parking brake, rear pads

Advise needed:

How can I clean the calliper pin without damaging it?

Does copper grease is suitable for the pin and the metal slots where pads are settled?

I'm going to use discs and pads from the 2007 salvage with low mileage.
Returning new pads to the counter.

 

Thanks css28

 

Today I replaced one pad and used copper on the calliper pin and the edges of the pad, copper I found in the toolbox, I want keep it going until Wednesday, brakes are already better and no grinding noise anymore.
On Wednesday I will try to get the correct grease at the dealership as I will get alignment done and I will return the brake pads which I didnt open.

This week I will try to get some acetone from the local garage just for the purpose of cleaning brakes and then I will get some steel wool.

For the next weekend I plan to clean the rear brakes and exchange the discs and pads together with brakes shoes adjustment.

 

Thanks John (Britprius), I will do it that way.

 

Petrol seems to be easy solution and may have some in my jerry can.
I will not play with piston seals, I'm aware of possible troubles. Just the pads, pins, discs, shoes.

 

This makes sense, since the shoes are pretty closed inside the drums and the dust may have nice room to settle there. I will not lubricate the adjuster mechanism.

 

today while getting completed steering part recall and associated wheel alignment I returned unused brake pads and asked about the soap glycol based high temperature grease, sales person in the parts department told me that these are only sold with calliper pins etc (not separately), another person (tech), heard the conversation and told me that Toyota's grease is too thin and causes callipers to ''rattle'' (...?), I was advised to use heat resistant copper to prevent ''rattle'' of the calliper pin, I was given small bag of the copper grease.

I'm not sure this is the way to go for the length of distances I'm doing. I'm afraid copper may seize with time, dust, driving intervals etc.

I may try to source at local motorist shop or another Toyota dealer for the correct grease.

so far the rear brake job costs me:

EUR40 for the set of discs and pads (from the '07 salvage).
I returned the unused pads with refund of EUR46.79 to the dealership.

:
motor factors (local motorist shops), doesn't know what is ''the soap glycol based high temperature grease'' for brake calliper pins. Everyone offers copper. I refused to use it.

One of smaller garages had larger tin of the grease which looks same as one on the pictures from priuschat member who did the service of the brakes . He gave me a good amount that would be ok to service my pins.

Interesting that everyone uses copper grease instead of the recommended grease.

Perhaps this weekend I will do the brake job.

 

Irish/British prius (read discs/pads with inner shoes)[make sure you disconnect 12v battery or remove capacitor prior to the brakes service, do not touch the hydraulic hoses with tools]

Rear brakes service performed. About 4 hours. 2h spent at each of the wheels.

I'm 100% sure that using copper grease is big fault. There is no space and the copper residues plays damaging effect on effectiveness of the movement of calipers and pin sliders as well as other components attracted to copper grease. Plus it's a terribly dirty grease and hard to clean in case if you decide ti use the correct high temperature grease.
The reason behind this being an incorrect product is simple, the copper grease due to it's thickness and lubricant attached slides from the pin completely on the edges of the calliper pins once slided into the rubber, so all the grease is wasted to the top of the pin and none stays on the pin (adding copper grease inside the rubber slides doesn't help either as the grease moves along with the pin once slided. Therefore copper grease has no lubricating effect on the pin, similarly with the application on the edges of the brake pads, the metal plates on which the pads slides once applied with the copper grease have a tendency to attract the dirt and then to cause more troubles than help intended in the first place. These sliding metal plates/ elements which touch the brake pads needs a proper cleaning as well as the edges of the pads, then they work together correctly. The high thickness of Toyota grease allows the for lubrication, the proper grease looks like wax and appear to be the only correct solution).

My test with one week of copper on one side of the rear brakes shown that copper has seized, attracted dirt and was too thick to allow the sliding of the callipers.

Now, while I'm pretty sure the lithium grease I obtained is also incorrect at the standard lithium grease has a melting point at 120°Celsius ans some soap based lithium greases have the melting point increased to ~150° Celsius, we already know that brakes can reach 400-600° Celsius.
Looks like I will need to order proper soap glycol based high temperature grease from amazon.co.uk.

Dealerships tried to convince me that copper is suitable, I'm sure it isn't.
I have a theory that garages and dealers use copper grease on purpose, so the customers will be back to exchange the pads, discs and perhaps other components due to use of copper grease. Once the part seizes then next is the temperature effect where things get overheat and other parts gets damaged. For some reason Toyota uses soap glycol based high temperature grease on these components and now I can understand the reasons behind. Pity that this product isn't available on the shelf in Ireland.

At least I have cleaned everything where the movement is required.

Dirty metal plates which are the first contact with the pads caused plenty of friction and pad seizures. These had to be cleaned with a wire brush (which I didn't have so I used screwdriver) and metal wool.

The technique John mentioned to adjust rear parking brake was extremely helpful and saved me trouble.

As well as the idea with using petrol for cleaning was great for cleaning these parts.

The advise from css28 to use metal wool was uncompromising, I used Fine metal wool which was brilliant for this task.

I called the salvage yard to ask if they can source front discs and pads.

At 187, 230 km's such service is a must ( you may perform it sooner depending on the climate you are in )

On the other side (RHS) I also noticed premature wear of the inner brake pad.

Pictures attached.


This will need another go once I get the correct high temperature soap glycol based grease.
For the time being this troubleshooting attempt remains open for corrective completion.
Thanks everyone for help to date.

 

Thanks John, I used steel wool to run the discs by hand and the remainder of brown color I left with hope for the brake pads to clean off once I start driving. It may not be the case, sounds like a trip to local hardware store for an abrasive flap wheel and for final completion with correct type of the grease.

 

duplicate post

 

If someone from more reputable members can advise how Not to create the vacuum on the calliper pins once inserted with the grease into the calliper, I would appreciate it. Or is some vacuum good?


I did some homework, and I need to order the correct three types of grease from Toyota.


After last failed attempt to service the brakes (without the correct types of greases) I had a chance to test drive in the city after my brake job, I can hear some slight grinding type of noise, I suspect:

1) that either rust on the rear discs (unlikely as the surface has mostly cleaned itself while braking)
2) the incorrect grease doesn't allow the callipers to act properly.
3) created vacuum similarly to explained in this post: Brake service

NOTE: There are three different types of greases for separate components on our brakes
a) Pins (metal with rubber contact) b) Shims (anti squeal shims, metal to metal) c) Calliper ears

Set of Toyota Greases available:

a) Pins
08887-01206 - product for Pins, (so called: Lithium Soap Base Glycol Grease), this product seems to be correct for metal to rubber applications on callipers pins.



b) Shims (anti squeal shims):
0887-80409 - Grease, disk, brake shim - product for Discs, Shims (for application between anti-squeal shims)




c) Calliper ears, edges of the pads:
0887-80609 - Disk brake grease - product for calliper ears, (to use on the calliper ears and edges of the brake pads).





Disclaimer: I'm not Toyota tech so please double check with yours Toyota dealership if these are the correct products for your application, the information in this post was gathered in the internet and may contain errors, omissions etc.