Brakes advice needed urgently

Luke · Postby **Luke** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:24 pm

Hey guys

I was just going to spray my front disc hubs up for the show and shine this weekend and have run into a bit of trouble.

My front right brake caliper has seized on the top joint. It was very difficult to move up to take the track pads out. It was a bit difficult when I put them in which I probably shouldnt have ignored but only put them in the night before going to the track.
The top bolt on that hinge doesnt even want to undo.
I have taken a picture if I'm not very clear what I'm talking about.
I cannot slide the caliper off like i normally can. ie take the whole caliper out. Shouldn't need to take the bolt out for this as it normally just slides out.
I want to put my road pads back in but they are much thicker and if I cant slide the caliper I can't get them in.

It looks like all the grease has dried/washed out of this hinge joint.

So any advice to knock the caliper off??? I was thinking rubber mallet but I'm worried about damaging anything.
Anything I should try spraying it with to loosen it??? I have CRC 5.56 as well as a couple of DWDF sprays. Just worried about getting them on the rubbers.
And if I do get it off what should I regrease it with. All i have is silicon grease??? and a tiny bit of hawk high perferformance pink brake grease.

Oh yeah and this is for a 2004 SE ie same as any NB8B brakes.

Luke

WASP · Postby **WASP** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:01 pm

The bolt in question from memory is 10mm,does it turn a little,if so keep undoing it,ratchet, and it should work it's way out even if corroded.Clean it with a light wet and dry or similar soaked in oil,coat with a little wheel bearing grease before replacing.
Steve

Luke · Postby **Luke** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:22 pm

Ok I got it out

Its 14mm for that partcilar bolt.

Just jammed some silicon grease in their and slowly worked it out. Just gota give it a good clean up as wasp said. Has a lot of black gunk in their.
The actual metal isn't corroded just the grease has pretty much burnt on. Got most of it off.

Since I am doing trackdays with the car, does any one have any recomendations of a higher temp grease, cause the OEM grease kinda looks burnt.
I am running hawk blues on the track so do get some very high brake temps on the fronts.
I don't think the regular off the shelf bearing grease will cope. Or I could just re-grease it between every track day, but ewww greasy.

Hellmun · Postby **Hellmun** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:29 pm

I'm using copper grease at the moment I picked up from a brake service place in wollongong. It had a 800C operating temp range and was only $10. There's also specific brake slider pin lubricant you can get at some stores. Last time I got that was from South Coast Agencies which supplies your Autopro's etc and that was about $30. I havn't had my caliper apart since I regreased them a few months ago yet so can't tell you whether it's holding up fine.

de Bounce · Postby **de Bounce** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:39 pm

You need to use copper grease or silicon grease on the caliper slide pins.

The black stuff you have cleaned off is likely to be old, dry wheel bearing grease.

Luke · Postby **Luke** » Tue Sep 14, 2010 11:18 am

Well since I have silicon grease in abundance I'll give that a go.
Hopefully it won't burn on.

If its a problem I guess I'll be looking for some copper grease.

Thanks for the info guys.

de Bounce · Postby **de Bounce** » Tue Sep 14, 2010 7:04 pm

Luke wrote:Well since I have silicon grease in abundance I'll give that a go.
Hopefully it won't burn on.

If its a problem I guess I'll be looking for some copper grease.

Thanks for the info guys.

The correct synthetic grease won't burn off.
I have only ever used a tiny amount when reassembling the calipers and slide pins
A tube this size normally lasts years.