Caliper Slide Pins

Mr.Rudus · February 21, 2012

hi all, not posted for a while -

whats the best grease to use on the caliper slide pins ?

every 4 months i have to grease the buggers as they start to click & knock.

i do alot of mileage & hard braking.

i have dealer pads & discs all round.

any thoughts, much appreciated - thanks.

TigerFish · February 21, 2012

Lithium soap base glycol grease is the recommended stuff in the Lexus workshop manuals

Mr.Rudus · February 21, 2012

got one from lexus, red in colour, white tube, says toyota on it. (grease)

the guy at the depo says thats what they use at the dealership.

will graphite grease be any good ? the one used in cv joints.

TigerFish · February 21, 2012

My advise would be to use what it says in the manuals, Lithium soap base glycol grease, the Comma CV grease is that type as far as I know and I don't believe that it is graphite grease.

Mr.Rudus · February 22, 2012

ok, thanks tigerfish.

just found out that the bottom slide pins are worn, so theres a relation to my problem.

ordered them all four. just got to hunt the correct lithium soap grease.

TigerFish · February 22, 2012

Halfords always used to sell the Comma CV Grease.

true blue · February 22, 2012

Hi ,I have looked into this grease problem before ,and ended up confused . although I would not wish to argue with the workshop manual ;the lithium soapbase glycol grease is designed for use with items in contact with rubber and brake fluid as in caliper and cylinder assembly ,I suspect it would soon wash off with water. the Toyota part number for this is apparently 08887-01206 . There is also another grease Toyota disc brake caliper grease 08887-80609 which may be more suitable .Can any of the professional Toyota techs on this forum shed any light on the suitability and availability of of this caliper grease ? . as an aside I have used a ford synthetic caliper and dialectric grease on my cars without any problems ,it stays soft and does not wash out .

TigerFish · February 23, 2012

The slidepins are fully enclosed with a rubber boot at the end. Unless the boot is damaged, the grease isn't exposed to water to be washed off. Without looking in the manual, there is no way of knowing what the second grease you have mentioned is used for. May be the copper grease, which doesn't hold up particularly well on the slide pins either. Nothing seems to compensate for regular attention, which I suspect is neglected in general due to the pins being enclosed and not visible.

is200 Newbie · February 28, 2012

I have used Castrol LM grease - good up to 120 degree's from Halfords (about £6 per tub) - as the comments below - as long as your seals are intact then there wont be a problem. I happenned to check mine at the weekend after replacing the pins last year and there's no pitting / discoloration of the grease and pins are still moving.

Hilts · March 5, 2012

Is there a place that sels these pins? I'm going to need a full set replacement on the front, Big Redd are supplying me the piston kits, but advise they cannot get the pins. Lexus have quoted me £65 for a full set for the front? Not overly expensive, but wondered if anywhere else did them? or should i simply go for genuine parts as it's brakes?

thanks in advance

TigerFish · March 5, 2012

Is there a place that sels these pins? I'm going to need a full set replacement on the front, Big Redd are supplying me the piston kits, but advise they cannot get the pins. Lexus have quoted me £65 for a full set for the front? Not overly expensive, but wondered if anywhere else did them? or should i simply go for genuine parts as it's brakes?

thanks in advance

I'm not aware of anyone else selling them, I got lucky and got a couple of sets off eBay from a private seller who no longer needed the ones they had bought.

Might be worth contacting ACLex on here, he works in the Lexus Poole parts department and gives discount to LOC members.

Hilts · March 10, 2012

well turns out wasn't the slider pins, but siezed calipers, thanks for the advice on spares from Big Redd, new pins and caliper overhaul=£100, much better now :)

BillNick · May 21, 2012

Guys, is it possible that I would get the same sticking and loud 'clicking' sound from my rear brakes? Or am I just hearing it from the back when in fact its coming from the front?

PatrickM · May 22, 2012

The are no caliber slide pins in the back. :)

Paul is · May 22, 2012

Is it a rattle from the back,i have this,i thought for ages my rear suspention was gone but it was the pads rattling on the glide pins,its not a prob,just anoying,hpe this helps :-)

BillNick · May 23, 2012

Not a rattle no.......say I am in traffic and roll along from stationary when i hit the brake pedal again there is a loud click coming from the wheels as if two pieces of metal where hitting.

Is that sticky slide pins at the front? I appreciate it prob just sounds like its from the back, but if it was coming from the back, what would it be?

FRONT: Slide pins

BACK: ????

steve2006 · May 23, 2012

When was the last time the rear brakes were serviced?

It may be worth removing the pads,cleaning everything up and regreasing the pad contact points,also check the disc splash shield for catching.

Paul is · May 23, 2012

The rear calipers have glide pins,they go through the caliper and the brake pads, you have to remove this to take pads out. .

Thats good point steve,it could be the guard,it be worth checkin out

BillNick · May 23, 2012

What would the guard catch on? I had the rear wheels off to paint the calipers a year or so ago, didnt see any obvious fouling with the guard then.

Maybe ill take the rear brakes apart when I service the fronts.....clean up, grease up etc.

I am hoping its just my ears playing tricks and is infact the front slider pins which I plan to overhaul anyway.

Paul is · May 23, 2012

Just check guard thats round back of disc,even to see is it bent and rubbing of the disc. .now that i think a year ago i had a rubbin noise frm back wheel,couldnt know what it was,i took caliper of and removed disc and the back of disc had loose bits of metal where disc meets hub and it was causin al the noise. .i just tapped the rusty metal of wit hammer and prob solved. .it sounded like a scraping metal noise. .is that what your gettin? It didnt take long to do so it mite b worth checkin. .jack up wheel wit car in neutral and handbrake of and spin wheel. .u will hear it then if its that

BillNick · May 23, 2012

The brakes were rubbing at one point, seems ok now but there were rubbing. I got a faint wistle at low speed. I best overhaul the whole rear setup I think.

The noise isnt a rubbing, its a loud click when I first press the brake pedal after driving along for a while. Its as if the piston/pads/pins are sticking then with more pressure from my foot give way causing a clunk or loud click.

Paul is · May 23, 2012

The only thing that reminds me of is the front slide pins. .it common prob. . Go for drive and have all windows down between buildins and press brakes and listen for the sound. .thats best thing i can think to do for now.

Does the car pull to side when u brake hard

BillNick · May 24, 2012

No, the braking itself is perfectly fine. I think it is probably just my ears and the surroundings making it seem like its on the back. With the front slider pins being such a common problem I am gonna tell myself it is that and just inspect the rear brakes as a precaution when I overhaul the front. And for £21 i can replace the rear pads anyway so I may aswell do that.

Anyone have any links for recommended grease for the pins please??