Ford Focus MK1 - Brake Pads

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Wed 10 Jul 2019 12:59
Ford Focus MK1 - Brake Pads - kesher

I'm fitting new front pads to my Focus and a friend told me to rub off the black paint to expose the metal underneath the hooks of the backing plates in order to ensure smooth movement where the hooks rest on the brake caliper grooves. This is because the paint can melt causing the brake pads to stick resulting in uneven pad wear.

What do you think?

Normally I just clean up the brake caliper grooves ensuring they are smooth and apply a small amount of brake grease to them.

Thanks

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 10 Jul 2019 13:25
Ford Focus MK1 - Brake Pads - skidpan

No need to remove any paint. Just clean up the calipers and apply coppaslip on all metal to metal contacts and between the piston and pad.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 11 Jul 2019 18:45
Ford Focus MK1 - Brake Pads - John F

I thought copper grease was frowned on these days....

www.greaseexpert.com/brake-grease-vs-anti-seize/

...although I still use it - only because I've still got some.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 12 Jul 2019 06:28
Ford Focus MK1 - Brake Pads - edlithgow

I thought copper grease was frowned on these days....

www.greaseexpert.com/brake-grease-vs-anti-seize/

...although I still use it - only because I've still got some.

Think its mostly contra-indicated because its oil-based and thus potentially hostile to rubber components.

In the location specified by the OP, it shouldn't contact any rubber.

You've still got a potential galvanic corrosion issue due to the copper content, but I think that's of largely theoretical importance used on steel components.

Allegedly Coppaslip can also dry hard, interfering with free movement.

Can't get any of this stuff here in Taiwan.

I got some silicone grease in Japan, and I clean up components like pins using aluminium foil as an abrasive, which will hopefully have some residual aluslip effect. I also wrap the pins in PTFE thread tape.

In the location specified by the OP I use a very little Permatex aluminium anti-seize, bought in Japan, , but if I didn't have that, and had some Coppaslip I'd probably use it.

Edited by edlithgow on 12/07/2019 at 06:34

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 15 Jul 2019 14:44
Ford Focus MK1 - Brake Pads - Bolt

I thought copper grease was frowned on these days....

www.greaseexpert.com/brake-grease-vs-anti-seize/

...although I still use it - only because I've still got some.

Think its mostly contra-indicated because its oil-based and thus potentially hostile to rubber components.

In the location specified by the OP, it shouldn't contact any rubber.

You've still got a potential galvanic corrosion issue due to the copper content, but I think that's of largely theoretical importance used on steel components.

Allegedly Coppaslip can also dry hard, interfering with free movement.

Can't get any of this stuff here in Taiwan.

I got some silicone grease in Japan, and I clean up components like pins using aluminium foil as an abrasive, which will hopefully have some residual aluslip effect. I also wrap the pins in PTFE thread tape.

In the location specified by the OP I use a very little Permatex aluminium anti-seize, bought in Japan, , but if I didn't have that, and had some Coppaslip I'd probably use it.

I think it depends how much is applied, a lot is bad afaik but a smear does the job that its supposed to do, I`ve used it for years without any problems, but I know people that have had sticky pads due to using far too much

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 15 Jul 2019 15:13
Ford Focus MK1 - Brake Pads - gordonbennet

Coppaslip is ok for metal to metal contacts, but if you buy a litre tub of the correct brake grease it's cheap enough and will last you a lifetime of DIY brake servicing, it's safe for all rubber seals so is ideal for sliding pins and lubing pistons as well as those metal to metal rubbing points.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 16 Jul 2019 00:13
Ford Focus MK1 - Brake Pads - Andrew-T

Personally I use small smears of copper grease, but whatever you use it is rather sticky and soon collects brake dust, tending to clog movement. Can't avoid occasional cleaning up to keep things moving freely.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 16 Jul 2019 19:29
Ford Focus MK1 - Brake Pads - Bolt

Personally I use small smears of copper grease, but whatever you use it is rather sticky and soon collects brake dust, tending to clog movement. Can't avoid occasional cleaning up to keep things moving freely.

Some mechanics wont use anything unless they have to, to prevent dust build up, but it doesn't always work out so it has to be used to prevent squealing...

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 17 Jul 2019 06:44
Ford Focus MK1 - Brake Pads - edlithgow

Personally I use small smears of copper grease, but whatever you use it is rather sticky and soon collects brake dust, tending to clog movement. Can't avoid occasional cleaning up to keep things moving freely.

Some mechanics wont use anything unless they have to, to prevent dust build up, but it doesn't always work out so it has to be used to prevent squealing...

Why do you have to prevent squealing?

I don't get squealing, but if I did it probably wouldb't bother me much. Would act as a warning

if I was American might be different. Seems to bother them a lot.

Maybe its that scene in Deliverance.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link