Do I need to strip the wheel off and grease the piston? Any problems with no grease on piston besides possibly noise? It's not like the brake pad will seize to the piston, right?
Forgot grease caliper piston
- Thread starter PaulManDude
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I'm assuming that you just did a brake job? As long as you lubed the slider pins you'll be fine. If if bothers you then maybe next time you're in the brake area(rotating tires etc.) you can lift the caliper as dab a bit of grease there but, you'll be fine.
Originally Posted by Lubener
Other than the slides, I never greased the caliper pistons.
Yep, me too.
Other than the slides, I never greased the caliper pistons.
Yep, me too.
As long as you greased the caliper slider pins, you are fine.
Personally, I grease the caliper pistons but as you can see, a lot of people don't and everything seems to work out just fine.
I didn't know to grease the caliper pins until I prematurely wore out a brake pad that was sticking due to the lack of grease on the pins.
Make sure you use the right type of grease.
Personally, I grease the caliper pistons but as you can see, a lot of people don't and everything seems to work out just fine.
I didn't know to grease the caliper pins until I prematurely wore out a brake pad that was sticking due to the lack of grease on the pins.
Make sure you use the right type of grease.
I grease the ears on the pads and where they sit along with the slider pins.
You didn't forget to grease the piston.
You should not apply Si lube or "grease" on the piston as it does nothing and it may migrate onto the pad.
Even greasing the pad ears is controversial as this grease may migrate, it also collect road grime. a monlayer swipe or Si or dry Moly spray I doubt would hurt.
What you may have forgot was to hard wire brush the iron bracket where the calipers ears sit.
Did you chamfer the leading edge of the brake pads with a file?
Did you grind the rust off the raised edge of the Rotor if reused?
And did you purge the ABS after bleeding the brakes?
Just checking
You should not apply Si lube or "grease" on the piston as it does nothing and it may migrate onto the pad.
Even greasing the pad ears is controversial as this grease may migrate, it also collect road grime. a monlayer swipe or Si or dry Moly spray I doubt would hurt.
What you may have forgot was to hard wire brush the iron bracket where the calipers ears sit.
Did you chamfer the leading edge of the brake pads with a file?
Did you grind the rust off the raised edge of the Rotor if reused?
And did you purge the ABS after bleeding the brakes?
Just checking
Pads should have backing plates. Not a sliding motion so no need for 'grease'
Originally Posted by PaulManDude
Do I need to strip the wheel off and grease the piston? Any problems with no grease on piston besides possibly noise? It's not like the brake pad will seize to the piston, right?
If it makes you feel better, I forgot to lube slides last time I did job.
Do I need to strip the wheel off and grease the piston? Any problems with no grease on piston besides possibly noise? It's not like the brake pad will seize to the piston, right?
If it makes you feel better, I forgot to lube slides last time I did job.
I've thought a few times about packing some "red rubber grease" into the piston, what with all the road salt we have here. You know, remove caliper, put in the tool so that the piston can't shoot out, get the piston out a ways. Pry back the boot. Pack some grease in there (the red rubber stuff is supposed to good for this, although I've come across some links of people using Sil-Glyde with no ill effects). Crack the bleeder then push the piston in. Will it make a difference? No idea, haven't done it yet. But I've lost a few calipers over the years from rust on the piston causing seizing.
I don't put brake grease onto the brake shims. I did it once and it squealed. Never again.
I make sure the slider pins are working fine. I picked up some Sil-Glyde recently to try out.
Once I know the pads are sliding properly (sometimes a file has to be used on the pad ears), I apply Honda M77 assembly moly (as per The_Critic) onto the pad ears. And onto the caliper bracket where the shims will sit, in an attempt to keep rust at bay. Assemble and call it done. Until next year--for me I find it best to bust it all apart every spring, else stuff tends to freeze up.
FWIW, there's a lot to be said for removing the caliper bracket as it makes it real easy to fully clean it. Once off, pop the rotor off and slap some anti-seize back there--that way when it needs to come off in the future, it will.
I find rear disc brakes need more attention than fronts. YMMV.
I don't put brake grease onto the brake shims. I did it once and it squealed. Never again.
I make sure the slider pins are working fine. I picked up some Sil-Glyde recently to try out.
Once I know the pads are sliding properly (sometimes a file has to be used on the pad ears), I apply Honda M77 assembly moly (as per The_Critic) onto the pad ears. And onto the caliper bracket where the shims will sit, in an attempt to keep rust at bay. Assemble and call it done. Until next year--for me I find it best to bust it all apart every spring, else stuff tends to freeze up.
FWIW, there's a lot to be said for removing the caliper bracket as it makes it real easy to fully clean it. Once off, pop the rotor off and slap some anti-seize back there--that way when it needs to come off in the future, it will.
I find rear disc brakes need more attention than fronts. YMMV.
I forget to lube pad ears and slides on purpose now. Any silicone paste open to elements attracts soot, sand, brake dust which gets the pads stuck in place sometimes dragging after a few months. Slides are stainless. They stay naked. Pins should be lubed. Dry can etch the surfaces of the pins and caliper bracket holes. Not a big deal doubt it will get stuck. (So long as you got the old grease out). Cheap replacement these days.
Never lubed the caliper pistons on my now 13 year old Mazda 3, still on original calipers, but I never messed with the rubber boots, except giving them a visual inspection and a light cleaning if there was too much dirt on them. Perhaps that's why they stayed sealed? Or maybe I got lucky.
Now that I've mentioned it, they will probably seize
Now that I've mentioned it, they will probably seize
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Would lubing the caliper piston contaminate the brake fluid as the piston extends and retracts?
Originally Posted by LeakySeals
Would lubing the caliper piston contaminate the brake fluid as the piston extends and retracts?
I suspect so, but, the fluid doesn't circulate, so it should not matter to any other part in the system. Only the piston and the piston seal.
I came across a thread or three, I think all on BMW forums, about guys who have used Sil-Glyde on the pistons for years--apparently they rebuild their calipers often. No idea why so often, but, often greasing the seal so as to get the piston back in is required. Hence my thinking that it doesn't matter (or that's why they have to rebuild often!).
Would lubing the caliper piston contaminate the brake fluid as the piston extends and retracts?
I suspect so, but, the fluid doesn't circulate, so it should not matter to any other part in the system. Only the piston and the piston seal.
I came across a thread or three, I think all on BMW forums, about guys who have used Sil-Glyde on the pistons for years--apparently they rebuild their calipers often. No idea why so often, but, often greasing the seal so as to get the piston back in is required. Hence my thinking that it doesn't matter (or that's why they have to rebuild often!).
Originally Posted by supton
No idea why so often, but, often greasing the seal so as to get the piston back in is required.
I was taught, and use, brake fluid to lube the o-ring seal before reassembly.
No idea why so often, but, often greasing the seal so as to get the piston back in is required.
I was taught, and use, brake fluid to lube the o-ring seal before reassembly.
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