[AllBlackBimmer]

1.) OK, after much searching and reading:

BMW states to NOT grease the silver 7mm slide pins holding the brake pads.

... i assume it is for fear of attracting dirt and brake dust?

However MANY have stated they have done it without any issue.

Well, I just did my rear brakes and I cleaned up the pins and then took a DAB of brake lub grease and slightly smeared them - very minimal amount - and put everything back together... i did this yesterday and everything seems fine, but i don't want to have problems later. I obviously can pull them back out and rub whatever grease is on them... but natural instinct tells you a slide part would need a little grease? And they are covered with a dust cap on the one end.

so - Did you grease your slide pins?



2.) Also, with brake bedding - doesn't it kind of contradict the thought of being “gentle” on the brakes over the first 500-1000 miles? …

I know the bed in procedure, and WILL do it when I replace my fronts in another 2 months (I only just did the rears and there is no real way to bed in the rears only)

Just seems odd many car brake manufacturers recommend gently using the brakes and avoiding hard stops, etc… and bedding is the exact opposite.

….I will be bedding my fronts and fully understand the reasoning behind it, so no need to go into detail about that.

I am using OE textar pads and centric rotors.

[Meeni]

1. I put grease (unaware it was not recommended). I have had no problems whatsoever.

2. You have two ways of bedding in the pads. First remember that the goal is to layer an even coat of pad material on the rotor. As long as the rotor is not evenly covered, it is at risk of being "printed" with pad marks that eventually develop into pulsating brakes.

So 2 approches, one where you let time fix the issue, and avoid braking hard (because that would mark the pad if not done properly), one where you face the issue immediately, do hard braking under controlled conditions and get it done immediately (but if you screw up, it will mark the rotors - I guess BMW has seen enough customer screw up to think it is better to just let them drive w/o hard braking).

[AllBlackBimmer]

Originally Posted by Meeni

1. I put grease (unaware it was not recommended). I have had no problems whatsoever.

2. You have two ways of bedding in the pads. First remember that the goal is to layer an even coat of pad material on the rotor. As long as the rotor is not evenly covered, it is at risk of being "printed" with pad marks that eventually develop into pulsating brakes.

So 2 approches, one where you let time fix the issue, and avoid braking hard (because that would mark the pad if not done properly), one where you face the issue immediately, do hard braking under controlled conditions and get it done immediately (but if you screw up, it will mark the rotors - I guess BMW has seen enough customer screw up to think it is better to just let them drive w/o hard braking).

Almost EVERY car company recommends breaking in new brakes by "taking it esay on them" .... probably more of a liability thing since it would leave them open to a lawsuite if someone wrecked or injured/killed someone because they were "bedding in their brakes" ... I did a half-ass bedding to try to get the rears worked in... pretty much did the bed in process, just only did 5 or 6 stops from 60mph-20mph and not as "hard" as i would've had ive been doing the fronts.... I did check afterwards and my rears were very hot and could smell the pads, so I hope I got a good pad transfer layer on the reas... at least to start with. When i do the fronts in 1-2 months, I will re-bed my brakes completely.

[Meeni]

Yeah, liability could be another reason. But I really think that bean counters and statisticians came to the conclusion that since most people just commute from A to B with their car, and never brake hard anyway, bedding procedure is a risk (doing it wrong) that alleviate a problem that never materialize (hard braking on unprepared rotors, since most people never brake hard in the first place).

[AllBlackBimmer]

True, just seems odd the 2 ways to break in your brakes are at completely oppsiste ends...

one is to be gentle and take it easy, and the other is speed and stomp on the brakes repeatedly... just is kind of funny.

...waiting on more answers regarding the slide pins... I know many have greased them with no problems and had no idea it is not recommended by BMW to do so...

[ska///235i]

I greased my pins...why? Cuz the 1st time i change pads without it, they squeal like a pig

[The HACK]

Don't grease the pins. Especially not on the factory rubber boot. There's a chance that the grease and the boot may react and oxidize over time and cause the pin to bind. If you DID grease the pins, I'd take them off and clean the pin and the booth thoroughly and re-install.

The only time you SHOULD grease those pins is if you installed brass guilds. Since it's steel on brass, you need to grease it regularly to prevent it from binding. But rubber on metal? No.

[AllBlackBimmer]

Originally Posted by The HACK

Don't grease the pins. Especially not on the factory rubber boot. There's a chance that the grease and the boot may react and oxidize over time and cause the pin to bind. If you DID grease the pins, I'd take them off and clean the pin and the booth thoroughly and re-install.

The only time you SHOULD grease those pins is if you installed brass guilds. Since it's steel on brass, you need to grease it regularly to prevent it from binding. But rubber on metal? No.

where is there rubber? The only rubber i know of is the rubber covering the caliper piston... the 2 silver 7mm allen head slide pins don't come into any contact with any rubber as far as I know? Maybe I am wrong?

And i didn't put nearly enough on for it to "leak" or "ooze" onto that boot.

[The HACK]

Originally Posted by AllBlackBimmer

Maybe I am wrong?

#4 in the diagram is what the caliper guide slides against and it's ALL RUBBER.

[raceyBMW]

Those pins slide in a rubber sleeve.

[AllBlackBimmer]

Hmm, never knew that thanks.

.... I am putting summer wheels on in a week or two... Should I take the slide pins back out and wipe them off? I did it put much on, literally the least amount possible I put on them

[GoRomeo]

Originally Posted by The HACK

#4 in the diagram is what the caliper guide slides against and it's ALL RUBBER.

I paper sanded a bit the pins and also greesed them a bit #6 and also added a bit of greese to the edges of the brake pads #12. Also added anti-squeel to the back of the pads. No more squealing!

[ashmostro]

Use the correct grease intended for the application and you will be fine.

[AllBlackBimmer]

Originally Posted by ashmostro

Use the correct grease intended for the application and you will be fine.

Correct meaning?.... What exactly?

I used ATE "brake lube" in one of those plastic wrappers... You know, the kind that looks like a condom wrapper

[ashmostro]

Hi temp ceramic brake grease that is safe for rubber. Should say on the label.

[AllBlackBimmer]

Originally Posted by ashmostro

Hi temp ceramic brake grease that is safe for rubber. Should say on the label.

I looked...

On the package it says "moisture proof with heat resistance over 425 degrees F. Recomended for the entire brake assembly and is compatible with rubber"

...so I should be OK then and not remove the light coating of lube I put on them?

I just don't want to F anything up.

[raceyBMW]

Yes that will be fine. Main thing is to not use the anti-squeal on them, because it will gum up over time.

[Meeni]

Originally Posted by AllBlackBimmer

Correct meaning?.... What exactly?

I used ATE "brake lube" in one of those plastic wrappers... You know, the kind that looks like a condom wrapper

This is safe.

[The HACK]

Originally Posted by AllBlackBimmer

I just don't want to F anything up.

If you don't want to f anything up, follow TIS instructions. Do not grease the guide pins.

[BillionPa]

even if you do not grease, you can still lubricate them.

Moly Dry Lube, buy some, it works great

[bw86newman]

if you don't grease them, what do you do replace them? I am having a problem with my front right brakes, the rotor doesn't seem to spin as freely as the others. I have also noticed ridges on all the calipers (the front right is noticeably more pronounced) and was wondering if this was caused by the pins not letting the calipers release fully (because the pins are getting suck?).

[AllBlackBimmer]

Originally Posted by bw86newman

if you don't grease them, what do you do replace them? I am having a problem with my front right brakes, the rotor doesn't seem to spin as freely as the others. I have also noticed ridges on all the calipers (the front right is noticeably more pronounced) and was wondering if this was caused by the pins not letting the calipers release fully (because the pins are getting suck?).

It's possible, but sounds more like a caliper that is sticking and not because of the pins.

...bmw recommends to clean and get rid of any brake dust buildup, but not to grease. Like my above post, I put a small amount of high heat, rubber friendly grease on my rear pins and have no problems. I am doing my fronts soon and prob won't grease the pins though.... Even though the right kind and small amount of grease can't hurt...