brake grease

john112deere · Aug 3, 2009

So, it's become an annual maintenance task to take the front brakes apart on my Ranger and free them up so they don't drag when I drive down the highway.

It's not really a bad job, and since I have to park the truck on grass all the time and don't always drive it much, it's probably unavoidable.

All the same...any suggestions of what kind of grease might actually stay on there and keep things from rusting up for more than a year? Where it seems to be binding is where the pads slide on the caliper bracket, but I always clean/grease the caliper slide pins, too, so it could be that both are causing problems.

Thanks!

O'Rattlecan · Aug 3, 2009

What kind of grease are you using? Every time I touch brakes I slather any parts that move/touch any other parts in regular caliper grease.

Ryan

john112deere · Aug 3, 2009

I've tried that.

Last time, it was a reddish colored one bought based on being the highest-temp rating of the greases available at the nearest Wal-Mart to where I was (which, unfortunately, was not particularly near where I live).

m78 · Aug 3, 2009

Try anti-sieze. Copper preferably

mrfixit · Aug 3, 2009

Mark is right, about the anti-sieze. I would caution people, tho, about using one that contains copper in the presence of aluminum.
Not that your ranger's calipers are aluminum, but those on some vehicles are. and the potential for corrosion is high, and higher when calcium chloride solution (road surface ice melt) is added.

m78 · Aug 3, 2009

mrfixit said:
Mark is right, about the anti-sieze. I would caution people, tho, about using one that contains copper in the presence of aluminum.
Not that your ranger's calipers are aluminum, but those on some vehicles are. and the potential for corrosion is high, and higher when calcium chloride solution (road surface ice melt) is added.

I didn't know that. Thanks for adding that info
I couldn't find my copper last time I looked anyways [confused]

73F100Shortbed · Aug 3, 2009

Where the pads slide on calipers you can file a little bit of the paint away on pad so it may not bind up as much. Then put any type of brake grease or anti-sieze and you should be good for awhile. For whatever reason some brands of pads get a little carried away with the paint.

john112deere · Aug 3, 2009

73F100Shortbed said:
Where the pads slide on calipers you can file a little bit of the paint away on pad so it may not bind up as much. Then put any type of brake grease or anti-sieze and you should be good for awhile. For whatever reason some brands of pads get a little carried away with the paint.

After the third round of this, I'm pretty sure I've cleaned all the paint off, and it's just rust on there.

Used a wire wheel this time because it was there (and a little with the file); other times I've done it with a file because that's what's in my "carry" toolbox.

They're moving freely now; don't seem to have done any damage to the pads/rotors (didn't drive very far). Let's see how long they stay free, now...

73F100Shortbed · Aug 4, 2009

Hopefully they stay free for awhile. Usually if you put grease there it takes awhile for any rust build up.

john112deere · Aug 4, 2009

12 months seems to be the time frame on this truck.

'Least this time, I'm at home. Last year, it was on a 150 mile drive (followed by 350 two days later, as it turned out), and the only reason I even HAD the truck was that my sister's Saturn needed an e-brake cable and was dragging IT'S brakes. (Remember- $4/gallon gas last summer, hence wanting to be in the Saturn.)

On the bright side, I can do a front brake job on a Ranger about as fast as a professional now.

mrfixit · Aug 4, 2009

You can get a decent head's up on if the problem is continuing by putting your hand on one of the offending wheels after a drive and see if it's a bit "too" warm...
thinking there's an outside chance of a check valve hanging up in the distribution box...

john112deere · Aug 4, 2009

mrfixit said:
thinking there's an outside chance of a check valve hanging up in the distribution box...

Anything's possible...but since I had to remove the caliper bracket with the pads in it, and beat them out with a hammer and block of wood, I'm thinking it's mostly a corrosion/binding issue right at the wheel.

*And yes, I'm quite certain that the pads should fall out of the bracket once I take the caliper off on this truck.

mrfixit · Aug 4, 2009

john112deere said:
Anything's possible...but since I had to remove the caliper bracket with the pads in it, and beat them out with a hammer and block of wood, I'm thinking it's mostly a corrosion/binding issue right at the wheel.

*And yes, I'm quite certain that the pads should fall out of the bracket once I take the caliper off on this truck.

Yes, they should, especially since your spring clips haven't had a chance to rust

john112deere · Aug 5, 2009

What I meant, was there's no "clip" that holds them in.

My sister's car, the anti-rattle clip sorta holds the pad while you're reassembling things. It's great...once you figure out how it's supposed to work.

m78 · Aug 5, 2009

If you have to beat them out,I'd say someone had the wrong part #

Kevsha · Aug 5, 2009

just spray some WD-40 on the rotor where its dragging :idea:

but serously. i always use di-electric grease on the caliper slides and load em up. make sure the boots over caliper slides are in good shape. a goos reason to use di-electric grease is because it is an exellent heatsink and the high temperatures of braking don't break it down as fast as some other grease. i've never has a problem with calipers haning up when libed properly with di-electric

john112deere · Aug 5, 2009

m78 said:
If you have to beat them out,I'd say someone had the wrong part #

Wire-wheeled the rust off, and they fit perfect. And it was only the one side that I had to beat out, the other side came apart OK.

Poor QC on the parts, maybe...but they're way too close to be the wrong part, I think.

Kevsha · Aug 5, 2009

if you are having a problem with the pads binding in the bracket then next time you have it of take a wire wheel to it to get he rust off then paint it with some caliper paint and throw some anti-seize in the grooves where they ride before final install

john112deere · Aug 5, 2009

^^Did that except it was anti-seize on both sides, no paint.

Didn't think of paint...next time (if there is one) it'll probably be needing pads and rotors anyway...but I'll definitely try a little paint on the pad and then anti-seize on the groove.

Thanks!

CowboyBilly9Mile · Mar 6, 2015

Ian, after all these years what ever became of this? And by chance, was there rust on the caliper bracket and under the anti rattle clip that was aggravating the problem? Ie, rust growing, rust pushing on anti rattle clips and they jam against the pads and cause them to bind.

john112deere said:
*And yes, I'm quite certain that the pads should fall out of the bracket once I take the caliper off on this truck.

Pads just falling out on this setup, nope. Press out with light finger pressure, yes.

Join Our Ford Truck Forum Today

brake grease

caffeine junkie

Redneck Prognosticator

caffeine junkie

Chief Chaotic Engineer

That's how we roll!

caffeine junkie

That's how we roll!

caffeine junkie

Chief Chaotic Engineer

caffeine junkie

Chief Chaotic Engineer

caffeine junkie

hackin' 'n' whackin'

caffeine junkie

hackin' 'n' whackin'

caffeine junkie

Charter Member