Caliper pin lube

[motodan]

I apparently need remedial for using "search" function...so what lubes can be used on back of disc pads to limit noise and for caliper pins? Thanks

 

[PGlaves]

I apparently need remedial for using "search" function...so what lubes can be used on back of disc pads to limit noise and for caliper pins? Thanks

I would not use the same thing in these two places. A very little bit of high temperature grease is OK on the pins. I would use a product named Disk Quiet or similar on the back of the pads. I don't think there is a grease that won't simply melt and burn at the temperatures attained on the disk pad backing plate.

 

[20774]

Does the vehicle in question matter in terms of the answer?

 

[motodan]

Does the vehicle in question matter in terms of the answer?

R100RS is example here. Wouldn’t think model would matter.

 

[akbeemer]

A tiny smear of copper anti-seize on the back of the pads seems to work and stand up to the heat. I've stopped putting any lube on the pins. It seems to attract dirt too well. I check them at every service or tire change and clean with steel wool if needed. I might change my mind about lube on the pins if I lived in a humid/rainy area.

 

[20774]

R100RS is example here. Wouldn’t think model would matter.

Well, I thought it might. On my /7, there isn't a "pin" but what's called an eccentric. But my front caliper is an ATE and yours is probably a Brembo...I'm not totally familiar with overhauling them. On my eccentric, all I've ever used is some kind of quality silicone grease.

 

[lkraus]

Sil-Glyde works well for caliper pins and holds up to the heat of brake pads. Works anyplace you need a light grease. Safe for plastics, rubber, and paint finishes. Water resistant.

I mistakenly applied too much grease to the caliper pins on my RTs rear brake, and the caliper could not move freely. The dragging rear brake generated enough heat to turn the rotor blue, but the Sil-Glyde on the back of the pads was not affected.

Works great to seal the drive shaft boot, too.

 

[lee]

clean with steel wool if needed. .

Same here. No lube, just clean the pins with steel wool.

 

[m_stock10506]

I’m not sure what the OP might have meant when they referred to the caliper pin. I might not be using the right terms here, but there is a pin that holds the rear brake pads in position, and they have to slide on it. I’ll call that a caliper guide pin. For the guide pin, I usually clean it off with emory cloth and then apply a smear of anti seize on the pin. But then, there are two caliper pins that hold the two sides of the rear caliper together. Those pins are covered with a rubber bellows. The two sides have to move easily on the pins. If either pin gets brake fluid or other corrosion that would keep the caliper from moving freely and could hold one side of the caliper against the rotor. Premature pad wear and even faster rotor wear can result. I check for free movement occasionally and if needed use brake grease on the pins. This is all in reference to my 1100RT.

 

[Omega Man]

I’m not sure what the OP might have meant when they referred to the caliper pin. I might not be using the right terms here, but there is a pin that holds the rear brake pads in position, and they have to slide on it. I’ll call that a caliper guide pin. For the guide pin, I usually clean it off with emory cloth and then apply a smear of anti seize on the pin. But then, there are two caliper pins that hold the two sides of the rear caliper together. Those pins are covered with a rubber bellows. The two sides have to move easily on the pins. If either pin gets brake fluid or other corrosion that would keep the caliper from moving freely and could hold one side of the caliper against the rotor. Premature pad wear and even faster rotor wear can result. I check for free movement occasionally and if needed use brake grease on the pins. This is all in reference to my 1100RT.

I’m liking this although I have moved away from anti-(never) seize to specialty caliper grease as mentioned earlier.
There is only a small amount of retraction generated by the brake piston(s). Might as well help the process out.
OM

 

[bubblehead617]

On my road-race bikes, I cleaned the pins with 600 grit, flushed with brake cleaner, then lubricated with a TINY bit of black moly grease. That beld up well in lots of very wet races in the PacNorWet. Top end on my bikes was typically 150+.. I'd clean & lube the pins at each pad change..typically once or twice a season.

 

[kbasa]

I would not use the same thing in these two places. A very little bit of high temperature grease is OK on the pins. I would use a product named Disk Quiet or similar on the back of the pads. I don't think there is a grease that won't simply melt and burn at the temperatures attained on the disk pad backing plate.

I was at the parts store the other day and at the counter they were selling little packets of Disk Quiet that was just enough for one vehicle's use. It was like $3. I use that on the back of pads so they don't squeak. It puts a kind of soft barrier between the piston and the back of the pad so it won't move around on the piston. Also, those "anti rattle" clips are built to do the same thing, so make sure that if your calipers have those, they're properly positioned to keep the pads solidly planted. Brembo uses a kind of spring thing that the pins will hold in place against the edges of the calipers. I don't recall the R100 Brembos using those, but it's been a minute since I've had mine apart.

I never lube the pins, but instead spend time making sure they're very, very clean. I have an old $80 ultrasonic cleaner from Harbor Freight that helps with this task, but brake cleaner usually gets the old dust and crud off really well prior to chucking them in the ultrasonic for proper lily gilding efforts.

 

[lkraus]

I’m not sure what the OP might have meant when they referred to the caliper pin. I might not be using the right terms here, but there is a pin that holds the rear brake pads in position, and they have to slide on it. I’ll call that a caliper guide pin. For the guide pin, I usually clean it off with emory cloth and then apply a smear of anti seize on the pin. But then, there are two caliper pins that hold the two sides of the rear caliper together. Those pins are covered with a rubber bellows. The two sides have to move easily on the pins. If either pin gets brake fluid or other corrosion that would keep the caliper from moving freely and could hold one side of the caliper against the rotor. Premature pad wear and even faster rotor wear can result. I check for free movement occasionally and if needed use brake grease on the pins. This is all in reference to my 1100RT.

The BMW repair DVD refers to the pin through the pads as a retaining pin. I simply clean those. The pin is a loose fit in the pads so they aren't likely to get hung up, and all they do is keep the pads from falling out. Any sort of grease or sticky lube there would just collect lots of brake dust and other dirt.

The caliper pins actually support the caliper and allow it to move sideways as the brakes are used and the pads wear. The caliper pins are a snug fit and are protected with bellows to keep them clean. I clean and apply a thin film of Sil-Glyde to those pins each year.

 

[m_stock10506]

The BMW repair DVD refers to the pin through the pads as a retaining pin. I simply clean those. The pin is a loose fit in the pads so they aren't likely to get hung up, and all they do is keep the pads from falling out. Any sort of grease or sticky lube there would just collect lots of brake dust and other dirt.

The caliper pins actually support the caliper and allow it to move sideways as the brakes are used and the pads wear. The caliper pins are a snug fit and are protected with bellows to keep them clean. I clean and apply a thin film of Sil-Glyde to those pins each year.

The moving pad is well known for hanging up on the retaining pin. This keeps that pad against the rotor and is the primary cause of fast and uneven wear of the rear pads.

 

[lkchris]

The moving pad is well known for hanging up on the retaining pin. This keeps that pad against the rotor and is the primary cause of fast and uneven wear of the rear pads.

Well known? Not on BMWs, never heard of it, wouldn't expect it.

 

[PGlaves]

Well known? Not on BMWs, never heard of it, wouldn't expect it.

 

[wallyhelix]

Sil-Glyde works well for caliper pins and holds up to the heat of brake pads. Works anyplace you need a light grease. Safe for plastics, rubber, and paint finishes. Water resistant.

I mistakenly applied too much grease to the caliper pins on my RTs rear brake, and the caliper could not move freely. The dragging rear brake generated enough heat to turn the rotor blue, but the Sil-Glyde on the back of the pads was not affected.

Works great to seal the drive shaft boot, too.
View attachment 86062

That's the ticket for bikes and cars and trucks.

 

[RadioFlyer]

Like many similar threads the discussion gets hard for the uninitiated to follow as different contributers fail to make the distinction between the brake pad retaining pins and the caliper slider pins. The latter definitely need to be lubed. The former can usually get by with a cleaning.

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

 

[Stebe]

Sil-Glyde works well for caliper pins and holds up to the heat of brake pads. Works anyplace you need a light grease. Safe for plastics, rubber, and paint finishes. Water resistant.

I mistakenly applied too much grease to the caliper pins on my RTs rear brake, and the caliper could not move freely. The dragging rear brake generated enough heat to turn the rotor blue, but the Sil-Glyde on the back of the pads was not affected.

Works great to seal the drive shaft boot, too.
View attachment 86062

This always worked well for me.