Finally figured out why my brake caliper slide pins kept seizing up

For the past year, I was just cleaning them with brake cleaner and slapping on whatever grease I had around, usually some leftover wheel bearing grease. A guy at the parts counter in Boise saw my cart and asked if I was doing brakes, then handed me a $8 tube of silicone-based caliper grease. He said the regular stuff cooks off and turns into glue. I tried it on a 2017 F-150 last week, and the difference is night and day. What other little things like that did you guys learn way later than you should have?

3 comments

3 Comments

piper_reed1mo ago

I mean I've used regular grease for years and never had a problem.

sagep191mo ago

Actually read a study that said some greases can break down seals over time. Might be worth checking out.

gray61mo ago

Hold up, that's playing with fire. Just because it hasn't failed yet doesn't mean it's right for the job. Using the wrong grease can definitely mess things up over time.