Hello all

Just finished my first ever rear disk brake pad change...   

Clymer never mentioned about the shock/spring being in the way. Got around that by setting preload to minimum & using a pry bar in the spring to allow the forward retaining pin to come out/go back in. I can hear you all laughing  

Ok let's get to the question - I did clean up the pins with a wire brush before reinstalling them, but should they have some sort of lube? I understand there are special products for this, although many seem to think dielectric grease will do.

I await the Kollective Knowledge...

And Merry Christmas to all 

I am laughing! It takes a few minutes to remove the rear caliper to change the brake pads.
I use a very thin smear of Moly grease on the back of the pads and on the pins when I reassemble.

I never put anything on the pins. They're supposed to be a snap-fit and I'd rather not have any form of lubricant interfering with that. As for the pins hitting the shock - yes, it does happen. I have a RamShok on mine and I use a very large screwdriver to lift the spring coils slightly. I should mention that I have stainless pins all round, so the need to prevent corrosion (Bob?) isn't a problem.

OK, it's 1 for & 1 against - that clears it up for me LOL   

BobT, is that grease compatible with the seals? Big discussions about that on car forums...

Dai, aren't everybodys pins stainless? 

Keep those opinions flowing in folks... 

I have never used grease or a protective coating on the pins. I would expect that any coating would be subject to the heat build up radiating from the brakes during excessive breaking.  

Could this lead to melting of the coating or not? I don't know but as the pins are directly over the brakes pads then I would not be taking the risk. I expect that Brembo would have answered this question a long time ago. 

As brakes are just a little bit significant in keeping you alive, I'll keep the pins dry.

As far as I know stainless pins are an aftermarket option.

Also when working on the brakes, I support the rear end and swing the shokie out of the way.

Thanks TacKler it's 2 to 1 now LOL   

I had the same thought - melting lube dropping into the works - I only brought it up 'cuz it seems a big deal on the car forums (yes, we have a car too - the K does not like to plow through the 3-4 feet of snow we get here)   

Now about the stainless thing - I have a hard time imagining normal steel  pins not rustwelding (new highly technical term I just invented) themselves in place after a few years, mine only needed a few good hits to come out. There was some ah, 'grunge' on them but I got rid of that with a wire brush. We don't live by the ocean but it is often very humid here... as in don't leave your trailer hitch plugged into the receiver for too long - DAMHIK    

It would be interesting to know what Brembo thinks...

Removing the 'shockie' would have been an idea - as would removing the caliper as previously suggested - but I'm a bit lazy & all those ideas meant more nuts/bolts to remove & more chances to f*&k something up. Besides it was a challenge to get my size 12 hands with arthritic fingers in there  

Think I'll leave 'em dry

Hope you have a Merry Christmas   

Lorne & Joanie

Just to be different and annoy everyone I put a decent smear of copper grease over the pins in the hope that its anti-seize properties stop the pins welding into the caliper. It also helps the pads slide along the pins for a little while until the rain washes it all off.

I'm not too keen on the idea of stainless pins, stainless corrodes even more happily into aluminium than normal mild steel and if it's properly stainless it is brittle as well. I too have only ever seen them as an aftermarket item, OE pins are always some kind of specially treated mild steel.

It's not a problem Jack. The snap-ring prevents some stainless to caliper contact; secondly, the caliper is anodised to help prevent corrosion and lastly, vibration helps to reduce corrosion build-up at the pin end. I've never had any problems with stainless pins but on more than one occasion I've had to take the BFH to OEM pins.

I'm with Blatter on this one. Copper slip is your friend. 
Make sure you use a small brush to apply, opinion on the oil rigs that I worked on that it can contain chemicals with carcinogenic potential. Use sparingly, it's anti-seize and not a lubricant.

I use stainless pins with Permatex Neverseize and wipe off what is showing. There would be absolutely minimal chance of any ever getting to the pads or disc. The Kawasaki pins have always been done that way and when working with Honda it was workshop standard practice to use anti-seize on the bare steel pins. I have never had or heard of a problem.

Does not really matter what you do to metals, as soon as you put 2 different ones together you will get dissimilar metal corrosion from the electrolytic effect of rain (slightly acidic) and the two metals. Happens more if there is a slight gap between the two, that is why we use jointing compound on aircraft structures.

Hmm, this could go either way...

Now I'm wondering if the PO put stainless pins in, think I'll pull one out & see what a magnet does...

Curiouser & curiouser, said Alice

There is an anti seize compound based on aluminium. Mercedes Benz use it in their car work shops.

I use stainless pins, previously coated with copper based grease, but latterly with aluminium anti-seize paste.

My copper based compound is good to 1100°C, the aluminium based anti-seize to 780°C (so it says on the tins), so the chance of melted grease getting onto the pads is infinitesimal.

 Been working for me since my first disc braked bike in 1972.

Paul.