To maintain a lubricated performance in your vehicle’s braking system, you need to apply brake grease. Most auto enthusiasts will tell you the moving components in your braking system regularly require dielectric grease. Therefore, with brake grease, you can facilitate free movement in your car.
However, applying it in the right areas is crucial for optimal performance. Therefore, this article to go through all the aspects related to brake grease! So, if you want to understand the importance of greasing your brakes, make sure to read on.
What is Brake Grease?
You could refer to brake grease as an enhancer for your braking system. Moreover, the use of base oil and thickener ensures that the formulation of the lubricant is precise. Therefore, this type of grease has the purpose of lubricating the braking system.
With the proper grease, you will be able to meet your car’s lubrication demands. Further, the composition does not allow the presence of solids. Finally, every car owner will know that brakes get subjected to high temperatures.
Therefore, if you add lubrication with no heat tolerance, it will melt away and not help your brakes. On the other hand, it has a unique design that allows it to withstand heat to an extent. Further, most modern engines have hydraulic braking systems.
If you apply conventional and unrefined grease, you might damage the plastic or the rubber sealing components in the system. Consequently, you need to choose a brake grease compatible with the type of braking system you have. In its essence, this grease will reduce friction and help with temperature regulation.
Moreover, it can increase or extend the durability and lifespan of your brake pads. Do you know what the best part about brake grease is? The ability to reduce the annoying noise and vibrations produced by friction!
In addition, with a lubricated braking system, you can enhance the stoppage ability of your car. Therefore, this grease will keep the braking system functioning in a better way!
Different Types of Brake Grease
There are many types of brake grease in the auto industry. However, there are only four most commonly used ones. These greases prevent rusting, but if your car already has rust formation make sure to get the best rust converter.
Synthetic-Based
You will find this in either a paste, tube, or stick form. Moreover, it is a boundary-type lubricant. Further, synthetic-based grease has lubricants like Graphite and Molybdenum Disulfide or Moly (MOS2).
It contains friction-reducing elements that are great for brakes. Therefore, helping your car have an enhanced smoothness in the braking system. In addition, the presence of those lubricants allows greater handling of high pressures and temperature.
Thus, making synthetic-based brake grease suitable for rotation parts with high levels of friction.
Silicone-Based
It is a type of grease designed for use on wheel cylinder assembly work and calipers. Moreover, silicone is great for plastic and rubber compound lubrication. Silicone can withstand temperatures ranging from -40F to 400F!
Therefore, making it suitable as a brake grease component. However, it cannot resist extreme temperatures, unlike synthetic-based ones.
PAO-Based
This type of lubricant is famous for its anti-rust properties. Moreover, PAO stands for Polyalphaolefin, which is a synthetic hydrocarbon. Thus, making it suitable for braking systems and assembly work due to its compatibility in wet environments.
Brake grease made from this material has different components. For example, you will find traces of Moly, Teflon, and Graphite in the composition. Therefore, increasing the properties by a lot!
White Lithium-Based
You may wonder why you should use this type of low-temperature grease. To be precise, you use it to lubricate drum brake hardware. Moreover, you can use this grease for backing plates as well.
You will not have the innate heat-resistant abilities like the other forms of grease. Therefore, making it unsuitable for application in the vehicle’s front disc brake.
When you use your braking system, you will put pressure on your brake rotors. Thus, greasing it will not help; you need a high-quality brake rotor as well!
Top 2 Brake Grease to Choose
Here are some brake greases that you can buy!
1. AGS SIL-Glyde Silicone-Based Tube
You can use this on brake assembly components. Moreover, it is compatible with rubber and plastic. As a result, you will have a noise-free disc brake action. Further, protecting parts from rusting.
It is moisture-proof and can resist high temperatures up to 425F. Therefore, if you use this grease, you will decrease the vibrations along with the contact points.
This brake grease comes in a four ounces tube for easy application.
2. Permatex Ultra Disc Brake Lube
The best part about this synthetic-based grease is its environment-friendly attributes. Moreover, it will not melt and has a green composition. So, you will be able to grease adverse braking systems! Further, being able to prevent the sticking and seizing of disc brake components.
Consequently, ensuring lubrication to a metal-to-metal friction area. You can use this under temperatures from -40F to 400F on caliper pins, the back-side of brake pads, and braking hardware.
This brake grease is available in an eight ounces jar.
Brake Grease Application
You can use brake grease on the areas of your brake system where the components have friction. Moreover, lubrication points in a disc brake will be the caliper slides, bushings, and pins. It would help if you lubricated the self-adjuster mechanisms in the back with locking calipers.
Further, greasing the braking cables, linkage, and caliper housing for pad slides. However, ensure that you do not apply the grease on the friction side of the brake pads. If you use it on the front side, you will ruin the linings.
You can dampen the vibrations of the caliper pistons and disc brake. To do so, you can apply a small amount at the back of the pads. Moreover, ensuring you put the grease on the face of the caliper pistons.
Make sure not to use a thick layer of grease. For example, in drum brakes, apply it to all the components making sure you do not smudge on the friction surface. Therefore, ensuring you do not contaminate the pads that might facilitate an uneven braking application.
On the other hand, hydraulic components will require ordinary brake fluid or silicone-based brake grease. Therefore, assuring smoothness by preventing corrosion.
Endnotes
Now that you are familiar with brake grease, it is time for you to lubricate your braking system. Moreover, doing it will enhance the functionality and application of the system.
Make sure to understand the application process before using brake grease. Further, understanding the types ensures you buy the right one for your vehicle.
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