What kind of antiseize do I need?

3M™ Copper Anti-Seize Brake Lube | 3M United States

 

Years of Honda brakes, early on through dealership service department, and later me (DIY'ing): I'd put anti-seize on the points of contact between shims and pad back, and between shims and points of contact on the caliper. Typically apply it to the smaller component of the two in the interface, so it's precisely where needed. Doesn't have to be thick, just enough for a uniform coat.

The dealerships seemed to alternate, sometimes the silver, sometimes copper. Permatex silver is readily available around here; that's what I'm using.

For rubber dressing, and the caliper slide pins, I'm using Sil-Glyde Brake Lubricant. I've had no issues with it, no swelling of the rubber sleeves that are present on some of the caliper pins, for instance.

I would suggest to disconnect the 12 volt negative cable before starting, and when everything's reassembled: push the brake pedal multiple times, to take up excess pedal travel, before reconnecting the 12 volt cable. There are certain actions (opening driver's door mainly I think) that can trigger brake pressurizing, which you don't want to happen when the caliper's off the rotor. And excess brake pedal travel can trigger fault lights and codes.

Also, if pushing back the piston for new pads, place something on full diameter of the piston, plywood for example: the piston is a fancy plastic, prone to crack if a point load is applied.

 

Lots of ways to solve this problem. To make the decision making even tougher, I'll offer up another option - Permatex ceramic / purple stuff, which is what I use on brakes:

Looks like my link won't work since I'm new here, but here's the name of the product:
Permatex 24125 Ceramic Extreme Brake Parts Lubricant, 8 oz.

Also, if you do go to the Amazon page for that product, it will have info from Permatex on where to apply it on brakes.

I have the copper and aluminum-based anti-seize as well, which I use in many other applications. But it's the purple stuff on brakes for me. But any of these will work. I notice that sometimes the little packet supplied with OE brake parts will be the copper stuff, if that's a good clue.

On most cars, the main thing you worry about is brakes getting hot in racing, towing, or mountain driving. And being a safety item, they are engineered to handle that, and most of the effort is aimed at providing safety in these extreme cases. For the Prius with regen and really slow drivers (mostly), the brakes seem to have it easier.

 

Anti-seize is also good at all points of contact between wheel and hub. Aluminum wheels in particular seem prone to glue-on, due to different metals? I apply the slightest dab of anti-seize on the hub, then use an old toothbrush to spread it around. It's really a case of a little goes a long way, doesn't take much.

If your wheels still are stuck when removing, try this: having the wheel slightly clear of the slab, with one lugnut very loosely installed at 12 o'clock. Snug a piece of timber (short piece of 4x4 is good) against the back wall of the tire. Smack it with a small to medium sledge hammer.

Or a large one...

 

There's nothing wrong with a personal testimonial here saying "I've used X and had no issues", which is what that is, but any reader actually deserves to know that there is also an explicit recommendation from Toyota to use a non-silicone formulation there (the Sil-Glyde, as the name suggests, is a silicone). The Toyota recommendation is a clear reddish grease based on glycol thickened with lithium soap, comes in a small packet with every caliper rubber kit, or can be bought in a tube as 08887-01206.

Mendel knows this and every. single. time. avoids disclosing the fact while plugging the Sil-Glyde. It would be so simple.

 

I know I can count on you Chap.

 

Yeah, but ... I have my own posts where I suggest doing something a different way than Toyota says, and when I do that, I disclose: my suggestion here differs from Toyota's recommendation, here's a breadcrumb at least to find that, here's my rationale for departing from it, so the reader can make an informed choice to go with my suggestion or not. I'm certainly not against describing alternate ways of doing something, but I believe the reader deserves to know when that's what I'm doing. I don't "count on" somebody else to supply the disclosure for me, over and over and over and over and over again.

Am I mistaken in thinking readers deserve that consideration?