SOHC.co.uk Forums > CB500/550
Brake calliper silicone grease
Bryanj:
It does say silicone grease but not on the seals, only the pad rear and suround
McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
My silicone grease is clear it's food grade - not to keen on the white version in the earlier posts.
K2-K6:
We can look at product suitability. There's reasonable cause to consider what we know currently in comparison to that which people have been used to over the years. It's clear to me that silicone grease is suitable to fit brake component together in place of what may have been used previously. Honda manual originally published in late 1960s is clear that silicone is to be used around the outside of the piston and seal "area" and pad to caliper bore too, not making a statement of use ON the singular seal. Stating the temperature range of that silicone grease as -55~200 C and "do not use Molybdenum grease" its very specific and matches the product specification of currently available product, in so far as the details that are available.
Contemporary view is that silicone grease IS suitable for assembley of the hydraulic seal, making it a one shot solo product with suitability for this task. This, water exclusion, being the most effective way to mitigate galvanic corrosion that produces the degradation around the piston from any road salt ingress that gives electrolyte capability, then eroding the aluminium to produce that characteristic and typically white corrosion, which ultimately seizes the brake piston.
It is highly water repellent, one of its most useful attribute, as it (from my, anecdotal experience) has verified to ME. Whether that's of interest you'll have to consider for yourselves.
Some specific product reference here, proprietary brand but the basic ingredient (without marketing puff) is the same silicone grease in these available brands.
"Super Lube® Silicone Lubricating Brake Grease with Syncolon® is a NLGI Grade 2 compound designed for caliper and wheel cylinder assembly work as silicone is an excellent lubricant for rubber and plastics. It is compatible with the majority of rubber compounds including nitrile, nylon and other synthetic rubber. See Compatibility Chart under Technical Resources for further details.
Super Lube® Silicone Lubricating Brake Grease should be used at every point in the brake system where parts slide or move. With disc brakes, lubrication points include: caliper slides, pins, bushings and contact points where the pads slide within the caliper housing. It can be applied on self-adjuster mechanisms on rear disc brakes with locking calipers, parking brake cables and linkages.
Super Lube® Silicone Lubricating Brake Grease can also be used to dampen vibrations between disc brake pads and caliper pistons. It should NOT be applied between the pads and any noise suppression shims. Use it sparingly on the back of a bare pad or between the pad shim and caliper.
Super Lube® Silicone Lubricating Brake Grease is dielectric, food grade, clean and environmentally friendly. This product is an NSF registered Food Grade lubricant, rated H1 for incidental food contact and meets USDA 1998 H1 guidelines.
Super Lube® Silicone Lubricating Brake Grease is Kosher Certified.
For more information on how to apply our brake grease, click here."
https://www.super-lube.com/silicone-lubricating-brake-grease-with-syncolon
Anecdotal experience, I've used variously silicone brake fluid and grease in brake system since the 1980s, taking contemporary advice then from brake product manufacturers, built systems in competition use some running disc temperatures up until they are yellow :o designed, manufactured and maintained components with these materials. Its extensive but I wouldn't consider myself expert, just diligence in appraisal of these materials.
Certainly not a directive in any way on my part, but if there's a counter to this it should be able to hold it's own in reasoning to let others judge for themselves and make valued desicions on their own behalf.
Oh....and backed by metallurgy view from a career metallurgist....also the same from a career employed analytical chemist ;D
b_1_rd:
Wow thanks all that’s great information.
Amazing amount of info, thanks K2-K6.
I’ve ordered some other silicone grease (NLGI 2 grade) just to be safe and will just use the existing tin for general purpose stuff.
What’s the recommendation for the seal? Leave it clean and dry or smear brake fluid etc?
Thanks again.
McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
--- Quote from: b_1_rd on February 19, 2024, 05:09:14 PM ---Wow thanks all that’s great information.
Amazing amount of info, thanks K2-K6.
I’ve ordered some other silicone grease (NLGI 2 grade) just to be safe and will just use the existing tin for general purpose stuff.
What’s the recommendation for the seal? Leave it clean and dry or smear brake fluid etc?
Thanks again.
--- End quote ---
Back in the day most car wheel cylinder kits all came with a small sachet of red lubricant - I always assumed it was red rubber grease.
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