Brake Grease

What's wrong with copper slip? You find this in virtually every motor accessory shop.

Because it's not brake grease ?...

-- Copperslip : The most over used product used on automobiles. Copperslip : The most abused product used on automobiles. Copperslip : The biggest abuse of automobiles. Copperslip : It does have uses, just not were most people use it !

Green? My stuff is red. Girling in a yellow tube.

Go to a land rover shop. It is the only stuff for the diff mounted brake assembly.

MrCheerful

"Copper Ease" is probably the best stuff to use nowadays.

sPoNiX

Ignore this. Saw brake and grease and read rubbing as rubber so assume you meant rubber grease. ;-)

I'd not use anything between shoe and cylinder, though, in case it came into contact with the dust cover. Although rubber grease would be safe for that. ;-)

No it's not, it's totally inappropriate for use near brakes.

-- Copperslip : The most over used product used on automobiles. Copperslip : The most abused product used on automobiles. Copperslip : The biggest abuse of automobiles. Copperslip : It does have uses, just not were most people use it !

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hi jerry, I use copperslip on the back of brake pads and shims I have done so for years! {only a very small amount} am I doing wrong? mark.w

I thought Copper Ease was meant to be an anti-seize compound, not a lubricant, and I personally wouldn't use it. Although you can use it on the back of brake pads to reduce squeal. You MUST still be able to buy tubes of proper brake grease somewhere......

Yes, there are other 'greases' that are designed for that application. Usually it's grey in colour.

Copperslip does not have the required heat range for use on or near brakes. (or clutches).

Here we go again...... Always does the job for me!

Are you sure. The Comma grease I have is rated to 1150C, I'd say that is plenty. The main problem I have is that it isn't waterproof and just washes off exposed parts.

Well perhaps the Comma product is a highbred, knowing Comma products that would not surprise me, but saying that I suspect 1150 deg' C is a tad low anyway.

I have a tube of it that I bought from Halfords a couple of years ago. The label reads:

"Copper Grease" "Helps prevent disc brake squeal" "Protects against seizure"

I'm in no position to argue, but someone obviously disagrees with your view.

Stuart Sharp

It stops faulty or poor quality brakes from squeaking for a couple of weeks until it washes off. It is not the solution to anything, really. I'm not a fan of copper grease and I've yet to find a situation where it is more useful then normal LM grease, which is nicer stuff to work with too.

Plus the OP was asking about stuff to put on brake shoes, not discs.

Don't really agree there - if properly applied, copper anti-sieze works well to reduce brake squeal, and will improve heat transfer from the pad. While any excess will indeed wash off quickly, the very thin layer that's actually doing any good is pretty well protected. It's always still been there when I've changed pads. LM grease is no good as a thermal transfer compound, it is designed as a lubricant to prevent metal-metal contact and probably does more harm than good if used behind a brake pad - besides, I wouldn't trust it not to melt or decompose.

On this we are agreed - copper based grease is a lousy lubricant, so not the stuff to have between moving parts. It's uses are as an anti-seize compound and as a thermal transfer medium - that's all.

I certainly wouldn't use it on a brake pad, but I wouldn't use copper grease either unless I had to. When I've used it on squeaky brakes the noise has come back not long after. Really the only solution is to replace the missing parts or buy some decent brake pads, as applicable.

We'll probably agree to differ on that one. In my experience, the backs of the pads (any brand/quality) and other brake components (especially the non-firing side of single piston callipers) are nowhere near flat enough to get a decent thermal or even mechanical contact - we're probably talking three points of contact. So a very thin smear of compound is necessary to improve the effective contact patch - any more than a smear, and the stuff will stop the parts fitting closely. It works for me, I've never had a brake problem and I'm sure it's not down to luck.

Yes, the people trying to sell you the stuff - vestige interest and all that !...