caliper and brake parts lubricant

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mikeme

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DrPeter

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As an ex- Volkswagen/Audi/Porsche dealer tech, I never use any lubricants when working with the brakes on these vehicles.

- I always cleaned the parts and replaced any damaged parts.

The Factory Repair Manuals do not mention the use of any lubricants, that I recall seeing. They do recommend to "Use only appropriate solvents for cleaning brake caliper".

The fact is when your brakes get real HOT, you do not want to have any foreign substance that could drip or seep on to the pads and influence the stopping power of these parts.
Correct me if I am wrong, last time I checked, a lubricant is designed to reduce friction, I prefer my brakes to have friction ;)


My choice for big brake kits.. :D






Oh .. wait, . . I forgot, yes I did use lubricant on these cars in the days of brake drums.... That is a different story :)


Hope that helps, be safe!

drpeter
 
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vwtech

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Silicone base lubricant is what I like for caliper pins.

Dr. Peter you use no lubricant for the caliper pins?:confused:

What do you do leave them dry?

lubricant caliper pins only because they are free floating. Dr. Peter is right about the rotors and pads there should be nothing on them!
I do recommend using a brake cleaner to clean the rotor to remove anything like finger prints or grease marks from your hands.

Dr. Peter must have read your post wrong? You have to lubricant guide pins!

Good Luck
 
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Jef

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OE pads don't need anything added to them, or at least not for the last 15 years. I would clean the off the caliper "locator pins" and put just a tiny dab of silicon on them.
 
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vwtech

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Op wrote "I tried some disk brake grease" really there is no such thing!

There is no grease for disk rotors! Nothing goes on rotors!!!!! Just the guides!

Good Luck
 
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Uwe

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Not VCDS-related; moved to General VW/Audi Repair.

-Uwe-
 
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mikeme

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To clarify, (I really should read twice before posting in the morning) the container in my garage contains Disk Brake wheel bearing grease. (probably purchased for use on my then-a-few-years-old 1981 Plymouth.)

Last year I replaced the front pads and disks. cleaned off the caliper pins and used a dab of the wheel bearing grease on the pins. this spring the grease and whatever it turned into made the brakes grabby, shaking the steering wheel.

so I am on a path to replace the disks and pads, as well as the caliper pin boots, and am looking for advice on how to properly provide whatever lubricant is required.

when I did the rear pads a couple years ago, I left the caliper pins intact, with whatever lube was installed in Mexico when the car was put together. (changing rear pads does not require pulling the pins out, just mounting bolts that secure the pins.)

I did see that VW sells a brake pin lubricant, but wonder what it is made of,
404942_x800.jpg
 
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DrPeter

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Hi,

Dr. Peter you use no lubricant for the caliper pins?

- I do leave them dry, when I had worked on the new vehicles... less than 100 miles, I never noticed any assembly lubrication on these parts, so I never thought of using anything.

- Personally I have never run into a problem, so it may not hurt to add something on the pins ... a little is better I would imagine :)


drpeter
 
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jyoung8607

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I lost a rear inboard pad on my 2001 Jetta GLX due to a stuck caliper slide pin... 16,000 miles from factory new and I heard grinding metal. The other three rear pads were in excellent shape.

I can't recall off the top of my head what Bentley says on the topic, but I have always carefully inspected, cleaned, and lubricated slide pins after that. There are sticky high-temperature rated greases just for this purpose.

Jason
 
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golfi_vend

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Well i don't know about you guys, but we've been adding lubricant to guide pins as long i remember. And I remember it long.
 
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Zenerdiode

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DrPeter, that brake disk kit looks gorgeous!

Have you, erm, have you got any spare, or surplus, or ordered incorrectly, or customer didn't collect, or...
I'll pay the postage! :D
 
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mikeme

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DrPeter

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As an ex- Volkswagen/Audi/Porsche dealer tech, I never use any lubricants when working with the brakes on these vehicles.


- - I stand corrected, I do use anti-seize on the pin/bolts that are under the boots on the rear calipers, sorry for the confusion.

Like these folks show here . . . http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/campingart/jettatech/Howtochangefrontbrakepads.htm



They are not exposed to the atmosphere like smaller pins that hold the brake pads in place, below, I do not use anything there, nor do I lubricate the brake pad backings, just what I do. :)


http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21zibMdK0YL.jpg




DrPeter, that brake disk kit looks gorgeous!

Have you, erm, have you got any spare, or surplus, or ordered incorrectly, or customer didn't collect, or...
I'll pay the postage!

- I wish I had a spare set... lol

- That was for an Audi S5 with a TTS Super Charger kit.. 600bhp ---> so they definitely needed the stopping power!...



drpeter
 
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mikeme

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so it sounds like the important part is to not use that crap (wheel bearing grease) I had on the shelf from 1983
 
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