Anti-seize on brake pad ear slider hardware?

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Feb 19, 2009
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The Woods of NY
Thought of this after the fact, when I replace the pads and rotors I used anti-seize on the ears of the pads and the metal slide pad ear guide hardware….

A few days goes by and I remove the rear brake caliper assembly to replace the caliper bracket, and it appears the anti-seize got “hard” and I can actually see this causing resistance on the metal pad ear sliders and causing a sticky pad or something

Did I mess up here by using anti-seize on the slider guides- the metal hardware kit that keeps the pads centered and able to move is what I’m referring to.

To note even the slider pins felt “stuff”

I’m tempted to redo the whole job and use the other kind of a/s I have… use anti-seize on the slider pins at the minimum. Break clean everything out and read do it ….
I might skip use an anti-seize on the metal hardware kit for the pad ears to slide on. (Is this wrong?)

Should I be redoing this, removing the anti-seize off the pad ears and just anti-seize in the pins/sliders?

Thank you all.

This is the hardware kit guides I am talking about


9C81795C-C73C-4CAF-8AEB-5FCC94E333AF.jpeg

This is the a/s I used:
EFEBDBB9-1A80-4817-9F59-B973AAA9CACD.jpeg

I’m thinking I even use the wrong anti-seize tbh. I have this also on hand:
72DE8CA5-2752-460A-ADBF-A641D7BE4D2A.jpeg
 
I use molly brake lube. Crc brand I think.
Before that it was just a blue sticky spray and Li grease
 
kind of funny I googled brake a/s and this thread popped up
Oops.

When did anti-seize become “incorrect”?

But I understand because I literally did see it happen firsthand in just a matter of days.

The a/s I used became very stiff… slider pins are stiff and the pad ears were not sliding… and it’s only been 100 miles and a couple days lol

42C49CDE-1BF9-4991-8CB4-C8F3C0DD68B0.jpeg


So now my plan is to clean out and redo all the slider pins on all four wheels …
With the correct grease/lubricate lubricating pad ears and hardware should not be a problem correct? Or should I just skip that altogether?
 
Ask 10 people, get 10 different answers. I prescribe to the "2 product system". I use a dedicated brake grease for the enclosed (rubber bushings) slide pins. I use a high solids moly paste for the exposed to water areas.

Enclosed slide pins: Tried all the gimmicks, went back to the tried and true pure silicone grease (3M, Mission,etc.). Sil glyde is NOT silicone, not as water resistant vs. silicone, but still a high quality product used by many.

Exposed to weather areas: I use Goodsons PasteLub* - outstanding water resistance. Many use Dow/Honda M77. Both are high moly pastes.

I descale the areas that those shims sit in and put the water proof grease there also (under the shims) - sometimes corrosion under those shims swells the shims up and causes binding.

*My newest 2022 tub of Pastelub is different than the past. More stringy and darker bronze color. I don't like it as well, but time will tell.


The PasteLub keeps other parts rust free in the salt belt:
1658155196624.png
vs.
1658155247209.png
 
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I've used sil-glyde on the sliders/pins, but, not the pad ears. Seemed to work well on the pins, but, I sold the car before having to disassemble again to see the long term performance. I've also seen sil-glyde recommended for this application many times.
 
You're fine @1 SX , it's all I ever use and I've done hundreds of brake jobs over the last 28 years.

Brake pads and caliper guides/hardware lube = Nickel or copper anti-seize.
Caliper slider pin lube = AGS Sil-glyde.
Great I will pick up some AGS today and redo everything with the correct lubrication.
 
I had to file the pad ears on my last set of rear pads to fit with proper clearance.
I suspect the ears were stamped a bit too large.

NO anti-seize. Just a dab of something that is water-resistant and you don't want a blob as it will migrate. Also it will trap road grit and brake dust
 
View attachment 108611
Is this this stuff? I’m hoping I can pick it up at auto/advanced/ Napa today and redo everything when I install the new caliper bracket in the rear.
Correct. Keep in mind that Sil-Glyde is Sil-Glyde. It has been labeled a few different ways depending on the packaging but it's all the same thing. The stuff marked specifically as brake lube is no different than the stuff marked as a multipurpose lube.
 
Got it! Anti-seize on the bolt threads is fine, but not the pins, I added an image for reference in my previous post for you @1 SX.

Edit: Clean the rubber boots well with brake cleaner, you don't need to replace them.
 
Got it! Anti-seize on the bolts is fine, but not the pins, I added an image for reference in my previous post for you @1 SX.
Yeah I messed up on this one.
I’m happy Its caught now before the brand-new pads and rotors got worn in abnormally.

I’ll purchase the correct grease and new rubber boots/hardware clean everything out and redo all the slider pins today when I install the new bracket.

Will keep you updated with the outcome thank you all for your responses and knowledge.
 
I agree with 10 different people, 10 different answers. Here in arid country where rust is minimal I use SilGlyde on slider pins which are protected by boots, and NOTHING anywhere exposed to the elements.

Never had a problem and on our dusty gravel roads I figure any exposed lubricant will only attract contaminants.

Seems to me everything I take apart was assembled the same way. Do OEMs apply any lubricant to pad ears or exposed surfaces?? Underneath pad hardware?? I honestly don't know...
 
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