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-   -   Brake caliper - grease or not? ( https://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=20671)

Black Dog 29-04-13 23:15
Brake caliper - grease or not?
 
There is a tech article in a recent Motor Cycle Monthly (free sheet distributed with magazines, for those not in the UK) on cleaning brake calipers. It gives the usual advice on taking pads out and cleaning the pistons, and then advises to give the pistons a light coat of copper grease before reassembling. I had always thought that the standard practice was to leave the pistons clean of anything that might attract dirt and damage the seals. Also, I was under the impression that copper grease would damage the rubber dust seals long-term. (The article advises proper rubber grease for the sliding pins.)

I thought I would throw this to the forum to see what you guys think, as I am a bit confused.

Pleiades 29-04-13 23:56
To grease, or not to grease? Me personally...

Pistons - no grease
Pins - grease (copperslip)

Black Dog 30-04-13 09:29
That's me too, only with red rubber grease in the pins. Copper slip on the pad retaining pins, for sure.

Ok, you're putting new pads in. This means pushing the pistons right back into the caliper body, so why grease them? The pistons get lubed with brake fluid on assembly, but almost all of that is taken off when they are pushed back. I suppose there might be a case for protecting the exposed piston area when the pads are part-worn, but like I said this would attract dirt and stuff in an area where you want things as clean as possible.

I'd love to know if there was a 'standard' practice here. Haynes doesn't mention grease at all, except on the pad backs, for what that's worth.

Gas_Up_Lets_Go 30-04-13 09:51
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pleiades (Post 187127)
Pistons - no grease
Pins - grease (copperslip)
Agreed.

bikemad195 01-05-13 00:06
Quote:
Originally Posted by Black Dog (Post 187123)
There is a tech article in a recent Motor Cycle Monthly (free sheet distributed with magazines, for those not in the UK) on cleaning brake calipers. It gives the usual advice on taking pads out and cleaning the pistons, and then advises to give the pistons a light coat of copper grease before reassembling. I had always thought that the standard practice was to leave the pistons clean of anything that might attract dirt and damage the seals. Also, I was under the impression that copper grease would damage the rubber dust seals long-term. (The article advises proper rubber grease for the sliding pins.)

I thought I would throw this to the forum to see what you guys think, as I am a bit confused.
personally i grease any moving part so that were the pads locate and slide ,the pins and then some copper grease on the back of the pads to prevent brake squeel

Black Dog 01-05-13 00:15
Quote:
Originally Posted by bikemad195 (Post 187169)
personally i grease any moving part so that were the pads locate and slide ,the pins and then some copper grease on the back of the pads to prevent brake squeel
That's what most do, I think. It was the recommendation to grease the exposed surface of the pistons that I was questioning.


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