Brake Piston Finish

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When cleaning and refinishing aluminum brake pistons, what grit is appropriate to achieve the final finish? I am currently debating this topic with someone. Is a polished finish or a 2000 grit finish ideal? Another party said "Just use an abrasive green pad." All this really doesn't matter if aluminum brake pistons are usually anodized. Are they?
 
I thought it was chrome plated steel. Not aluminum. It should be fine to clean off the crud, but if its rusty that means the chrome plating is compromised and time for a new piston. Unless the piston is mirror smooth it will eventually damage the seal and cause a leak.
 
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I used aluminium foil on mine, which appeared to be steel. I use foil for most metal cleanup and finishing jobs.



 
CHrome plated pistons on the ATE calipers on the BMW. Elbow grease for the gunk. Any pits were smoothed out with a fine file. Calipers respond well to taking apart, cleaned and lubed with Sil-Glyde and re-assembled using original parts
 
Let me rephrase my original question.

1. How smooth a finish do brand-new brake pistons have? Mirror-smooth, semi-matte (maybe 2,000 grit) or more textured finish (maybe abrasive green pad)? The images I find online vary from not quite a mirror finish to semi-matte, and that mirrors my experience with the handful of not-new brake pistons I have seen.

2. Are aluminum brake pistons always hard-anodized?
 
You mostly don't want the pistons to corrode. The pistons don't contact the bores, the seal does. It is at the outer end of the piston. I have only encountered chrome plated pistons from 30+ yr old calipers.Cleaned up they're shiny Now-a-days I heard the pistons are plastic.
 
Originally Posted By: andyd
The pistons don't contact the bores, the seal does.


Do you understand that piston smoothness affects seal wear?
 
Originally Posted By: vavavroom
Originally Posted By: andyd
The pistons don't contact the bores, the seal does.


Do you understand that piston smoothness affects seal wear?
Not really, the seal in the ATE caliper is on the piston, like a ring. Being chrome plated, I buff them until I can see my reflection. Does this meet your smoothness spec?
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To pick everyone's brain here - I have a Toyota 4Runner that is notorious for seized pistons. This is due to the calipers being cast iron and the pistons being steel.

Is there any coating that would be prevent seized brake pistons like the hard chrome mentioned above?
 
I lubricate the pistons before assembly using red rubber grease or silicon grease. Besides preventing corrosion it helps the seal retract the piston preventing brake drag.
 
I use Sil-Glyde with great success. On my BMWs taking apart the calipers is a maintenance item. I don't think it is mentioned in the manuals, but in MA and because the cars sat, sticky calipers happened. I'm still using the tube my son bought me 10 yrs ago
 
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