Grease !! Graphite or copper?

[YellowVan]

Hello all,
The brakes on my second R4 are in the middle of being changed but I dont have any copper grease to lube the pad to caliper parts; can I use graphite grease instead as it can withstand hight temps etc, also I have loads of it for some reason in the barn so would rather not have to go and buy copper.

Cheers

YellowVan

 

[malcolm]

Don't know

The copper grease between the pads and calliper pistons helps prevent brake squeal. That's all it does, and brake squeal only happens when you have an unlikely set of circumstances involving temperature, pad thickness, and various system related stiffnesses. It should never happen, but oddly it happens quite a lot.

The main thing with the R4 calipers is cleaning off the dirt on the sides of the caliper where the pad slides, then lubricating the sides of the caliper. I've known people ram pads into a mucky caliper then wonder why they bind on all the time and get very hot. Should imagine the graphited grease would be OK for that, but the copper stuff would be better.

 

[Steve Hennessey]

The graphite grease won't withstand as high a temperature as the copper grease so please don't even think of using it. It WILL melt and possibly get onto the lining material or the disc. Follow Clem's advice and make sure that all surfaces are derusted and the pads fit loosely. Then put a thin film of copper grease on the back of the pad and onto the pad bearing parts of the caliper. Don't forget to derust and grease the 'wedges' if your caliper uses them - I think it's the Bendix type. With the Girling type, make sure the little pistons move in and out freely. If not then carefully remove them without splitting the rubber boots and lubricate with the graphite grease.

 

[malcolm]

True enough - I'd not considered where the graphited stuf might go when it melted. Low friction brakes wouldn't be a good thing. Best to gamble a couple of quid on copper grease that doesn't melt.

 

[Greeney in France]

Thats a definate. DO NOT USE anything else other than copper I have seen other grease melt on to pad and disc on a friends E type and he went into the back of his XJS that his wife was driving. Not good! and you only need a tiny amount where back of pad makes contact with piston to stop vibration squeal

 

[YellowVan]

Cheers guys,
So, so, so glad I asked as I nearly did not. Thanks for all the advice!

So what am i to do with all this graphite grease, where else can I use it; clean replys

YellowVan

 

[Greeney in France]

Graphite grease is an excellent drive shaft,bearing CV grease good for high heat and pressures so put it on the shelf.

 

[sideslip]

Copper is a rust inhibitor too. Infact it has actively been shown to reverse "rusting" in articles published since the 90's.