How often to lube brakes?

[supton]

The sliding surfaces of the brake pads ears that is. I lubed all three vehicles this fall, tide I pulled a wheel liner on the Jetta to check some corrosion, and decided to pull pads too. No grease left at all! I had used Sta-Lube, some time this fall, maybe November, and I've only driven 10k since then. The pads were not frozen but not quite loose either.

I'm guessing I need to pull the brakes on the two now also, and that I need to do this 2x a year.

 

[Barkleymut]

That is two times more this year than I will do it . brakes are the final frontier for me, I guess someday I will educAte myself on how to really take care of them, until then brakes and AC problems are handled by a local mechanic.

 

[supton]

Well, pads are easy. Rotors can be hard. But touching the hydraulic lines is where I quit. I watched a mechanic work for darn near two hours to bleed the brakes on mine, after changing calipers. ABS pump just did not want to give I guess.

I'm guessing you don't have the salt issues I do. And you probably use the brakes more. I have over 120k on this set of pads, and they measure 0.36inch of material. I find when they freeze the parking brake stops working and or I get poor life.

 

[Barkleymut]

I do almost all hwy driving so pads seem to last over 75k. I do bleed my brakes, but I have only done pads once and it just made me feel uneasy since I just don't know much about them.

And yeah, except for this winter our roads only get salted once or twice a year.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: supton
I'm guessing you don't have the salt issues I do. And you probably use the brakes more. I have over 120k on this set of pads, and they measure 0.36inch of material. I find when they freeze the parking brake stops working and or I get poor life.

This is where servicing taxis spoiled me. With the city mileage that they accumulate in such short order, nothing has a chance to rust or seize. Brake jobs work just as smoothly as those ones on the TV shows where the garage floors look clean enough to dine off of.

 

[JTK]

Living in the rust belt, you generally want to do this in the spring, given the majority of your crud and corrosion build-up is going to happen over the winter for a typical daily driver.

Once a year is fine and for me, doubles the life of my pads and rotors.

Like said above, for me, my DIY brake work stops at the brake lines.

 

[cp3]

My son's dealership recommends once a year. I was going to do it when I changed to the summer tires but I didn't have the time. Will likely do it sometime through the summer.

 

[supton]

I need to buy a bag of the stainless steel clips too. A metal file isn't getting the job done.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: supton
I need to buy a bag of the stainless steel clips too. A metal file isn't getting the job done.


I can usually get them cleaned up with scotch-brite and WD40 or the likes.

 

[Eddie]

When I change pads.

 

[buck91]

I use a brass wheel to clean up the rattle clips if they are being reused. Otheriwse the only time my pads or any brake parts get greased is when i disassemble for some reason (diagnostic, repair or replacement)...