Dont make this mistake when you grease you caliper sliding pins | typical mechanic TIP

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[@MadMonk67]

I've done brakes both professionally and on my own vehicles for over 30 years and I was taught to wipe off the tips of the pins so it acts as a reservoir for grease once the pads start to wear. I never questioned it, but just did it as habit. Your explanation makes more sense to me. Different reason, but same result.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yes!!! I had brakes go bad on one car 3 times issue was the very end was packed and as I put grease it got more packed then I did full inspection bore cleaning and light amount greasing car never came back for same issue been 4 years still running good

[@itsjustktg]

Can you use car oil to grease the pins and well or do you have to use a type of brake temp grease ?

[@MadMonk67]

@@itsjustktg No, do not use any kind of oil. It will not hold up. Grease specifically for brakes is best, but in a pinch, I've used high-temp bearing grease.

[@metalhalide4043]

There seems to be enough clearance between the pin and the bore for excess grease to get out under pressure otherwise the pins would not go into the bore with the bushing, also, the bushings have groves which is probably by design to prevent hydrolocking..

[@Lambros_Stefaneas]

I agree.

[@needmoreboost6369]

They will hydro lock and can push back out after installation because of the trapped air inside! so a simple solution is to leave one side of the pin dry and rotate it after installation to spread the slide grease.and as a response to the laughable comments below im actually a mechanic that obtained my qualifications at a braking system specialist shop! I reconditioned thousands of brakes around the country I’m a specialist in brake reconditioning since late 90s

[@metalhalide4043]

@@needmoreboost6369 Wrong, if you have worked on brakes long enough you know the pins do not fit tight in the bore and there is some clearance between the pin and the bore for grease to escape..

[@metalhalide4043]

@@erichaymore5902 Not necessary, why would you gouge up your calipers with channel locks? People that do not work on brakes everyday are the ones most in error posting on here..

[@philbuell6657]

Easy fix, just don't slather the pins in grease like you're buttering a cob of corn, duh...it's called discipline in your work habits

[@ballhawk387]

Good tip (literally). One thing I always do is move the pin in and out fully while putting it all back together.

[@gregoryblair9810]

Thus pushing any grease you left on the sides of it onto the bottom anyway, I don't think that pin bottoms out to the point a bit on the end will bother. IMO

[@valichesu]

You can put as many grease as you want, the excess will be trown out when you first put the pin into the caliper, there is enough clearance. Actually the most important thing is to clean the pin and the bore from the old grease before puting new one. Especially for older cars where a wrong grease might be used.

[@RBTheMechanic]

That’s not what happned to one of my ccustomers car that killed rotor 2 times in a month

[@mentals555]

I learned about this a couple weeks ago on my Honda S2000. The pin did not have clearance. One would not press in far enough by about 3/8". I pulled it out and wiped the grease off the tip. I repeated this several times and the grease kept changing color. There were 3 different colors of grease that had been trapped at the end of the caliper pin for who knows how many years. After removing all that excess the pin slid in fully without any more problems.

[@RBTheMechanic]

@@mentals555 yup all the grease had been up In there from previous brake jobs

[@MrPapakuka]

Not with that rubber thing on the end....i had one that would not go in all the way to even get the bolt in..The rubber scraps all the grease into the end of the bore and wont compress

[@kevins5268]

​@@RBTheMechanic probably a shi* caliper

[@leexxxa]

just here to confess that after 3 infuriating bracket rebuilds, failures & then replacements due to seized pins giving me major issues - i stumbled upon your video & have been forced to come to terms with the harsh reality that the issue was never the caliper, pins, etc. the issue is me. i’m the issue. & the ungodly & horrifically wrong globs of grease that i swore had to be applied in order for the pins to work. ( ps i am currently mid brake job #3 (go figure) & almost threw the wheels back on … changed my plans & now have all 4 brackets back on the bench lmao ) thanks for the video & saving myself hopefully another brake job . i learned something

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yeah usully that can be I grease my honda after every winter so it don’t jam up clean and grease em

[@fernandobriseno8164]

Just grease more frequently, I'm a light braker so my pads last years. Unfortunately the grease does not so after replacing my seized pins, bracket, and ruined rotor I regrease them once a year.

[@thomasinnis2370]

That's why there's flat spots on the sides of the pins. Also, there's no seals along the pin and it's not an interference fit so there's clearance for grease to escape. Good concern but invalid. Pump it in with your hands a few times to ensure it's bottoming out.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Not all have flat spots and slider pull outward as u apply brakes and it pushes grease internally and then that grease drys up over time and packs up more u put more it get packed good idea would be to clean it as well watch my second part to cleaning internal bore

[@thomasinnis2370]

@@RBTheMechanic if we were talking about precision machined and sealed pistons like a hydraulic system then your logic would apply. I'd rather have 100% grease coverage as it's less area for moisture to accumulate and lead to rust.

[@slipperyjohnson7016]

I learned this a long time ago and it's a good tip. You should always check the pins and lube them. Also, before starting the brake job you should buy a boot kit and have it on hand in case you need it. Sometimes the boots are cracked or "swollen" and they need to be replaced. If water gets in, that's gonna wash out the grease and cause the caliper to stick.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup

[@brandonbragg6670]

What if I have to wait for 3 weeks and only one and half of my brakes work

[@frandanco6289]

@@brandonbragg6670 Drive very slowly and carefully??? :)

[@mikeross111]

Just did my brakes today, replaced rotors, pads, full flush. One of slider dust covers was torn, I didn't buy them 😢 Now I gotta replace them in the next week or so. I learned my lesson.

[@jimmys.8062]

@@mikeross111 It happened to me today! But luckily, I had a spare boot, from a prior brake job. Only 1 of the boots was torn. And that pin was seized pretty bad. I Almost had to postpone my job another day.. and get a ride to AZone just for the boot.

[@pontiacgto2005]

Always use the silicone grease as shown. They dont dry out like the standard grease.

[@drwisdom1]

Side issue. My wife's brakes have little rubber booties to protect against brake dust entering the caliper pin channel. But one wasn't installed properly at the factory. By the time I discovered it the brake dust had entered and it had been jammed for a while causing uneven brake wear. It was fixable but very hard to yank out. So make sure if you have rubber bootie protectors that they are reinstalled correctly.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup that too boot is important water get in and jam it all up with in weeks

[@PrestonSteele]

When you grease the pins, you have to push the excess back into the boot when you check the movement of the slide pins before re installation. Boots come from the factory with grease on the tip. Obviously. It moves!! It needs grease

[@theayatollahofrockandrollah]

I always grease 'm up real good also on the end never ever had a problem

[@juana6632]

Wow! Actually spilling the beans on the machanic game! Very true. Thank you for your expert advice. I always wondered why this was happening to my vehicles. Less is better.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup

[@kevinblaylock9883]

Yep, used to grease the complete pin! Thanks for this, makes perfect sense!👍

[@eddiearencibia606]

Hey I appreciate ur honesty and expertise on this thank you,!

[@clipofthedayyup4907]

That is a good tip. I am experienced and the light bulb came on right away. This is the kind of content people need right here. Great vid

[@Luckyfox141]

Great video 👨🏽‍🔧 thank you for the lesson 👏🏽

[@daniellam4472]

Good day all the expert mechanics, As a lic.mechanic by trade myself, The brake pins serve few things #1. By allowing the caliper slide Sideways freely without holding Or dragging when braking. #2. The O-ring on the pin is to absorb the pulsation,noise making while braking.some O-ring does has grove which allow excessive lubricant to pass through.ofcourse we don't lube the end pin with tons Of lubricant. right. #3. Some late model Ford build vehicles or trucks has a rubber damper built-in sliding pin on rear brake calipers.It serve the same purposes.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Good information I like the flat spot slider pins

[@daniellam4472]

@@RBTheMechanic Different car manufacturer has their own designs. They pretty close to serve the same purpose.

[@ciphercode2298]

I've always maintained my own vehicles and although I dont use the amount of grease that you did there,I've never had any problems greasing the entire pin. We do drive in alot of snow,slush,ice,and rain too. Just a dab will do ya.

[@craiglist308]

hey man thanks for posting... had problems with brakes and caliper pins and after changing this, my pads wear evenly... big win for me... Thanks!!!

[@RBTheMechanic]

Thank you for the good comment!!!

[@paulthompson984]

You da man! Great pro tip! Got it done right today, all 4 on my wife’s 14 odyssey and all 4 on son’s 06 pilot. Piece of cake, cause of your helpful videos!

[@RBTheMechanic]

Nice good job!! Glad u did this urself!!

[@san1eong]

Very important detail that even most mechanics doesn’t know. Thanks for sharing.

[@SpikeGABeen]

Good tip, RB, thanks! I'll keep it in mind when i do my brakes this year.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup!!

[@davidcampbell1899]

Thank you for that tip! It just showed me what the problem is with my back break pad, that i changed 2 years ago!!!!

[@RBTheMechanic]

Glad video helped

[@NeutronX101]

Great tip. Plus pulling out the pins will be harder because the grease makes a suction vacuum effect.

[@Allthetacosaremine]

The clearance is a little low between the bore and the pin but there is already grease in the bore when you insert the pin so there will be grease at the end of the pin anyways. Really a mute point to worry about the hydraulic pressure is so high in brakes it will force the grease past the pin to the side. Just do the same to each pin for even braking. biggest thing when doing brakes is make sure you clean things up so parts don't hang up and inspect your boots. Torn boots can alow moisture where you don't want it allowing pins and pistons to rust together and seize preventing movement. If a car sits a lot in Northern states there are places to put grease like where the pad slides on the hardware. This is a choice of the lesser of 2 evils.... it can create binding but also prevent pads from rusting to the hardware. There are coatings or just stainless steel materials used to prevent this though northern technicians know this all to well coatings or stainless doesn't mean it can't rust.... it will. Work to the conditions you deal with to provide the best outcome. Depending on the environment you live in depends on the problems you deal with I have had to replace axles when doing wheel bearings due to the condition of the end of the axle and the axle nut where the threads have rusted away and rust is the only reason it's still together. Snow and salt are not your friend. So biggest thing before starting a job inspect and identify issues. While doing the job clean, use the proper materials for the job and DO NOT CUT CORNERS.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Thank u for detailed message yup if this video and convince a person not to over look this it’s much appreciated video

[@tedthornton7791]

Is the grease, that you spoke of, already in there suppose to be there though? Or is it from applying to much from past brake work? If it's not suppose to be there, then would it be advisable to clean it out and apply the correct amount to the pin? I've always got the small packs when purchasing new pads.

[@RBTheMechanic]

@@tedthornton7791 it’s from apply and if u did brakes before it’s prolly in there as well

[@Allthetacosaremine]

@@tedthornton7791 you can clean the bore out a little if you want it wont all come out. most people don't do it. I take the boot off and use a small round wire brush on a drill to remove stuff say if someone used antiseize on the pins to try and get as much out as I can to prevent binding. Otherwise there is going to be a little bit in there its not really preventable and it not a big deal. Also DO NOT use antiseize it makes your pins stick I use it only on bolts that commonly stick like suspension bolt in bushing or eccentric bolts also in suspension for alignment purposes. Paint the bolt and back side of offset washer

[@jessgvirtual5822]

Totally agree to do these things in the rust belt. Also need to use proper grease or your boot will deteriorate prematurely....Always use grease compatible with your boot. NEVER USE PETROLIUM BASED GREASE OR YOUR BOOT WON'T LAST LONG!!!

[@BBQDad463]

Thank you for this video. Excellent exposition of a little-known but very important issue.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Very welcome

[@flapjackson6077]

Excellent tip! That’s something most do it yourselfers wouldn’t realize.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup

[@shith00k]

Excess grease is forced out in the designs I have worked with. There is usually excess bore length for the pins so grease on the tip unless it is really thick and not forced out when installing shouldn't be an issue.

[@K4rt80y]

Perfect. Right to the point. You didn't take 10 minutes to tell us what you did in 2 and a half.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Lol yeah sorry

[@hyruthan]

Thanks! Was wondering why after replacing one goes in all the way and the other doesn't. Now I've realised and fixed my mistake, thanks to you.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Glad u figured this out

[@ocdaddvids]

My experience is that a slightly sticky or seized caliper pin will cause a pad to wear unevenly. Most if not all times it seems to be the lower pin that is close to all the winter road slop.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Also brake pads jammed on bracket I seen pads stuck even with hammer they wouldn’t budge

[@gfriedman99]

@@RBTheMechanic Correct - this is mostly a problem up north in the salt belt. The rust and corrosion will build up under the clips and make the caliper bracket dimensions smaller and seizing the pads. It is very important to remove as much rust as possible where the pad ears contact the bracket and coat the surface under the clips with moly grease.

[@fiskfarm]

@@RBTheMechanic I for many years now simply leave off the ss guides. That way the inevitable rust does not ever grab a hold of the pads. I'd rather have a little rattle, which I have never heard btw, than a stuck pad. Been a game changer for me and I do alot of brakes here in the mountains of NE TN.

[@dannyzamudio1252]

​@@RBTheMechanic how often do brake pads should be replace?

[@jwil4905]

@@dannyzamudio1252 When they wear down. All depends on how you drive. Check 'em every 6 months.

[@Sussy-hotdog]

The real problem is.......don't over-grease. Did you get that? Don't over-grease. DON'T DO IT!

[@Snouthunter]

I've been doing it wrong for years... I see now. Thank you for this video.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yeah that benifitted me for last few years I had brakes rotors over heat on one car over and over due to this

[@Good2go6894]

Thanks for posting this video. I'll keep this tip in mind next time I replace my brake pads.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup also clean the bore out I have another video on that

[@canuckfixit7722]

So I always test-slide the pins from full depth to the limit of the boot stretch after installing and wiggle them around a bit to distribute the grease inside. You will feel any unwanted hydraulic pressure that way. But only so much is needed; any excess will have to be squeezed out and wasted.

[@theyrekrnations8990]

Ive seen pins that did not slide and this causes brake issues. Primarily to have the pins sliding is the goal.

[@kevinpritchard3592]

Thanks for the heads up and good looking out brother. Much appreciated.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Welcome

[@ajokpaniovojoel1049]

Thanks for the Tip.I appreciate you.

[@Qui-9]

I think it depends somewhat on the design of the slides. On my car the pins are flanged and inserted through the calipers through a pair of one-piece rubber through-hole tubes, sealed on both ends plus including a boot on both ends of each. Tightening the pin just clamps the edges of the boots to the caliper and the head of the pin. Too much grease? No problem, it just spits out if it has to.

[@morphius747]

superior design

[@coyoteden8111]

I wish every car was like this

[@chrisheffernan6600]

Great vid. The grease you use is top notch. Using the wrong products will cause the rubber boots to swell up and allow moisture inside to cause corrosion.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup thank h I love this grease

[@zefdin101]

Great, great tip. That makes total sense…Thank you!

[@benjaminrasmusen3802]

Good video I over greased my break caliper pins before, been there done that.

[@alanfrancis9225]

Good advice. What I did ( being carefully not to scrape inner bore) is to wrap rag around screw driver and clean inner sides of bore. You will be surprised how much dirt and grime this reveals (using turning corkscrew method.)

[@orinmangar2333]

Check into using brakeclean and/or get a nylon brush with the diameter of the pin.

[@tracewallace23]

For years I've been using a round wire brush (the right size) and brake clean and taking time to clean out the inside of the rubber boots. I've never had any problems with this method. 🙂

[@jeffreywhitlatch1409]

That’s what I do. I clean those bores with brake cleaner and paint sprayer cleaning brushes, that clean out the bore real good.

[@reallyhappenings5597]

Use bore brushes they are easier. I clean every fastener and bore that I touch.

[@alanfrancis9225]

@@reallyhappenings5597 Good idea . Where do you buy yours and what size?

[@AlexanderLopez-kn5bt]

Wow I can’t believe I’m doing break for a long time and I never realize that but thank you so much for that tips every day we learn something new 👍👍👍

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yeah

[@xv1670]

So rust free. Must be a dream to do car maintenance without having to worry about things breaking, seizing, making a huge mess.

[@gimmesomesugar]

Thanks for the video. Very useful.

[@gerrymcintosh4477]

Great video Sir. Too much of a good thing is not always good. Sometimes less is more. Keep up these great videos. Some of us really appreciate them. Cheers. 👍🇨🇦

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup thank u for watch I got good videos coming always!!!

[@ron1836]

He is right about too much grease. It seems like it should be able to work passed the pin. But it doesn't it stays down in the end and creates a bit of pressure. If you try pushing the pin in all the way with the finger it will push back out. Almost as if it has a bit of spring pressure. You don't want that. It's not a huge problem. But yeah it may cause uneven pad wear to some degree. Also I live near buffalo NY and things rust worse here than I think anywhere else in the country. Due to temperature changes, humid summers, and wet slushy winter roads. Which they dump enormous amounts of salt on. The bigger issue around here is people not cleaning the pad slide surfaces on the caliper brackets. The rust accumulates and seizes the pads to be stuck in one place. And alot of times people will just hit the old pads out with a hammer and then squeeze or pound the new ones in to that tight surface. You can take files or screw drivers and scrape all that out. But I guy taught me long ago that a quick and easy method is to clamp the bracket in a bench vise and use a cut off wheel. It will fit down into the grooves and you just gently go back and forth until you get to bare metal. Then he would spray paint the grooves and then grease the ears of the pads. I have even had brand new pads that were mishapen from the factory and I have had to file or grind the down a touch to fit and slide nicely.

[@mentals555]

The springiness you're talking about is caused by air being trapped at the tip of the pin. Usually if you wiggle the pin while pushing it down and holding open a gap in the rubber boot, you can get that pressure to release. I learned that trick from a South Main Auto channel video. In the case of too much grease at the tip of the pin, the pin will simply feel like it's bottoming out in its hole too early.

[@ron1836]

@@mentals555 it depends. Sometimes it will push out. Sometimes you have to put a small screw driver in there and scoop a little out. Depends how tight the bore is. In the north sometimes the bore gets tight from rust and you have to spin a drill bit in there to clean it out. Sometimes the pin will completely be seized too. And the fix for that is to clamp the bracket in a table vise and heat it with an acetylene torch while hammering on it. And trying to spin the pin with vise grips. Sometimes you may have to quickly cool it down with water and re heat it. Maybe a couple of times. But generally heating it red hot the first time near the end will create pressure in the bore and the pin will fly out like a bullet. I am a professional mechanic myself. so I've had alot of real world experience with this stuff. Living near buffalo our cars completely rot away in 10 years. I actually live like 2 hours west of where Eric O has his shop. Eric the car guy was from around here originally too!

[@RGcorbett]

I love the south main auto channel Eric O is the freaking best!!!!!!

[@DezoDawg]

Thanks for sharing.. I didnt know this

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yeah somthing simple !!!

[@HotRodCustomz]

Good advice! I just learned something.

[@GameTQ-bk4uc]

You are right thats exactly what happened with me today and the caliper like compression really bad on the pads

[@grejen711]

Cool. I do my own brakes most of the time (ridiculously easy on some cars). I'm generally careful to be sure not to leave any 'dry' spots on those pins but don't get carried away otherwise. Great tip to watch the tip does not get greased. Thank you.

[@joesc641]

I'm a retired mechanic and have been doing brakes for a very long time. I never had a problem by putting a little grease on the tip of the pin. Do you really think the manufacturer designed the pins to bottom out inside the caliper bore? There is clearance inside the bores for a little grease. 40+ years of experience.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yes there is clearance and the slider pin pushes out as u apply brakes and what happnes to grease that’s there it gets pushed to the end again and again and before u know there is no clearance since u already packed it up…. Well the question is why didn’t the brakes go bad after I did brakes twice and third time I didn’t put greasing on tip it was lesson to me

[@functionalvanconversion4284]

Thanks for pointing this out, never given this thought before and it will help me with other repairs😊.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup

[@rickj1983]

Learned something new today. Thanks

[@_loois]

I've actually had this happen before where that small amount of grease at the end of the pin causes the pin to not seat in far enough. So when I went to install the caliper again, it was creating pressure causing the wheel to lock up. I was so confused trying to figure out why the wheel wasn't spinning freely when the caliper was on. Until I realized the caliper was at a slight angle from that top pin pushing out more than the bottom. That small amount of grease at the end of the pin caused an air pocket which didn't let the pin slide in far enough.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup u learn from experience even though lot of people don’t agree but it’s the truth and worth cleaning the bore avoid greasing on the tip and use light amount of greasing on the pin

[@DL101ca]

That's not how slider pins are designed to work. If they don't go far enough, you would not be able to mount caliper in the bracket. This is simple inexperience. You could put enough grease in there for the boots to pop(not a good idea as grease will end up on friction surfaces and water will make its way to the pins) and the caliper will still move when the piston activates.

[@91stealthman]

the truest statement ever from a mechanic... "less is more"!

[@peterfitzpatrick7032]

Does that also apply to the bill ? 🙄😂

[@91stealthman]

@@peterfitzpatrick7032 almost never but, that would be nice.

[@scraphaulin]

....and some is better than nothing

[@Badrattlesnake]

Not about less and more here. Is about don't grease the tips of the pin

[@julesviolin]

Good point but most of the calipers we work on have open ended pins and rubber caps at the end BMW E46 etc so we fit as much grease as we can ! Recently we had a BMW 1 M3 in with really uneven pad wear on the rear from another garage. Some clown had put the pads the wrong way round !😂 The piston side pads have 2 locating pegs on back side of pads. They had put these on the opposite side of the caliper so the pads were well crooked. Whoever fitted them needs to give up spannering or go to Specsavers 🤬

[@neilgraves5069]

Great tip buddy . Thanks

[@applesbighatranch6906]

You have shown us how to "blueprint" our brake caliper mount! (making sure the assembly is true to/and square) ¡Bravo! y gracias

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup

[@sonyyoung1036]

This is a great tip. I definitely made that mistake in the past. Thanks

[@abyssalsoul6216]

Me too

[@danjensen100]

Two things to think about: First, I don't believe the fitment is tight enough to not allow the grease at the tip to be pushed back....unless you were to put an insanely huge amount of grease on the top. Second: grease is actually pretty sticky..... you'd be surprised at how much brake dust, and other debris, will end up getting stuck to it and eventually cause the pin to not slide anymore. I think cleaning the pin is better.

[@jessgvirtual5822]

moisture/salt will get to it if not greased properly...boot only prevents from dirt.

[@TheLaidbackBiker]

The pins must be greased. LIGHTLY. Don't grease them and they will eventually rust and seize. I have 50 years experience with brakes of all types. Good luck.

[@Alpejohn]

I have calipers that uses similar guide pins, and now its the fourth time they are binding.. Its good for maybe 5-6 months and then both sides are sticking. Had to pull them out while twisting them just to get them out. I dont understand how they can be that bad.. But i might had to much grease on them, i will try with less this titme. 👌But it drives me nuts and im tired of it..

[@T1000.Android]

​@@Alpejohn caliper rebuild or new calipers?

[@Alpejohn]

@@T1000.Android Probably the once that came on the car from the factory. But i might just buy new or refurboshed as they cost the double of a refurb set.. and then i need to clean them and do the work aswell.. So not sure if its worth doing the refurb my self..

[@red380zzz]

I made this same mistake and it took 2 sets of front pads to find out. Doh! Great content! Subscribed!

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup I did same but 3 set of rotors

[@Evilslayer73]

Man i learn something new today !i was wrong on my brake jobs all this time :) thanks a lot for the trick!! awesome!:)salutation from Montreal,Québec👍👍👍👍👍

[@RBTheMechanic]

No problem!

[@Robinpowellsvideos]

The only reason for pin movement is for the caliper assembly to center up on the friction surfaces when there is no pressure applied and also upon release. The assembly doesnt bottom out the pins when braking is applied. Also, as the outside pad wears, the pins actually move further out of the bore. The most important thing is to clean all of the old grease out of the pin bores with a small round brush and obviously the pins themselves.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yeah it dose move out but with jammed no clearance to begin??!!

[@DL101ca]

​​@@RBTheMechanicsorry bro but you're wrong in your thinking and just don't seem to want to admit it...a good mechanic is always willing to learn and keep an open mind.

[@RBTheMechanic]

@@DL101canot wrong check other comments I replace 3 sets of rotors prior to doing this it kept over heating rotors and wrapping them well it didn’t happne after me taking care of this

[@richardsutton01]

This is correct. I've greased 100's of pins over the last 55 years. There's no point in wasting a load of grease on the end of the pin but the pins do not bottom out, even with new pads, and will get further away from bottoming out as the brake pads wear. There is absolutely no chance that grease on the end of the pin could cause the pads to become misaligned against the disk/rotor. Richard

[@bch6707]

@RB The Mechanic thanks for the important tip on this specific + crucial detail. I'm just wondering for the pins you were using a silicone based grease, in your opinion how important is it to use silicone based vs copper vs aluminum? I currently have the permatex aluminum grease. Thanks for your time.

[@RBTheMechanic]

I use silicon vase grease it works good but u don’t have to go with ut

[@riccicrozzie8204]

This is a comedy skit, right ?

[@davidwhittaker9511]

Excellent tip, thanks!

[@javierrusso375]

I've been working on my own cars for years and never knew this. Thank you.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup definitely this is one that can cause issue now or in long run

[@thewrongbike7709]

Thanks for making this. Its not that the grease doesn't compress, its that the air at the end of the side hole can't escape so its the air that compresses and pushes back. Its even worse when people use copper slip. A thick gloopy air seal until the heat evaporates the grease and leaves a stick abrasive paste behind.

[@RBTheMechanic]

That also and grease drys up over time and most people don’t clean it and it drys over and over the bore length decreases slider can’t go all the way in and mechanics just jamm it up

[@chrisheffernan6600]

Grease does not compress, its a fact.

[@thewrongbike7709]

@@chrisheffernan6600 I'm not stating that grease can be compressed. Obviously it can't. I'm stating that grease compression is not the reason.

[@Daniel-ee6oc]

I kept having rotors become warped because the black rubber bushing ballooned over time. I removed mine completely and new brakes don't have the problems the previous brake kit had.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Good job

[@begunthisfeelingandaninsti1853]

Hehehe! Good rule of thumb as you never want to over grease!! He is doing the opposite of what he should thought the sliding pins are designed to not only slide back and forth but also to create air compression to aid on springing the calipers to the open position, that combined with the break line vacuum suction is the mechanism used to spring the calipers back open. Not doing it causes premature wear of pads and rotors and it could also cause rotors to overheat leading to reduced braking capacity all the way up to break failure and early rotor deformities. It also causes break pads to wear unevenly which will cause early replacement necessary, that is when you get on the same set one side of the pad is fully gone and the other still has plenty of meat left. This is where the extra PROPER step really matter.

[@randomschmo5778]

Great tip. Thanks for sharing.

[@tjmusa]

great tip, all the years of changing brakes, never thought about the grease build up and the travel distance. thanks again

[@RBTheMechanic]

No problem 👍

[@King-Arthur-The-First]

Reading these comments… ACTUALLY IM A MECHANIC BLA BLA🤣🤣

[@howtodoitdude1662]

From experience, that is not the reason brake pads wear uneven. Though it was very good point you brought out.

[@RBTheMechanic]

This is not the one and only reason but it is one reason

[@daveridgeway2639]

Hi RB, I totally agree! Do not use too much. Dave...

[@RBTheMechanic]

Ok !!

[@CharlesAmmeter]

Caliper pins are pulled out of the bores when brakes are applied not pushed in.

[@markk3652]

I go one further, I'll grease the pins, install them in the caliper bracket and move them back and forth a bit, pull them out, and spray a bit of aerokroil in the bore. Work the pins in again, it helps to liquefy the grease a little so the grease can't act like a seal not allowing the pin to move freely thru the entire bore. The outer rubber boot keeps it all in after assembly, and rust doesn't stand a chance. The combination of the grease and the aerokroil keeps it loose enough when brake heat warms it up.

[@autobodytrainingsolutions838]

Excellent video. Right to the point and very detailed explanation. Thanks

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup 👍

[@robinbanks183]

Great advice given mate 👍👍👍

[@emiliog.4432]

I use DuPont Molykote grease made specifically for brake caliper pins. Silicone generally doesn’t last long. Thanks. Good tip. Grease does not compress. I didn’t think of that. Very cool.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup good grease!

[@paladain55]

@@RBTheMechanic I tried silicone grease and a year later they were almost frozen again. No water intrusion. But I'm gonna have to try this molykote because I would like to not have to worry about this! I have a hybrid so the only brake job i ever have to do is a yearly guide pin lube lol

[@RBTheMechanic]

@@paladain55 oh yeah I will look more in to this greasing I find every grease jams up in a year or 2

[@paladain55]

@@RBTheMechanic Imagine this: My prius was on stock rear brake pads up to 180k when the guide pins finally locked up. lol The fronts have low 200k on them as i keep them greased now.

[@RBTheMechanic]

@@paladain55 wow that lotta milages!!!

[@rosscampbell658]

Yes but no, there is plenty of slap between the pin and cylinder to force the excess grease out. The pin closest to the road, most prone to water damage, has the extra rubber bushing. But even that rubber bushing has ridges and not 100% tight. I thought you were going to warn against brake cleaner on the guides. The brake cleaner will swell the rubber bushing and make it near impossible to reinsert, in most cases forcing the mechanic to remove it and just add extra grease in its place. That is cheating. Here in Germany we just replace the pins, rotor, and gaskets every time we do a brake job. These parts cost nothing. A new rotor, guide pins, rubber gaskets, brake pads, is tops 200 bucks front and back. The labor cost remains the same. Nice video.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Ok

[@firdausravindar977]

A most useful snd true piece of information when greasing caliper pins. Thanks.😊😊😊

[@RBTheMechanic]

Thanks

[@firdausravindar977]

@@RBTheMechanic You are welcome. Keep it up.

[@James-fs4rn]

👍 good tip. Thanks!

[@alangarner4095]

Thank you my friend, that is a fantastic tip 👍🏻😎👍🏻

[@JohnDoe-wb9ht]

I used copper grease on top pin but found despite the so called high melting point..the grease had dried up after a year compared to the silicon grease I used on the lower pin..the result was uneven brake pad wear on the top of brake pad..also if you put to much grease on ( any grease) you'll find it creates an air lock and pin will not slide in place fully.

[@jolang8022]

Copper grease tends to clump so do not use it in breaks

[@richcombs4805]

I've had excellent results with Permatex 80653....still clean and red after ~18 months in upstate NY. Although, I generally try to inspect and clean/regrease every Fall and Spring to avoid surprises.

[@rickconstant6106]

Copper grease should not be used where it comes into contact with rubber components (such as the boots) - it will cause them to swell up, and eventually split.

[@melraine919]

Brilliant 🤩 thank you for the demo and info 👍🏼 from England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@RBTheMechanic]

Welcome!!!

[@davidpianosi4512]

Thank you!

[@AaronGoSoFast]

What if the guide pins have several flat sides? Doesn't that allow air and even grease to flow more freely?

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yes I will talk about that in up coming video

[@gfriedman99]

@@RBTheMechanic Now this is the kind of content I’ve been dying for on KZbin.

[@hybridssuck]

Good for that type of pin. Some pins have three flats that run the length. In that case excess grease will find its way out.

[@RBTheMechanic]

No once it dry up it blocked the end point

[@lamarw7757]

@@RBTheMechanic Silicone-based lubricants don't contain any water or oils, meaning they won't dry up for a long, long time.

[@clove2321]

thank you. you're a very wise man.

[@todd5082]

I was thinking the whole time what can this guy teach me about brakes I don’t already know. The grease at the end prevents the caliper from sliding. Nice video👍

[@RBTheMechanic]

I have good videos coming I had bad experience I did part 2 to Thai video comming soon clean out the bore and grease light amount. But cleaning the bore is a must

[@todd5082]

@@RBTheMechanic I’ve had brake pads wear out prematurely on one side before. I just chalked it up as a bad caliper. Now I’m thinking it may have had old hard grease packed into the end preventing the caliper to fully slide. As u know all caliper “slide” grease is not the same!

[@RBTheMechanic]

@@todd5082 yup do cleaning and make everything nice and smoothing moving

[@InexplicableBill]

It's that pin that has the rubber seal on the tip - that seal will compress with too much grease in front of it and will not allow grease to escape as some have stated in other comment. You're tip here is so important!! I learned it the hard way on my first couple Mazdas, which had crappy brakes to start with.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Yup I learned it hard way!!

[@InexplicableBill]

@@RBTheMechanic I prefer not to divulge how LONG it took me to learn that the hard way... haha

[@davidpowell3347]

Are there a lot of kinds of grease that are labeled as being for "brake parts" but really not good for the slider pins because of making rubber swell and stick the pins so that the calipers/pads drag a bit?

[@RBTheMechanic]

It gets packed at end

[@malondc1]

Buy a grease labeled “high temperature silicone brake grease” those are safe for rubber parts

[@sunilcherianpullockaran8817]

I know it is too late for a response being a 1-year-old thread, but for future DIY freaks, here is an insight. I had a confounding problem with my Chevy Cruze Diesel for more than 6 months when the calipers would not release after lifting the foot off the brake pedal once it got to high temperatures. The brake assembly used to be serviced the usual way at the authorized service centre by greasing the slide pins with appropriate grease from many different brands, but to no avail. The mechanic then felt it was the synthetic brake cylinder seal, but that too was not the culprit. I then decided to do a DIY of the problem and found out that the caliper pins were not the problem at all and neither was the piston rubber seal. The actual issue was with the front disc brake alloy pistons of the brake caliper assembly. Do not ask me why but the composition of the piston used in the Cruze Diesel in Bhaarath (India) was suspect as it enlarged minutely over time (it was not the brake cylinder rusting); I sanded it down and then cleaned it thoroughly and put back the assembly, and it has been a smooth ride ever since. Fuel efficiency too has gone up from 9kmpl to 14kmpl as there was severe drag from the brakes. Acceleration too has gone up by leaps and bounds. In my particular case, the piston was the culprit and not the sliding caliper pins, brake cylinder or the brake cylinder synthetic seal.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Good job Sunil Ji!! Glad u did it urself I find if u work in ur own car it’s best at least do basic stuff when I work on my customers car I treat it like it’s my own car and I only take in 2-3 car a day that’s all I can handle and I do it well some of my viewed come to me from another states just because they want their brakes serviced just the way they saw it in the video!!!

[@J3PO1]

Thank you. That was an awesome tip and well explained.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Glad it was helpful!

[@anthonywendt5834]

I have ran into this issue before. I only put grease on one side of the pin now.

[@lestergillis8171]

One would think so...🤔👍

[@thomaspapia2944]

Ur missing the pin boot also damn when this is what happens when jiffy lube closes and u film after hours pretending to be a mechanic lmao

[@dbutcher84]

Anyone that has ever lubed slide pins knows there's enough clearance for excess lube to escape, otherwise the slide pins would not easily insert in the first place.

[@markhayleybeadon]

Thanks buddy. That is helpful. Australia loves you.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Thank u! Love Australia back!!!

[@rman8853]

Thanks for sharing this important information. Very much appreciated.

[@RBTheMechanic]

Glad it was helpful!

[@steve0680657]

In normal use the pins dont go all the way in anyway. This is a totally pointless thing to worry about.

[@jessgvirtual5822]

Extra grease will be squeezed out of the pin boot. Theirs too much piston pressure on the calipers that grease will slowly be pushed out...Caliper pressure sooo great its enough to stop a moving cars inertia - this is really pointless. Pins have flat channel for extra grease to come out at the back end and through the boot...only few mm are taken out of the pads (and rotors) for each stops that excess grease coming out of the boot is negligible....

[@vicentegumataotao5618]

I’ve seen pins with excessive amount of grease in the bottom cavity Yes it does make sense. He hadn’t explained it thoroughly

[@pharezknights5467]

Keep silent, when the caliper expands the grease pushes the pin and cause one side to grabe, this is very important

[@steve0680657]

@@pharezknights5467 Shut up now. You're talking trash. Calipers don't "expand" that's rubbish. Grease doesn't "push" on anything, more rubbish. No sides "grabe", Shut up and learn to spell. Foreign troll.

[@retydown7521]

@@jessgvirtual5822 Nope that pressure only works one way the pin will push out but not return causing drag uneven pad wear or even over heat the caliper .