Species diversity
The range of brake lubricants is impressive. Moreover, these compounds are designed to process certain parts of it, which does not facilitate the task of choosing the right lubricant.
So, all lubricants for processing brake mechanisms can be conditionally divided into three types. The first includes compounds for lubricating brake pistons during assembly of the mechanism, the second - for guide fingers, the third - the so-called anti-scratch, for non-working surfaces of brake pads and frames of the brake mechanism.
Lubricants for non-working surfaces
Let's start with lubricants for non-working surfaces of brake pads and brake frames. Basically, all mineral-based formulations with bentonite thickener. These include Bosh Superfit greases, a domestic analogue from VMPAvto SuperF, Permatex Ultra Disc (although it is written on the packaging as a synthetic lubricant), Liqui Moly greases - blue 7585 and red 7656. Febi grease can also be included. Bilstein 26711 based on polyalphaolefins with powder filler, withstanding temperatures up to 1400 ° C.
As for the forms of release and packaging, they are diverse. There are small bags for single use, cans and tubes, as well as cylinders with lubricants in the form of sprays. The latter is more convenient to apply, because, unlike creamy formulations, they do not need to be distributed on the surfaces with your hands or special brushes. Small bags with lubricant cost from 50 rubles for domestic samples to 130 rubles for imported ones. Permatex Ultra Disc can (it has an additional brush for applying the composition) will cost about 1000 rubles, and a Febi Bilstein tube - 900.
These compounds have several advantages over lithols and graphite grease: they withstand high temperatures, are resistant to leaching and almost do not mix with ingress of dirt. It is important to understand that lubricants for non-working surfaces of brake pads do not spare rubber, therefore contact of these compounds, for example, with rubber elements of guide fingers, will lead to swelling of the former and jamming of the latter. Therefore, the use of this type of lubricant must be strictly for its intended purpose.
Guide Lubricants
Compositions of this species have quite a lot of requirements. First of all, such greases should not harm the rubber - there are rubber caps in the guides, and often also rubber and plastic bushings. Compounds of this species must withstand huge temperature drops, not coke and not be afraid of moisture. These parameters correspond to a small number of lubricants, mainly synthetic compounds on a polyalkylene glycol base with lithium filler.
These include Toyota Rubber Grease, which has a slightly higher dropping point TRW PFG110 and its domestic counterpart, VMPAuto, called PAG with similar characteristics. At the same time, TRW grease is produced both in tubes and in bags for single use, the latter are usually put in brake sets. As a rule, when replacing the pads, one bag of grease is enough.
An interesting lubricant is MS 1630 silicone-based with the addition of silicon dioxide as a thickener. It works well in a pair of metal-plastic friction. There is also a universal composition - MC 1600 grease manufactured by VMPAuto. It can be applied to different parts of the brake mechanism, but always with a thin layer, otherwise the composition will coke. As for prices, domestic PAG lubricant in a tube costs about 270 rubles, small bags - 70-80 rubles, a TRW tube - 330, Toyota - 900, a large tube MC 1600 - about 500 rubles.
Brake assembly grease
The latter type includes lubricants used to install the piston into the cylinder. We have only one such composition - ATE Bremszylinder.
This is a paste based on castor oils with a low dropping point. It is intended exclusively for installation work and is useful to those involved in the maintenance and repair of brake mechanisms. Such a paste costs about 600 rubles. It is compatible with DOT 3, 4 and 5.1 brake fluids and neutral to rubber seals, does not interact with the rubber seals of the brake cylinder and does not lead to their swelling. The main function of the composition is to facilitate assembly.
Many will say that our review is incomplete and will be right. But to consider all the lubricants on the market today is unrealistic. Write what brake lubricants you use. And if necessary, ask questions. We will answer for sure.