What lube and where to lube the rear rotor. Looks like there was a small amount of grease around center ring and at the base of the lug studs from last time rotor was off. Not sure when that was.
Replace brake clips with each pad change
- Thread starter Donald
- Start date
- Status
Seems like the only Akebono options available for my vehicles are clipless so I buy something else. That was probably aluminum anti seize to prevent the rotor from getting frozen to the hub with rust. I do that here in salty New England. I don't lube backing plates or the ears of the pads anymore. Because it attracts sand and soot, jamming the pads on the slides after a few months. Just silicone paste or syl-glyde on the pins. No grease. One more thing I've started doing is filing ears. For one reason or another the fit is too tight on some installations.
Many OEMs recommend replacement of the abutment clips with each pad change. A genuine Subaru pad set comes with the abutment clips. The reason why your pads were stuck in the bracket is because of rust buildup between the bracket and the clip. You will likely need something more aggressive than a wire wheel to clean it. I usually use a scotchbrite disc on a die grinder or a file to clean the bracket to bare metal
On reassembly, coat the area of the bracket that the clips sit on with brake grease to help prevent corrosion. Install the clips, then a layer of grease on top for the pads to slide on. We use AC Delco silicone brake grease.
On reassembly, coat the area of the bracket that the clips sit on with brake grease to help prevent corrosion. Install the clips, then a layer of grease on top for the pads to slide on. We use AC Delco silicone brake grease.
Originally Posted by Dan55
Donald you live in Upstate New York where whatever they use on the roads during the winter creates havoc on brake hardware. There is a YouTube channel called South Main Auto located in Avoca NY. The owner Eric O describes how to do a proper brake job and the methods he uses to delay the effects of "Rust Jacking". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhw_d_EWrOQ
He uses no lube between pad ears and stainless steel clips. Just between the clips and caliper bracket.
Donald you live in Upstate New York where whatever they use on the roads during the winter creates havoc on brake hardware. There is a YouTube channel called South Main Auto located in Avoca NY. The owner Eric O describes how to do a proper brake job and the methods he uses to delay the effects of "Rust Jacking". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhw_d_EWrOQ
He uses no lube between pad ears and stainless steel clips. Just between the clips and caliper bracket.
I believe as the other posters mentioned above is the prep work to the bracket and maybe not so critical as replacing the hardware every time. I personally try to order kits that have hardware included. At least for my Corolla and Subaru, the location where the clips mount to are carefully cleaned with a square file and then lubed before snapping the hardware back in. You notice the faces...I believe two per side have machined surfaces. They are not casted but finished off as you can see the circular tool marks. That's where I spend a lot of the prep cleaning these surfaces and not to dig deep with the file. If the OEM machined these bracket locations as this is where the pad ears ultimately slide and retained in...I would say these surfaces are critical to prep properly.
I noticed aftermarket brackets do not always have these locations machined. Not sure if just hardware slapping will always result in smooth fitup with pads but a lot of times you don't realize why some pads fit and yet others don't but I do spend most of my time cleaning these surfaces until I see a true flat prior to hardware reattachment.
I noticed aftermarket brackets do not always have these locations machined. Not sure if just hardware slapping will always result in smooth fitup with pads but a lot of times you don't realize why some pads fit and yet others don't but I do spend most of my time cleaning these surfaces until I see a true flat prior to hardware reattachment.
The net here is there is some critical prep work to be done before putting new pads back in. And it may not show up for awhile. If not done the pad life will be reduced.
There are local tire shops that advertise brake pad replacement for $69. My guess is if you go with just that service they do not remove the caliper bracket. Of course their goal is to upsell you to rotors, maybe a brake fluid flush. But if you go with only the brake pads it may be fine for awhile then go south.
But when leaving a shop after a brake job, you have no easy way to tell if all the prep work was done unless you got new calipers. Even then they might not have lubed the areas properly.
There are local tire shops that advertise brake pad replacement for $69. My guess is if you go with just that service they do not remove the caliper bracket. Of course their goal is to upsell you to rotors, maybe a brake fluid flush. But if you go with only the brake pads it may be fine for awhile then go south.
But when leaving a shop after a brake job, you have no easy way to tell if all the prep work was done unless you got new calipers. Even then they might not have lubed the areas properly.
- Status