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Best grease for slide pins

cletus

Per title, what's the best grease for slide pins in a caliper. Is the environment too hot for regular bearing grease, like Holt's Blue Grease?

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Pops_20

cletus wrote: »

Per title, what's the best grease for slide pins in a caliper. Is the environment too hot for regular bearing grease, like Holt's Blue Grease?

The best and only grease for the slide pins is silicone grease. The reason for this is any petroleum based greases will eat into the rubber boots on the slide pins over time.

However, in the past I have used copper grease, lithium grease (used in wheel bearings), and red rubber grease.

I don't believe the slide pins themselves get too hot.

I've had trouble getting silicone grease in motor factors. I recently ordered from Amazon UK.

CJhaughey

There is actually a specific grease for this purpose, Niglube RM grease is what the Japanese manufacturers give in higher quality brake rebuild kits.
Its the pink one of the three sachets.

However this is not that easily obtained so Silicone paste is a good substitute or in My case I opted for a Motorex grease that is elastomer safe and water resistant.
Grease 2000 which has been excellent for this purpose.
I got caught before using Copper grease and it swelled the boots and caused a lot of problems.

Interslice

https://m.ebay.ie/itm/Carlube-Silicone-Grease-20g/292753779123?hash=item44297c29b3:g:fVMAAOSwzSdbs0FW&_trkparms=gclientid%3DCLIENT_ID(ebay)&_trksid=p2489528.m4335.l8656

I use this stuff.

biko

Old thread with some good stuff
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=83833220

cletus

Thanks folks, gave the local motor factors a ring. They have Brembo brake grease, but I can't see online whether it's silicone based or not. It does say in the bumpf that it's for slider pins.

Any experience?

CJhaughey

If Brembo say its OK for slider pins then it should be fine.
Just make sure its not copper based or B-Quiet.
B-quiet is the Brembo name for Mintex Ceratec which is not rubber safe grease.

cletus

CJhaughey wrote: »

If Brembo say its OK for slider pins then it should be fine.
Just make sure its not copper based or B-Quiet.
B-quiet is the Brembo name for Mintex Ceratec which is not rubber safe grease.

Trying to post back for a whipe, some issue with boards.ie and my phone. I had nipped out to the motor factors and picked up the grease before reading your post. It is BQuiet, and I bought it, as the guy in the motor factors said it was suitable, and the info on th back of the tube says its suitable. Online bumpf also suggests it can be used on the pins.

Silicone grease seems to be hard to come by (plenty of silicone spray, mind)

CJhaughey

cletus wrote: »

Trying to post back for a whipe, some issue with boards.ie and my phone. I had nipped out to the motor factors and picked up the grease before reading your post. It is BQuiet, and I bought it, as the guy in the motor factors said it was suitable, and the info on th back of the tube says its suitable. Online bumpf also suggests it can be used on the pins.

Silicone grease seems to be hard to come by (plenty of silicone spray, mind)

Be careful, that stuff is ok for stopping brake squeal but as for slider boots I’m not sure. EPDM is what most rubber parts are made from and the note says it may attack them.

Attention! Do not apply the lubricant on the disc or pad braking surfaces. The properties of Brembo B Quiet may alter if mixed with other lubricants. Furthermore, it is not compatible with EPDM plastics that could swell.
https://www.bremboparts.com/europe/en/products/lubricant/b-quiet

Pops_20

cletus wrote: »

Silicone grease seems to be hard to come by (plenty of silicone spray, mind)

I agree, I have never found Silicone grease in any motor factors or parts store. I ordered this silicone grease a while back

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0722MVL6Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you are stuck and don't have time to wait for an order, you can get red rubber grease off the shelf at many motor factors.

It's the grease used when rebuilding a brake caliper (for the square piston seal etc.). It's not designed specifically for slide pins but it will not attack rubber parts, and I have had no problems with it on my slide pins.

https://www.micksgarage.com/d/engine-oils-and-lubricants/products/1134950/-clearance-red-rubber-grease-500g?nostock=1

listermint

Honestly I've used copper grease for this from Adam and kept the same vehicles for years. Never had any problems with the rubbers. I've needed to change a rubber once . Ever

Not saying that it won't eat them. Just that if your stuck finding a particular type I wouldnt sweat it

[Deleted User]

I've always used CV joint grease, doesn't eat rubber!

mgbgt1978

listermint wrote: »

Honestly I've used copper grease for this from Adam and kept the same vehicles for years. Never had any problems with the rubbers. I've needed to change a rubber once . Ever

Not saying that it won't eat them. Just that if your stuck finding a particular type I wouldnt sweat it

The problem with copper Grease is that it solidifies when it gets very hot....not good for a Slider

.
We do a lot of Autotesting and have discs on the back of 2 Starlets. A lot of handbrake use in the Sport and we once used Copper Grease as a last resort. The Calipers were sticking after 5 minutes !!!
Obviously this is down to the harder use of the brakes, but it still shows that Copper Grease is not intended for the job.

CJhaughey

Copper grease is designed to do that, it evaporates off over time and leaves behind a residue of copper which acts as an antiseize agent.
This is good when dealing with Ferrous metal/ Ferrous metal and high temp situations like exhaust clamp bolts or similar, and wheel disc to hubs and the back of brake pads before the advent of ABS sensors and rubber bonded anti-squeal pads.
These days it has been surpassed by more suitable lubricants like Ceratec/B-quiet.
It always amazes me that people will obsess over which engine oil weight/grade/spec and then proceed to use any old lube for their brakes which are as or more important!

To summarise what I use:

For lubricating the internal seals and bellows seals and master cylinder pistons and seals use Red rubber grease.

To lubricate the slider pins use a dedicated grease such as Niglube RM /silicone grease.

To lubricate the caliper carrier/brake pad interface and the backs of the pads to prevent squeal use Ceratec/B-quiet.

Pops_20

What would be the long term effect of using Red Rubber Grease on the slide pins?

I used this about a year ago on the slide pins on front brakes, but I do intend to use Silicone in future.

CJhaughey

Pops_20 wrote: »

What would be the long term effect of using Red Rubber Grease on the slide pins?

I used this about a year ago on the slide pins on front brakes, but I do intend to use Silicone in future.

I think it dries out over time, it won’t do any harm to the rubber though as it’s vegetable based not petroleum.

zilog_jones

I had some trouble with the slide pins on the rear brakes on my Prius, which all seemed to be seized.

At first I tried Mintex Ceratec, but they seized again within a year. As others have suggested, it's not safe for use with rubber, and the pins on the rear brakes on this have a rubber sleeve which was swollen and loose after using this.

For the second attempt I replaced all the boots and pins, and used the Toyota "Rubber Grease" (red coloured, "lithium soap base glycol grease") which is what is stated in the service manual, and they seem to be ok after over a year now, though I haven't inspected them since.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I bought a big tub of red rubber grease many moons ago and have always used it on slider pins. Never had a problem with it.

CJhaughey

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

I bought a big tub of red rubber grease many moons ago and have always used it on slider pins. Never had a problem with it.

If they are regularly inspected then they will be fine, its when you use it and never check it again that it may cause problems by drying out.
Its good stuff, keeps rubber in good condition not just rubber sliders but other stuff as well.
I too have a big tub of it and will probably never get through it in my lifetime!