Cowsham wrote: ↑11 Apr 2024, 2:37pm
Must go and check mine now cos I'll need to replace pads on my cube acid shortly.
Well the Cube is just a simple split pin but the pinnacle has the flat profile calipers with the slot head ( threads near the head end ) but also with a spring clip at the other end -- checked to see if any were seized but all perfect -- may put a taste of silicon grease round the threads or red rubber grease ( that's my choice for brake calipers on cars vans etc -- copper grease has a tendency to dry out and cause issues )
The electric bike ( subway 2 ) has Allen key bolts -- all OK.
not all copper greases are created equal. What have you tried?
All types before someone put me wise to red rubber grease. -- I have 50+ year old Volkswagen's so I've tried quite a few different things but the red rubber grease solved that problem about 6 years ago. I'd always just took the brakes apart as a matter of course before the summer season started and greased them up with copper grease and every year the same problem -- grease dry and brake pistons seized up at the start of the season. ( there are two opposing pistons an outer and inner piston on each caliper ) Even after the the red rubber grease I took each caliper apart but this time found for two years running that the pistons weren't seized up and so after that I didn't bother taking them apart and they've been fine ever since.
Just managed to get my 105 caliper bolts out today (they were seized) by using a ratchet with a flat head screwdriver socket bit better than a normal screwdriver.
Well the Cube is just a simple split pin but the pinnacle has the flat profile calipers with the slot head ( threads near the head end ) but also with a spring clip at the other end -- checked to see if any were seized but all perfect -- may put a taste of silicon grease round the threads or red rubber grease ( that's my choice for brake calipers on cars vans etc -- copper grease has a tendency to dry out and cause issues )
The electric bike ( subway 2 ) has Allen key bolts -- all OK.
not all copper greases are created equal. What have you tried?
All types before someone put me wise to red rubber grease. -- I have 50+ year old Volkswagen's so I've tried quite a few different things but the red rubber grease solved that problem about 6 years ago. I'd always just took the brakes apart as a matter of course before the summer season started and greased them up with copper grease and every year the same problem -- grease dry and brake pistons seized up at the start of the season. ( there are two opposing pistons an outer and inner piston on each caliper ) Even after the the red rubber grease I took each caliper apart but this time found for two years running that the pistons weren't seized up and so after that I didn't bother taking them apart and they've been fine ever since.
( 1973 T2 Bay so had front disc brakes)
Thanks, I’ll have to try this on my ‘76 bay, always have to work the pistons back and forth after a winter layup in the garage.
swagman wrote: ↑14 Apr 2024, 1:26am
Just managed to get my 105 caliper bolts out today (they were seized) by using a ratchet with a flat head screwdriver socket bit better than a normal screwdriver.
The slot head bolts on mine look stainless to me so hope there's not any reaction to the alloy caliper.
the oil in red rubber grease is usually some kind of vegetable oil. In brakes, it is best used beneath the dust boot. 'Copper greases' vary wildly in copper content, from ~1% to ~50% so they are very far from being all the same and should certainly not all be tarred with the same brush.
Brucey wrote: ↑14 Apr 2024, 1:59pm
the oil in red rubber grease is usually some kind of vegetable oil. In brakes, it is best used beneath the dust boot. 'Copper greases' vary wildly in copper content, from ~1% to ~50% so they are very far from being all the same and should certainly not all be tarred with the same brush.
Whatever it is red rubber grease is the ticket -- I've tried a few different types of copper grease -- the aerosol spray stuff is great for getting to where you need it but the worst for drying out. Tried the best the motor factor shops had in tins or tubes but same result to more or less extents -- I do all the cars brakes in our family my mother's, my 2 sons cars ( one is too young yet ) my own vivaro, my T2, my TDR, the wife's old beetle and up to last year the Toyota yaris ( now replaced by the ecar ). Much less bother with brakes these days.
RJC wrote: ↑14 Apr 2024, 5:40pm
Are we talking about two different applications -
preventing steel steel threads siezing on alloy caliper and greasing brake pistons?
Yes but both involve two different metals and heat.
