Could I get away with just Molybdenum and Lithium Wheel Bearing Grease?
Grease for Brake Caliper Slides, Universal Joints and Wheel Bearings
- Thread starter Jonathan Ferguson
- Start date
- Status
Maybe, but I wouldn't risk any conventional grease on any brake parts. Find a silicone grease for your caliper pins. The tune up grease for spark plugs will work fine.
yes you can but in those cases, water will wash it out over time. I have many mechanics that use ours and of course standard greases on this area of the brakes.quote:
Originally posted by Jonathan Ferguson:
Could I get away with just Molybdenum and Lithium Wheel Bearing Grease?
Labman, could you explain the properties of a silicon lubricant and how it would be better please. thanks.
I don't have anything on viscosity, anti wear properties, etc. The important thing is that being silicone based, it does not swell any rubber products and is also very water resistant. Much of the rubber used in brake parts is very sensitive to hydrocarbons and swells with the least little bit. The silicone is also very stable, not drying out or hardening with time and heat. It is extremely important that calipers slide freely. On critical applications, I tend to stick to what I know works. NAPA carries a great product called Silglide, but I don't if it is available in Australia. Back when we had a NAPA store here, they tended to stock a very expensive 12 OZ tube. The little tubes of tune up grease are about the same thing and work fine.
Caliper pins is a very different application from wheel bearings or u-joints. I never heard of using the silicone grease on them.
Caliper pins is a very different application from wheel bearings or u-joints. I never heard of using the silicone grease on them.
I know that Volvo specs Silglide for brake work done here in the States. You use in on the pins and on the back of the brake pad. It is very thick, doesn’t wash out, and does not drip under the high temp of disc brakes. Great stuff.
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2003
- Messages
- 23,591
Plastilube is an excellent high temperature grease that works on brake calipers and also as anti-squeal. It's acid and copper free and it won't wash off. You may be able to get it from a BMW service department or at gun shops (Plastilube is used on guns).
Those $.99 one time use grease packs for brakes at advance auto parts & autozone is Silglide. Says it right on the back. Seems to hold up well & last long.
Joel
Joel
BMW carries little packets of the stuff, just ask and they'll give you a few.
Kestas
Staff member
I agree with silicone grease on caliper slide pins. I'd rather go with an antisieze paste on the back of brake pads, it's specified on Mercedes pads.
I can heartily attest to silicone not washing off, I just pulled a faucet cartridge from a broken kitchen faucet and you could still see and feel the silicone grease on the O ring seals they put on at assembly. The faucet was so old they don't make that model anymore. The sliding seals must have been immersed in water for at least 10-15 years. The grease looks just like the tune up grease but probably 10X as expensive being food grade. The cartridge still worked, but the swivel spout was broken and I had to remove the cartridge to get at it.
I have a big tube of silicon grease I bought at the pool supply store. Can I use this on my brakes?
No real silicone is going to swell internal brake parts. I wouldn't be surprised if the O-rings in caliper slides are formulated to withstand hydrocarbons. I will let somebody else find out. As long as your silicone has a high enough temperature rating, it should be fine on any brake parts.
Use Motorcraft Silicone Brake Caliper Grease and Dielectric Compound (XG-3-A) or Squeak Relief Caliper Grease (silicone grease and moly). Best deal is to purchase a 3 oz. tube of the Motorcraft product from your local Ford dealer for around $8.50. Tons of applications for silicone grease.
Best deal? I forget what I paid NAPA for a 4 oz. tube of Sil Glyde, but if it was more than $8.50, I think I would have remembered.
Yes, I have used standard Moly EP grease for years on slideing caliper just refresh the grease once a year. It is really easy to pull back the boot and put a dab of grease on it. It is better though to use a quality nickle based anti-sieze on the pins! It takes less, sticks better adn usualy does a better job. THeir is also less risk of it melting and running onto the pads. Same thing applys to lube spots onthe backing plate for drums/shoe set up!
- Status