That is kinda my feeling as well. I Always make sure the slide pins are cleaned and lubed, and I put grease on the back of the pad and on some of the sliding surfaces, but I'm sure it get washed or worn off in a month or 2. When I replace them everything is dry except for the slide pins that are covered by rubber. Maybe it helps break in?
brake pad ears . lube or not
- Thread starter CarLuver
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I agree, but have you done a brake job on a Toyota? I see you have several in your signature - if you take apart Toyota brakes every year you’re a better man than me...I can’t stand doing Toyota brakes. Between the clips, those little spring clips that go into the pads...just a royal pain (IMO). And those spring clips that go into the pads themselves are there to prevent exactly what we’re trying to prevent (the pads freezing on the caliper bracket).
But I do agree, taking them apart once a year and lubing them would be helpful.
I own a Toyota, I don’t take them apart and lube them, but I drive a ton. This car never sits, and I think that’s why I haven’t had any issues yet, knock on wood.
Only a few.
This hybrid lacks the springs on the pads, I was surprised to see that—but gains these electric parking brakes which I think I now know how deal with.Now my Tundra… ugh what a mess. I didn’t drive it much, let it go for two years, driving sporadically, and… no front brakes one day. No joke, the pads froze so hard they were not moving. Must have been an hour per side to hammer out. The design is supposed to make easier to do pad slaps, but, the pins swell, and there is so much pad ear surface…. The rears were easy but those 4 piston fronts, lots of power, but lots of work if I didn’t stay on top of them.
The 2011 Camry, I was starting to think about paying a shop to replace the rear dust shields. It‘s an easy grand I guess as the rear wheel bearings get destroyed in the process. (but it got wrecked instead) 11 years old and the dust shield basically fell off in my hands. 10 years is a long time here…
I did exactly that on a Subaru - using the included CU-7439 - since that was what the service instructions specified. Subaru has since issued a TSB with different instructions.
I used a fine brush and applied an extremely thin coat as well.
After a few years in our climate, all of the pads are wearing somewhat unevenly....presumably due to the sticky nature of this product.
Not anymore - they have changed a bit.
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10163525-0001.pdf
Brembro brakes on my Chevy/Holden SS require grease where the pad ears contact the caliper.
That was clarified on page 1 of the linked document.
So put it on the pad ears where they contact the hardware.. thats not much difference than on the hardware imo.
Its hasn't changed to a "dry" recommendation.
I think the recommendation is general. The areas people live in could affect the best practices.
Here you better clean them at least every other year or they are a mess no matter what.
It does. If you only put grease on the ears, only a very minimal amount ends up on the surface of the hardware.
They previously wanted you to lightly coat the entire hardware - and from my experience, that results in the pads not sliding very well once grit accumulates.
must be why I have to clean mine every 2 years. Oem usually last about 3 winters before they start sticking.
I've never subscribed to the lightly coat the hardware not needed on chromed or stainless... now the bracket underneath.. yep.
Your painted hardware looks about how much I put on under the clips. I also probably use too much on my pad ears for a california car.
The pastelub I use is more uh.. pasty than grease too.
its near antisieze thickness but drier... if that makes any sense.
https://goodson.com/products/bpl-2400-pastelub-brake-lubricant
If you ever move to Ohio I know who I'd call for brakes.. I detest brakes but if you have the right tools and youtube for some tips...not so hard.
As a fellow Ohio resident I concur. I used to lube the pad ears and that causes a gunked up mess. I do use Sil glyde hy temp silicone on the pins and anti seize under the clips. Not sure if the anti seize makes a difference. Everytime I’ve greased the ears it’s washed away or collects dirt.
Most recent brake job I did - 2005 Toyota Sienna, Bosch-made Duralast Elite pads I put Molykote M77 behind the pad support ledges/abutment clips on the bracket side. Then just a slight film on the pad ears and a little on the caliper “ears” where it goes on the outboard pad. The Toyota service manual as well as the job aid for their “customer pay” TCMC pads say to lube the ears, between the pad and shims, IIRC. Toyota uses Molykote AS880N grease, it’s not included with their pads or the hardware kit, but when you buy their shin kits. What I find interesting is that the aftermarket doesn’t call for applying grease between the pads and shims. Toyota calls for that with their first version of their “customer pay” TCMC pads made by Akebono. If I can pop the shim off, it’s getting M77 applied.
Unlike Honda that includes shims and a packet of M77 grease or Subaru with everything you need in the box, Toyota makes you order the pads, abutment clips and shims separately.
The last job I did on a Subaru, I didn’t lube the pad ears. The car sees Tahoe in the winter time, Caltrans/NVDOT does brine the major roads around Truckee/South Lake Tahoe and I-80/US-50 past Auburn/Colfax or Placerville/Pollock Pines during winter storms.
Unlike Honda that includes shims and a packet of M77 grease or Subaru with everything you need in the box, Toyota makes you order the pads, abutment clips and shims separately.
The last job I did on a Subaru, I didn’t lube the pad ears. The car sees Tahoe in the winter time, Caltrans/NVDOT does brine the major roads around Truckee/South Lake Tahoe and I-80/US-50 past Auburn/Colfax or Placerville/Pollock Pines during winter storms.
I just base my opinion on my experience, also done a bunch of brake jobs. When I started doing these jobs (not a pro, so learned from others and YT) I lubed pretty much all contact points that were to 'benefit' from friction reduction. Not anymore, dust, dirt, other environmental pollutants get attached to the lube fairly quickly and it becomes a 'paste' first and then 'cement'. I stopped using lube on pads' ears but I use light lubing between bracket and 'hardware' or stainless inserts. BMW and Porsche that have pins, I lube those a bit after cleaning pins well as they get a bit rusty and crusty; not so much to 'reduce friction' as to prevent (protect against) rust propagation unless new pins are installed (stainless steel).
So, the short answer is - no - to lube on pads' ears.
So, the short answer is - no - to lube on pads' ears.
I think if you live in the south or Cali, AZ NM or some such that brake lube makes sense.
Here in the rust belt it gets gross really fast, soaking up water dirt and brake dust.
I still lube the pad ears but I may just switch to lubing UNDER the stainless steel shims to slow down rust issues.
Here in the rust belt it gets gross really fast, soaking up water dirt and brake dust.
I still lube the pad ears but I may just switch to lubing UNDER the stainless steel shims to slow down rust issues.
Only once have i lubed the ears. Did it make a difference? Who knows. The issue I see and run into, I drive a lot of grid roads and dusty conditions. Grit builds up on everything, especially exposed grease.
I just switched out ebc red stuff pads for ultimax pads yesterday and I did lube the pad ears last spring when I cleaned the brakes up. Nissan front pads are a tight fit to begin with but the silicone I used had basically turned into glue when coupled with dirt and grime. I replaced the hardware, filed down the ears a bit and installed them dry. Absolutely no pad drag (yet) but I’ll keep an eye on it. Everytime I’ve serviced brakes from the factory, there’s been no lube on the pad itself. Pins, yes.
One would hope with everything done properly that high quality pads would fit without any filing of the pad ears. Filing will cause them to rust. Does anyone paint them after filing?
I had to file lots of popular brand pads here bosch, raybestosm and several others. Never had a problem with Akebono or EBC or Hawk fitment. And no, no filing after because it is useless the heat and friction will peel that off in a week. If you live in the rust belt you have to take a apart clean and relube the brakes once a year any way so clean it up once a year to keep it sliding.
In the end the filing did no good whatsoever. If you’ve ever installed front pads on a newer Nissan the wear indicator goes under a spot on the rattle clips, so they’re tight no matter what. I thought taking my angle grinder and shaving off a little would help. It didn’t and just made it a touch easier to get the one lip under the other. Kind of a stupid design actually but, it’s never caused a pad to wear unevenly. Living in Ohio I’ll be cleaning everything up in a year like Pete said.
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