WTB Brake Grease/Lubricant. Which one(s)?

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Aug 4, 2020
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I am a firm believer in using this stuff on the backs of pads when replacing them to stop squealing from happening. That said, I'm positively done buying the little packets. Now that my demand is significantly increasing for brake jobs, I want to invest in a more cost effective product. I'm just not sure what would be my best option. I like the Permatex Extreme (LINK, or LINK), and I've also used the CRC Disc Brake Quiet (LINK) and had no complaints, but it doesn't seem to be a lubricant that can be used anywhere else except the back of the pads. I'm also eyeballing this (LINK), but I have no experience with it. That said, I'm open to trying new products. Ideally, I'd like one product to do everything (which I assume the Permatex product I linked will do). But if the best answer, for example, is both the Permatex and CRC products I linked, then I'm willing to buy more than one if it means the end result will be superior.

What I need:
A product that actually works and doesn't wear off.
Multiple uses and long shelf life after opening it in less than ideal conditions (shop heat/air is off more often than on). Not sure what "long" realistically is though. I'd love about 5 years, but that may not be possible.

What I want:
Cost effective per ounce
Not (unnecessarily) messy

Any advice is highly appreciated. Thanks.
 
The Permatex silicone stuff or CRC Silaramic might be as "universal" as it comes - I'm a little leery about using it on slide pins with rubber bushings(due to the solid lubricants) but those are rubber safe - the regular stuff they well does swell rubber.
 
I find that for some brake jobs you want to use two different greases. Even in the service manual OEMs will tell you use x grease on this, y grease on that. Petroleum type grease (anti-seize, green, black, purple) for exposed or metal to metal parts and silicone type grease (silglyde, silaramic) for non-exposed or metal to rubber parts.
 
There must hundreds of threads about this with hundreds of opinions. Some vehicle brands seem to be very sensitive about rubber swelling and the use of only specific lubricant.

I follow the 2 lube rule - one for the enclosed pins and one for exposed to weather metal to metal. After problems with various enclosed pin lubes, I went back to the tried and true silicone brake lube (I have 3M currently).

For exposed metal to metal I use either Molykote/Honda M77 or Pastelube. Both are high moly pastes that have tenacious staying power against washoff (nothing lasts forever). I'm currently using Pastelube: https://goodson.com/products/bpl-2400-pastelub-brake-lubricant?variant=42306289542 .....I use it for rust prevention on rotor hats, hubs, etc. also.
 
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I know Eric at South Main Auto on YouTube has done thousands of brake jobs (typically on American and Asian brands) and uses the Permatex Extreme product without complaint. Note that he rarely works on European cars, so YMMV if you own a BMW and a Porsche.

I'm a much smaller sample size, but I use it for my personal cars (American and Asian) and have had no issues. I've owned my bottle for close to five years and it's holding up just fine (I just used it on a brake job last month), but I do keep it in the house.

Here's one example of a South Main Auto brake job. Around six minutes in, he uses Fluid Film on the rotor mounting surface, but he's brushed on a thin film of Permatex in the past.

 
I find that for some brake jobs you want to use two different greases. Even in the service manual OEMs will tell you use x grease on this, y grease on that. Petroleum type grease (anti-seize, green, black, purple) for exposed or metal to metal parts and silicone type grease (silglyde, silaramic) for non-exposed or metal to rubber parts.

How about the brake pad that meets the brake cylinder/piston? The brake cylinder/piston has a rubber seal around it (exposed rubber to metal contact).
 
I paint on the black paste lube on surfaces on caliper bracket where the clips will go on. I use a cheap kids paint brush you would use to paint a model. (Do kids still build models and paint them?)
 
How about the brake pad that meets the brake cylinder/piston? The brake cylinder/piston has a rubber seal around it (exposed rubber to metal contact).

That's why some of us recommend rubber safe products on the metal to metal exposed areas also. Un-common sense should prevail.
 
Personally, I had better luck with better quality pads without applying anything on their back plates vs a pad with any lubricant on its back plate - to prevent noise.
If anything, I'd probably go with copper grease as I had better luck with it on pads' shims and using it on pads' 'ears' too.
 
I applied grease to the backside of a pad--once. Once was a enough. Thankfully the grease washed away in short order. No idea what was up, I know the pads are often greased from the factory, but I just do not have brake squeal.

M77 for metal to metal, and Sil-glyde for pins. Take it apart yearly to reapply and to inspect things.
 
Personally, I had better luck with better quality pads without applying anything on their back plates vs a pad with any lubricant on its back plate - to prevent noise.
If anything, I'd probably go with copper grease as I had better luck with it on pads' shims and using it on pads' 'ears' too.
Out of the countless times I've seen pads installed without anything to silence them, only once has it been quiet when complete. This includes the cheapest of cheap pads, all the way to Thermoquiets, and almost everything between them.
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Out of the countless times I've seen pads installed with one of these products, only once has it been noisy. And still is. The offender is a 2003 Altima with Thermoquiets.
 
I've used the CRC disc brake quiet in rattle can form. Easier to get a thin layer on without much effort. You just need a piece of cardboard to put the pads on, then spray

Also have a tube of silglyde for everything else
 
We use AC Delco silicone grease on the pad ears, under the abutment clips, on the slide pins, and on the pad backing plates. It isnt cheap but it is by far the best brake grease I have ever used. part number is 10-4019
 
Silicone (3m, motor craft, others) for pins. For pad ears I haven’t found anything that lasts very long. I’ve tried even tried 50% moly paste. Just did two Powerstop installs so we will see how their grey goo holds up there.
 
I find that for some brake jobs you want to use two different greases. Even in the service manual OEMs will tell you use x grease on this, y grease on that. Petroleum type grease (anti-seize, green, black, purple) for exposed or metal to metal parts and silicone type grease (silglyde, silaramic) for non-exposed or metal to rubber parts.
Toyota and Subaru are almost alike for this - they call for a glycol-based grease(Toyota Rubber Grease or Niglube RX-2) on the slide pins and boots and a different grease for the shim. Subaru called for a third grease, Molykote 7439 on the support ledges and pad ears.

The Japanese swear by the forementioned glycol grease.
 
I’ve used Bendix Ceramisil brake grease with great results. But as long as you have success, it doesn’t really matter what brand of grease you use.
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L8R,
Matt
 
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