[DenisWH]

The brake disks (or rotors as you call them across the pond) were all looking pretty sad on my 9 year old 4 banger so having bought all the parts (rotors pads etc) I did the job this last weekend.
I see there is a lot flying around on the servicing of the caliper slider pins regarding the rubber bushes and the type of grease to be used for reassembly. The rubber bushes were in a pretty poor state and wouldn't allow the pins that have these fitted to go back in (as you know not all have a bush) and wouldn't stay in the groove so for the time being (only) I've left them out and packed the specific pins with plenty of grease.

Two questions then.
1. Has it been established whether the bushes are absolutely necessary (please - no "if the manufacturer fits them they must be necessary". I want a practical view as I know people have left them out.
2. I found that the existing lithium grease (in since the last time I serviced them) made the slider pins quite stiff and wondered if it had partially dried out. I note that slider kits supply a sachet of silicon grease. Has silicone been found to be better and retain its "slipperyness" rather than the stuff recommended by Toyota..
All comment welcome. :wink

 

[rav4system]

By "bushes" are you referring to the rubber boots that the slide pin goes thru? If yes then they are necessary as they keep water, dirt and other junk from getting into to the slide pin area and causing problems...if there is a hard plastic bushing that goes into the caliper bracket that the slide pin then slides into then yes that would be needed as well...it would prevent the slide pin and caliper from moving around in the bracket...excessive movement could cause all kinds of issues...and if the slide pins were any kind of trouble to get out then grease has dried up and some corrosion has started most likely...

 

[Dr. Dyno]

I think the bushes are the "flat O-rings" on the inner end of the slide pins. I agree they are a pain to get back in because the air lock caused by the grease wants to push them out of their groove as you insert the pin into the caliper. When I recently did my front brakes and calipers I left one of them off. I'm not sure what they could be for unless it's to prevent vibration but enough grease stops that. I used wheel bearing grease on mine.

 

[DenisWH]

By "bushes" are you referring to the rubber boots that the slide pin goes thru? If yes then they are necessary as they keep water, dirt and other junk from getting into to the slide pin area and causing problems...if there is a hard plastic bushing that goes into the caliper bracket that the slide pin then slides into then yes that would be needed as well...it would prevent the slide pin and caliper from moving around in the bracket...excessive movement could cause all kinds of issues...and if the slide pins were any kind of trouble to get out then grease has dried up and some corrosion has started most likely...

No - these are the small rubber (if they are rubber) sleeves that fit in the grooves of some of the slider pins. I don't think anybody would be daft enough to leave the outer rubber bellow type boots off. That would be asking for BIG trouble with dirt and water ingress.

 

[DenisWH]

I think the bushes are the "flat O-rings" on the inner end of the slide pins. I agree they are a pain to get back in because the air lock caused by the grease wants to push them out of their groove as you insert the pin into the caliper. When I recently did my front brakes and calipers I left one of them off. I'm not sure what they could be for unless it's to prevent vibration but enough grease stops that. I used wheel bearing grease on mine.

Mr Dyno.
I've done pretty much the same and left the rubber sleeve off both the front caliper pins that normally require them. One side the sleeve just wouldn't stay in the groove (admittedly I re-used the original) and the other side split in half so I left them both out and packed well with the same grease as you. Still deciding whether to continue to live with them as is. The sleeves are impossible to acquire without buying a full overhaul kit of pins and the bellows boots (at least here in the UK). Perhaps that's my next move.

 

[Dr. Dyno]

Mr Dyno.
I've done pretty much the same and left the rubber sleeve off both the front caliper pins that normally require them. One side the sleeve just wouldn't stay in the groove (admittedly I re-used the original) and the other side split in half so I left them both out and packed well with the same grease as you. Still deciding whether to continue to live with them as is. The sleeves are impossible to acquire without buying a full overhaul kit of pins and the bellows boots (at least here in the UK). Perhaps that's my next move.

I don't see any downside to leaving the sleeves off as long as the pins are well greased.

 

[vanib]

I left one of the sleevs off on one side and did not feel a difference.
But one thing that I have observed that, the caliper pins in my RAV4 2008 become seized (or extremely hard to move) with in a year or so compared to my Kia Spectra 2007. On my KIA, I could 3 years without greasing and the pins would still slide smoothly.
Same grease used in both cases.
I even changed the boots and caliper pins in my RAV4. Not sure why my RAV4 has this issue.

 

[rav4system]

More Information for RAYBESTOS H16153

Is this what you guys are talking about?

 

[DenisWH]

Yes - the small sleeves at the bottom of the picture. They fit one out of every two pins to a caliper but I don't think either of my rear pins had the sleeves. Only did the damn things at the weekend and I can't remember. I'm sure the sleeves were only on one of each of the pins of each front caliper.

 

[DenisWH]

Either way, they aren't fitted with sleeves at the moment and I ain't too worried about it LOL.

 

[DenisWH]

I still don't see votes for what grease we should be using for these pins. The repair kits that are available in the UK have a silicone sachet in them which

of course quite different to the lithium bearing grease that we've been using. Any opinions guys. Would the silicone stay "slipperier".......?