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Yes, I want to get mine back to that black on the caliper and center ring and can’t find the product that will do it…. That’s the point of the post… any ideas on product or process to restore them?

Ps: yes, clean your wheels! [emoji4]


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The previous owner used an inappropriate wheel cleaner.
The finish has been chemically altered and cannot likely be brought back to original.
You may have to replace.

 

That is what I’ve been fearing (especially since the inner rings on the rotors likely can’t be replaced (reasonably)— was searching you guys for other solutions/products/processes.


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Acid or to harsh of a degreaser

 

Yes it seems so…. But there must be a chemical or product that will counter it?? Something I can use with a small brush and then rinse etc— but I can’t seem to find the magic product—


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If if were me, I’d think about powder coating. Of course removal will be necessary. Not sure about removing the rotor hats from the rotors but it shouldn’t be that difficult. Just my $0.02 FWIW.

 

I had this happen on another car. Best explanation I was given was a chemical used to clean wheels, while the part was hot and it "etched" the finish.

Re anodizing or replacement were the only options sadly

 

Yep some moron with no brains and no skill, an outside detailer for example, sprayed the stuff on the wheels not only when it was hot which is really bad but to make matters worse let the stuff dry on there. Why anybody would spray anything on these wheels boggles the mind. All it takes to clean them is a soft cloth and water and do it yourself. The only other possibility is that the car rolled through some nasty liquid say in a construction zone and was left on there to dry and ruined the finish on the wheel(s).

 

Yes, I definitely agree with some wrong products and poor cleaning methods in its past life. To confirm, both of these parts are aluminum correct? And has anyone confirmed if the caliper is painted black or just a black anodized aluminum? Can someone look and see if theirs are painted pls? There MUST be a chemical/process I can use to ‘remove’ this white oxidation and bring it back to original … I think


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Mine is definitely not painted


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So it’s just a black anodized aluminum?


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My brake calipers are factory painted black and that piece is definitely not painted. I can’t say for a fact that it’s black anodized aluminum but to me that’s the highest probability scenario


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I have red calipers and I had been under the impression when it has come to painted calipers in general was that it needed and was given a very SERIOUS process in coating to make it hold up to the rigors of brakes! Caveat, the black could be different but I doubt it. I still think that you should be able to come up with a way to polish out the problem. Also, I think Ferrari has just a "natural" caliper but I have not seen one, probably on some of the other models.

 

Had this same issue on a Porsche 991 GT3 rotor hats just like in the photo of your rotors. It was cause by a detailer using caustic wheel cleaner. I tried all sorts of thing to clean it off. It’s not dirt it’s changed the metal…oxidation of the anodized aluminum

 

Just to clarify, we aren’t talking about the actual brake calipers being painted or not. Regardless of whether they are or what color they are, the e-brake is separate and seems to be black aluminum on all I’ve seen except the one someone posted above which seemed to be just gray…. [emoji848]This issue is perplexing me as I pride myself to be able to clean/restore any surface on a car back to perfection.

The rotor ‘hats’, centers, rings or whatever they’re called seem to have a light whitish oxidation and those look hopeful to minimize at least, if not fully remove with some cleaners or even a fine steel wool… the e-brake calipers may also clean up with steel wool but I’ll obviously have to remove them or tape off painted calipers very well first… I’m just unclear whether they should end up back to black or just gray like the photo someone posted.

Maybe just some therapy for my car detailing OCD would be less work and cheaper


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Todd, I have nothing to add but I want to follow this because if there is someone on here that can figure this out it is you. My guess, like everyone else;'s is that the detailer used something caustic like Sonax and let it dry in the sun on accident.

If it's possible to reverse this with another chemical, because as you say its black anodized aluminum, maybe try this product I found while googling or something like it?

Best of luck

Edit: Also found this thread on a sailing forum that may or not be useful.

 

Thanks Ivan... ya, I've seen some anodized aluminum cleaning products but haven't tried any of them yet-- guess I'll grab one (the one you linked most likely) and give it a try....

It's really just become a challenge now.. an extreme curiosity... WHEN I find the product and process that actually works, I think it'll be a great thing to use/do on aluminum control arms/suspension components and other visible aluminum parts in engine compartments etc... will give my already insane level of detailing another boost....our visible Ferrari engines also have multiple gray aluminum areas that I'm SURE will look much better with whatever product/process we finally find. The only thing I am pretty sure will work is dry ice cleaning but that seems extreme and it's always best to try least aggressive ways first and move up and up and up until you find what works.... thanks again.

 

It really looks like oxidation of the aluminum itself. I don’t think you can clean it. IMHO

My dealer has said that he powder coats the calipers to change the color when a customer purchases a used car and wants to change.
I would suggest removing them and having them powder coated black.