I am replacing slide pin boots on every brake pad change

[D60]

Why is Mission Automotive not available anymore? This is my goto caliper pin grease.

Go with the AC Delco stuff. More expensive but inspires more confidence. It's like really thick snot where as Mission can get a little "chunky"

I replace boots every chance I get and this is the perfect opportunity for me to AGAIN complain that boots are almost always sold per axle but pins or bolts are sold per caliper. Thus, you need two boxes of pins but one box of boots per axle.

 

[Timmastertech]

Not exactly true. Go out to purchase some and you'll get a lot of "we don't have that one."
Behind the counter of a competent parts shop was a wall of brake pin boots....easily 40 styles to choose from.
Many are similar. I can see a customer (The Critic, for one) getting an ill-fitting set that's close.

Also, I tried to buy these boots for a Jeep GC and 3 dealerships didn't have them.
As a personal thing, I wasn't surprised as Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, RAM, Stellantis dealerships have always been steps below average.

Sold 235 axles worth of brakes last year and 210 sets of pin boots. All of the pin boots came from the parts store other than 1 set from a GM dealer because I got the pads and rotors for that truck from them. Getting pins and boots just isnt an issue

 

[nobb]

Using the wrong grease can not only cause the damper boot to swell, but the caliper boots as well. When those boots loosen up, they start letting water/debris in and makes things worse. Ever since I switched to Sil Glyde, I have had zero rubber compatibility issues.

The only place I apply grease is to the pad ears. Never to the back of the pads...IMO I think it's bad advice there since grease attracts more debris and could also cause compatibility issues with the piston boots.

 

[The motor guy]

Using the wrong grease can not only cause the damper boot to swell, but the caliper boots as well. When those boots loosen up, they start letting water/debris in and makes things worse. Ever since I switched to Sil Glyde, I have had zero rubber compatibility issues.

The only place I apply grease is to the pad ears. Never to the back of the pads...IMO I think it's bad advice there since grease attracts more debris and could also cause compatibility issues with the piston boots.

I thought about applying it to the ears, but couldn't see how it wasn't going to get into the pad material itself, so didn't bother. I live in the south, so you don't have to worry about them rusting much. Or anything for that matter. The only rust on my truck frame is where the ac condensate line drains onto it. 18 years old.

 

[nobb]

I thought about applying it to the ears, but couldn't see how it wasn't going to get into the pad material itself, so didn't bother. I live in the south, so you don't have to worry about them rusting much. Or anything for that matter. The only rust on my truck frame is where the ac condensate line drains onto it. 18 years old.

I don't believe they use grease from factory anyways so I'm not entirely convinced it's necessary, other than an insurance policy for shops to ensure there's no customer come backs on squeaking for atleast a few months before it washes off.

Here in Canada though, even the stainless hardware will quickly start corroding after a winter and rust jacketing can cause things to seize. I've been experimenting with using anti-seize on the mounting points between the hardware and the caliper to see if that helps.

 

[The motor guy]

Sounds about right. New pads sqeaking after a month. I never know if it's just the pads or the little wear bar indicator squealing. You just have to look through the spokes every so often.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

I would be weary of aftermarket boots and bushings for caliper pins. Mine were sized improperly and would have burned out the brakes.

 

[The motor guy]

I would be weary of aftermarket boots and bushings for caliper pins. Mine were sized improperly and would have burned out the brakes.

They looked exactly the same as what I took off.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

My eye sight is no the best, when I tried to put the pin in i noticed the difference. I had to have it right up to my nose and side by side to see the difference. But my eyes sight is not the best.

 

[The motor guy]

My eye sight is no the best, when I tried to put the pin in i noticed the difference. I had to have it right up to my nose and side by side to see the difference. But my eyes sight is not the best.

My old boots were worn out. They weren't sealing anymore either. One poster said I can just run without the boots as they were only for noise reduction. I disagree. You're going to wallow out the hole and wear out the pins.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

Yeah no boots in the rust belt will wreck your brakes in 3 months in the rust belt as in replace pins and caliper bracket.
The boots are not for noise reduction that is just a side effect.
Hard to see tears on these small rubber pieces so nothing wrong with a bit of insurance especially in the rust belt or anywhere but South West.

 

[Jetronic]

I noticed I had a torn boot today while I was working on my brakes had really uneven pad wear. One of the slide pins was seized causing the very corner of the pad to hit the backing plate, while the rest of the pad had a good amount of life left. Caught it just in time, literally. So here I am got the new boot installed greased up etc. Then I'm like omg, it's the boot that's swollen up over time causing these pins to bind. I can easily move the slide pin back and forth with my pinky now. Went ahead and put a new boot on the other slide pin too. Best $8 I ever spent

The boots shouldn't swell, unless you use the wrong grease.

edit, I see the boots were 18 years old, I was under the impression they were fairly new.

 

[The motor guy]

The boots shouldn't swell, unless you use the wrong grease.

edit, I see the boots were 18 years old, I was under the impression they were fairly new.

From the sound of it they typically don't get replaced often.doesnt sound like most people can find them. Idk, they may not need to be replaced with every pad change. Mine were probably just old. All I know is after I put the old boot back on and everything greased, it was just as tight as before. Unlike the one with the new boot, I could easily slide the pin back and forth

 

[Jetronic]

From the sound of it they typically don't get replaced often.doesnt sound like most people can find them. Idk, they may not need to be replaced with every pad change. Mine were probably just old.

Yes, if they are fine they can be left. But petroleum products make them swell. They come with caliper rebuild kits usually.

 

[MParr]

CRC silaramic wont swell the rubber.

That's what I use.

 

[The motor guy]

Yes, if they are fine they can be left. But petroleum products make them swell. They come with caliper rebuild kits usually.

I'm just going to do the brakes myself from now on. Otherwise they just slap it all back together and don't care if a slide pin is seized or whatever. I'm going to get another box of boots too since everyone says the quality is questionable. Hopefully I can just get the same brand

 

[JTK]

Yep, a non-sealing pin boot wouldn't last you long in the rust belt.

I've never had the pin boots swell, but have had the pin bushings get mushy and swell some. Like said, most definitely from the wrong lube. I have had Sil-Glyde turn to a dry paste, which is why I use pure silicone grease now for the sealed pins.

I use a "synthetic sili-ramic" purple lube for the pad backs and under the abutment clips. The only vehicles I've done brakes on, where a pin boot tore super easily (by me) was on a Honda and a Ram 1500 I owned. For the Honda Odyssey, I used OEM. For the Ram, my closest Napa store pulled a pair off a reman'd caliper and sold them to me.

 

[The motor guy]

Yep, a non-sealing pin boot wouldn't last you long in the rust belt.

I've never had the pin boots swell, but have had the pin bushings get mushy and swell some. Like said, most definitely from the wrong lube. I have had Sil-Glyde turn to a dry paste, which is why I use pure silicone grease now for the sealed pins.

I use a "synthetic sili-ramic" purple lube for the pad backs and under the abutment clips. The only vehicles I've done brakes on, where a pin boot tore super easily (by me) was on a Honda and a Ram 1500 I owned. For the Honda Odyssey, I used OEM. For the Ram, my closest Napa store pulled a pair off a reman'd caliper and sold them to me.

The last shop used anti seize. That's a petroleum lube that will make them swell. I've never had a brake pad as crooked as that one was

 

[The motor guy]

The last shop used anti seize. That's a petroleum lube that will make them swell. I've never had a brake pad as crooked as that one was

I'll take a picture. It's one for the trophy case lol

 

[D60]

I'm just going to do the brakes myself from now on. Otherwise they just slap it all back together and don't care if a slide pin is seized or whatever. I'm going to get another box of boots too since everyone says the quality is questionable. Hopefully I can just get the same brand

And if you ever get a reman caliper, take the time to pull the pins where applicable and grease them yourself. They ship them with the absolute minimum lube.