Honda caliper pin grease

[brad_d]

I was just a my local Honda dealer picking up a set of front brake pads for my wife's 2000 Civic LX. While there, I inquired about the grease they recommend for lubing the pins on the floating calipers.

The counter guy disappeared into the back and came out with a cardboard container with a label that I think said "urea grease". ("Genuine Honda", "premium", "ultra", "super", and/or a few other fluffy words were in there someplace, too.) It was $12 or so.

I didn't buy it, instead leaving to ponder.

I was under the impression that most makes specified silicone grease for this application. Doing some searching on this site didn't turn up anything specific to Honda except for one old quote of someone stating that they, too, called for silicone grease.

What say ye who know more than I? Do I need to pay dearly for this magic Honda stuff? Is there really urea grease in my boots right now? If so, would I be asking for trouble if I added silicone grease (i.e., Permatex dielectric grease)?

I realize that it's very important that the calipers be free to move. Thus the need to use something (a) suitable for the job and (b) compatible with whatever is in there now.

 

[labman]

If you can get a hardware kit with new boots and O-rings do it. Then clean up everything good replacing the bolts if they are not smooth where the caliper slides. Put everything back together with a silicone, the dielectric or a specific brake product such as Silglyde.

Take a good look at the caliper. The least problem with the piston boot or if the piston was hard to push back in, replace it or rebuild it. If the calipers aren't in good shape, they can ruin new pads.

 

[Matt89]

UREA grease? As in urine?

 

[Hajoca]

Urea greases are used in high temp applications like casting molds. The carrier (oil) does evaporate and burn off but it leaves behind anti galling dry type lubricant. Much like an antiseize compound would, but instead of graphite/aluminum/zinc/copper powder to keep the metal parts separated under extreme pressure the lubricant also has to lower friction.

 

[BeltwayBandit]

The info I have on Hondas just says to use the recommended grease, but gave no specifics as to what is recommended.

For what it is worth, the service info I have from Alldata for a Toyota says to use a "lithium soap base glycol grease."

Good luck with the brake job.

 

[brad_d]

Many thanks for the advice, everybody.

What I'll do is to give the pins, etc. a good cleaning, inspect them, and if they look like they're still in good shape I'll use either the dielectric or this red synthetic brake grease (I have some of both lying around).

The Honda pads come with this gray grease of some sort that I believe goes on the pad backs. The guys at the parts counter said that it goes under the shims, but looking at the (dealer-done) brakes on there right now, it appears that they slopped it almost everywhere!

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by brad_d:
Many thanks for the advice, everybody.

What I'll do is to give the pins, etc. a good cleaning, inspect them, and if they look like they're still in good shape I'll use either the dielectric or this red synthetic brake grease (I have some of both lying around).

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The brake grease sounds like the better of the choices. It's more likely to be formulated to stick to the metal under the rough conditions that brake parts experiance.

A very thin layer is all you need. It's not good to have a lot of lubricant slobbered around your brakes, like you say the dealer did.

 

[labman]

"lithium soap base glycol grease.", Urea greases Both sound hygroscopic to me. Maybe Ok for external parts like the pins, but not for lubing a rebuilt caliper or a bleed screw. Since the more little tubes you have, the tougher laying ahold of the right one when you need it is, I would buy silicone and use it on the pins and a bunch of other places too.

 

[tom slick]

the autoparts store will sell high temp brake parts grease.

 

[cryptokid]

call me dangerous but i like to use antiseize on the caliper parts. antiseize does not really dry out, it doesnt fling off so it wont get on the pads.

 

[1maniac]

quote:

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call me dangerous but i like to use antiseize on the caliper parts

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Yep! Nail on the head. I've seen alot of brake caliper lubes, synthetic or not, get completely baked. Antiseize holds up very well!