brake pad ears . lube or not

[CarLuver]

i have done many brake jobs on cars . i usually lube the ears . but watching SMA and a few other channels they install them dry. also, never seen lube used on cars from the factory .

So what do you do ,lube or not lube?

 

[vavavroom]

Lube or do not lube. People will tell you either way is incorrect.

What I do is obviously incorrect. On calipers without clips/shims on the pad sliding surface, I apply anti-seize. On calipers with clips/shims on the caliper sliding surface, I do not apply any lube or anti-seize but I replace shims that no longer look pristine when I replace the pads.

I might be tempted to use a waxy dry film lube like what can be used on a bicycle chain.

 

[doublebase]

I’ve done it both ways, honestly I don’t think there is a right or wrong way with either. Right now I’m nit applying grease on top of the clips and ears, but under. Doesn’t matter, when I go to change them again, the rust has still built up under the clips. My advice, do what you want, there’s so much water and salt that gets washed up into that area that nothing will prevent the inevitable.

I once took a brake grease class (I’m serious), and of course it was put on by the brake grease company - and they directed us to apply it to everything, every darn surface imaginable. If my mother walked in, they would have told me to cover her in grease too.

 

[Lubener]

i have done many brake jobs on cars . i usually lube the ears . but watching SMA and a few other channels they install them dry. also, never seen lube used on cars from the factory .

So what do you do ,lube or not lube?

If there is metal to metal moving contact, I lightly lube those points with a high temp. grease..

 

[ctechbob]

I would say it depends on your climate. Myself, I have never lubed anything other than the slider pins, but I live somewhere that doesn't require it.

You rust belt guys have it rough. No matter what you do the things are going to turn to a crusty mess anyway, so if it were me, I would follow the SMA/WWW method of treating the lube as a rust preventative and lube under the clips, but not the ears.

 

[hrv]

I always use OEM Honda pads on my cars and do not lube the ears and never had a noise issue at all...OEM fits like it should...OEM....

 

[demarpaint]

After cleaning everything, I lube the slide pins, under the clips, inside the clips where the pad ears reside and the pad ears, with a nice thin even coat of grease. The pad backs get sprayed with Permatex Disk Brake Quiet. That method has been working well on rust prone L.I.

 

[HemiBenny]

As mentioned before, your climate changes your approach to subjects such as this. For me, greasing the ears would only attract brake dust and make an unnecessary mess.

 

[supton]

I lube. If I don’t take apart every year, by year two its all frozen, then they wear down the friction fast—but with yearly lubing, they can last well past 100k.

 

[ka9mnx]

I've done it both ways. Had a problem with the 4Runner with the brakes dragging. Seems the lube collects dirt. I don't lube anymore. I don't see the reason to.

 

[Kira]

Derusting thoroughly and applying a coat of grease where the stainless clips go is a must-do task.

 

[mk378]

The grease is not going to stay there for anywhere near the life of the pads. You do it on someone else's car only to avoid the potential of embarrassing squeaks as they leave your garage.

 

[RooflessVW]

Wire brush and send it.

The pads do not move that much during use. The slide pins are far more critical.

 

[Hall]

I've stopped lubing up the hardware/clips. I've decided that the pads will slide easier in the hardware if they're as clean as possible. Lube just collects dirt and dust.

 

[edyvw]

Depends what manufacturer says. ATE has dry pins, everything is dry. They are making floating calipers for BMW. On fixed calipers on BMW (Brembo and ATE) they recommend just lubing back plate of pad. So, depends on caliper and pad manufacturer.

 

[oldhp]

I’ve done it both ways, honestly I don’t think there is a right or wrong way with either. Right now I’m nit applying grease on top of the clips and ears, but under. Doesn’t matter, when I go to change them again, the rust has still built up under the clips. My advice, do what you want, there’s so much water and salt that gets washed up into that area that nothing will prevent the inevitable.

I once took a brake grease class (I’m serious), and of course it was put on by the brake grease company - and they directed us to apply it to everything, every darn surface imaginable. If my mother walked in, they would have told me to cover her in grease too.

I guess the trick would be holding Mom still.

 

[MSCH]

i have done many brake jobs on cars . i usually lube the ears . but watching SMA and a few other channels they install them dry. also, never seen lube used on cars from the factory .

So what do you do ,lube or not lube?

been my experience that most modern disc brake setups also have replaceable hardware which is really inexpensive.
if someone is concerned with wear, replace the hardware.

 

[FowVay]

This is only one example for one vehicle but I'll add it to the comments. It's the factory recommendation for maintenance from Nissan on their Frontier pickup product line. For slide pin lubrication they state to use "rubber grease". For the stainless steel pad retainers that the pads slide on they state to use Molykote 7439. I personally use Toyota rubber grease, P/N 08887-01206 because it's cheap and readily available. Molykote 7439, aka Molykote CU7439, is a copper infused anti-seize. I don't use the specific Molykote brand because of the price but I do use Permatex copper anti seize on my brake pad retainers.

 

[JTK]

As mentioned before, your climate changes your approach to subjects such as this. For me, greasing the ears would only attract brake dust and make an unnecessary mess.

100% this. It's all about the climate in which you live.

In Buffalo NY, if rust jacking under the abutment clips doesn't get you, the steel pad ears will rust, swell and seize, corrosion will work it's way between the friction material and the pad backings and pop the friction material right off, or corrosive material will wick it's way past the slide pin boots and seize the pins. So many means of mayhem. Good lube helps for most of these instances.

The main thing rust belt folks get wrong, is not removing the corrosion properly from under the abutment clips. Wire brushing doesn't work. You need to file it clean to fresh metal with a caliper file or totally sand blast the area. I've gotten this step wrong a lot in the past, resulting in a shorter lived brake job.

 

[Rand]

I use pastelub on and below the clips.. and a little on the pad ears and backing.. mainly to prevent/slow rust.
I have yet to find anything I like more than sil-glyde on caliper pins. I am sure its out there.. but sil-glyde works doesnt gum up, turn gritty, or swell rubber etc.

Subaru specifically calls out for lube on their hardware.

I live in one of the heaviest salted areas in the country.
I am sure we could use 1/3 the salt but heaven forbid some tool with 2/32 tread depth spins out on a hill.

This thread is covering old news though @CarLuver should make use of the search for the 20 other times this has been covered.