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Brake grease versus anti-seize

Brake grease versus anti-seize

Brake grease, not anti-seize is the go-to lubricant for disc brakes

Many people use anti-seize to lubricant caliper slide pins. Then they wonder why their caliper slide pins seize. First, anti-seize is specifically NOT recommended for brake applications. It’s not a lubricant. It was never designed as a lubricant. If you go to the Permetex website and look at the recommended uses for anti-seize, you won’t see ANY mention of brakes.

Anti-seize is a high solids lubricant which is the last thing you want for caliper slide pins

Would you add sand to a caliper pin lubricant? I didn’t think so. Well, that’s kinda what you’re doing when you use anti-seize on caliper slide pins. But instead of sand, you’re adding aluminum, nickel or copper chips; all of which inhibit movement. As the carrier grease burns off at high temps, you’re left with degraded grease and metal chips.

Anti-seize causes more corrosion, not less

Anti-seize enables galvanic action

Any time you have two different types of metal in close proximity, you get galvanic action. In brake applications you have steel caliper slide pins inside a caliper pin bore that’s made from aluminum or a magnesium alloy. When you lubricate the pins with anti-seize, you’re adding yet another metal that can accelerate galvanic action.

High temperature synthetic brake grease is the choice for caliper pins and the abutment

• Synthetic high temperature brake grease doesn’t harm rubber components

• Synthetic silicone-based brake grease is dielectric so it prevents corrosion. That’s especially important on the abutment channels that hold the brake pads.

• After cleaning the rust off the abutment channels and BEFORE installing the anti-rattle clips, apply a light film of synthetic brake grease to the channel to prevent rust formation.

• Do not apply grease to the anti-rattle clips. I know this goes against everything you see online. But the latest recommendations from the brake manufacturers is that applying brake grease on the anti-rattle clips is the #1 cause of brake pad binding. The grease attracts road dirt and grit and that damages the painted “ears” of the brake pads, causing rust jacking.

• The anti-rattle clips are made from stainless steel and carmakers don’t apply grease at the factory. You shouldn’t add it when you do a brake job.

silicone brake grease versus anti-seize

Where should you use anti-seize?

Anti-seize is designed to prevent metal components from seizing. So brush a thin film of anti-seize around the wheel hub to prevent the rotor from seizing to the hub.

©, 2022 Rick Muscoplat

 

Posted on by Rick Muscoplat

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