How should I grease ATE brakes on a Mazda

[camrydriver111]

I will be doing a brake job on 2012 Mazda 3. It has brake calipers made by ATE, which look the same as on many German cars. The sliding pins are partially exposed when everything is installed. German car makers don't recommend greasing these types of pins. Is there any guidance from Mazda whether to grease or not? I looked at two Mazda service manuals and it doesn't have that level of detail.

I will be also be going with original pads. I had some bad experiences with aftermarket. Is there any reason to grease the backs of original pads? I don't think cars leave the factory with greased pads?

 

[FowVay]

My previous Volkswagen and current BMW use slide pins like this. They are a hardened and chromed pin that rides inside of a rubber housing with a cap on the end to seal them off. The procedure for these is to clean the pin and the rubber boot that the pin sits inside of and install them dry. You can use some type of dry film lubricant if you wish but it is not specified as a technique.

 

[KrisZ]

I see you’re in Canada, I would say grease them, unless you’re in Vancouver or some other place that doesn’t salt roads during winter. I did on my 2006 Mazda 3 which had the same setup. Also, clean and the-grease on annual basis.

But the grease does matter, initially I used permatex purple I think and it gummed up. I switched to Wurth silicone compound and never had issues. The car had original calipers, pins and brackets for 14 years that I kept it, 11 of which were in the greater Toronto area.

 

[BMW Dom]

I used the ATE Brake Anti-Squeal Paste on mine. Just a very light coasting

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Grease the slide pins. Sil-Glyde is good stuff. If ATE sells their own stuff, use that.

And remember, the calipers were designed by Mazda, just manufactured by ATE. Therefore, VW instructions don't necessarily pertain to the Mazda, even if they share a common supplier. Some German cars use Akebono now, but they could still say not to grease the slide pins.

 

[FowVay]

The picture I provided came from the Mazda service manual. They make not statement or requirement regarding the application of a lubricant on the slide pins.

The service bulletin that addresses brake pulsation and noise does state that if the pins are seized then clean and lubricate them. They don't say what to lubricate them with so the use of Sil-Glyde or other similar product might be a good idea. From the service bulletin:

"^ If seized caliper slide pin(s) are found, remove the pins. Clean and lubricate the pins, then reinstall."

 

[Carmudgeon]

I used the ATE Brake Anti-Squeal Paste on mine. Just a very light coasting

You're probably aware of this, but don't specify where you apply it.

So, a PSA: Plastilube is not rubber-safe, and only intended for use on the metal-metal contact points, like the ears and backing plate. Not for the rubber-encased slide pins like found on ATE calipers.

Nor is it meant to be used as assembly paste when rebuilding calipers; ATE has a separate product for that, but it has to be imported from a source outside the U.S.

In the past, it has been falsely promoted for those uses by some parts vendors, but a quick check of the usual suspects indicates they may have cleaned up that faux pas.

If Mazda has no prohibition on lubricating their pins, then no problem, but I'd look for something that's better than Sil-Glyde, and obviously, rubber-safe.

 

[BMW Dom]

ATE Plastilube Brake Lubricant is formulated to prevent squealing from brake pads and provide protection against corrosion for caliper guide surfaces including caliper slide pins and between the piston and backing plate.


Pros also use Plastilube on the point of contact between the ‘ears’ of the brake pads and the caliper guide (metal to metal contact). These areas can become contaminated with rust, salt, and road grime, limiting the movement of the pad within the guide and causing poor function and noise.

 

[Sam_Julier]

I switched to Mission Silcone on @Trav suggestion.

It is all I use now. The brakes on the cars in my signature are silent.

 

[vtec260]

I used Sil-glyde on my daughter's 2012 Mazda 3 and after a couple of years, no issue with brakes. I just bought a tub of Mission silicone grease so I will use that on all my future brake work on pins.

 

[KrisZ]

I just remembered one more thing about the rear calipers, they are probably aluminum, like on my old Mazda3.
If so, the pins may be hard to remove or even seized, not because the pins are corroded, but because aluminum where the dust boots go through the caliper develops a layer of oxidation and essentially squeezes the rubber and thus the pin.

I had to remove the boots from the caliper, scrape off the oxidation and apply silicone grease to it. That stopped the oxidation and stuck caliper pins.

 

[camrydriver111]

I just remembered one more thing about the rear calipers, they are probably aluminum, like on my old Mazda3.
If so, the pins may be hard to remove or even seized, not because the pins are corroded, but because aluminum where the dust boots go through the caliper develops a layer of oxidation and essentially squeezes the rubber and thus the pin.

I had to remove the boots from the caliper, scrape off the oxidation and apply silicone grease to it. That stopped the oxidation and stuck caliper pins.

What year of car?

 

[KrisZ]

What year of car?

Mine was 2006, your 2012 should have the same brake calipers as mine though.

 

[X15]

Do not grease ATE slide pins, ignore whatever generic advice Mazda or other auto-makers say without due care, ATE pins should NOT be lubricated.

Remove the pins and clean them with a rag and some brake cleaner, or even just soap and water, do NOT wire brush them. If the finish is damaged the pins need to be replaced.

Remove the bushings and check inside the bores for corrosion; corrosion inside the bores puts pressure on the bushings, which in turn put pressure on the pins and can cause them to bind. There are special wire brushes available for this, but as long as any corrosion is removed it's not terribly important how you do it.

Install NEW unlubricated bushings, they are self-lubricating and do NOT require grease, that will only attract contaminants. Rubber parts degrade in the presence of UV and oxygen, and after the pins have slid in and out so many times the bushings will have some mechanical wear as well, they're cheap and have been in service for a dozen years, it's time to replace them.

Ate does want Plastilube on the back of the pads to damp out vibration and noise, but that's the ONLY place you should put it, Plastilube is petroleum based and is NOT RUBBER SAFE. I will shout 'till I'm blue in the face about not lubricating ATE slide pins, but you can try leaving the back of the pads dry, or use other grease, you really don't need to go out and buy Plastilube just for this.

DO NOT LUBRICATE ATE SLIDE PINS

DO NOT USE PLASTILUBE ON RUBBER

 

[edyvw]

Nope!

 

[930.engineering]

Do not grease ATE slide pin....... ATE pins should NOT be lubricated.
......
Remove the bushings and check inside the bores for corrosion; corrosion inside the bores puts pressure on the bushings, which in turn put pressure on the pins and can cause them to bind. There are special wire brushes available for this, but as long as any corrosion is removed it's not terribly important how you do it.

Thanks, VERY good point. I already had in mind to apply the same.
I used to furl a piece of sandpaper to remove rust on Ate calipers.
.

 

[KrisZ]

Good luck with no lubricant on these pins in the rust belt. The rubber bushings are not “self lubricating” they are normal EPM or whatever rubber, they are very “grabby” when dry.

But what do I know? I only kept the original calipers, pins and even the front bushings for fourteen years running with no issues and no abnormal pad wear. Must’ve been my dumb luck

 

[X15]

EPDM can be impregnated with Graphite, Molybdenum Disulfide, Teflon (PTFE), and / or organic lubricants, it can also be coated with a thin layer of Teflon.

ATE originally used a Teflon insert before switching to coated / impregnated bushings. If the friction between the bushing and the pin is too high then the bushing should be replaced, not lubricated.