could someone tell me if you can lubricate the sliders on front brakes for a 1996 OBW? did a brake job and the sliders were very tight.

Yes you can lubricate those sliders. You just need to get the pins out of there, then clean out the rubber boots and everything with brake cleaner (or use new rubber boots from a reseal kit).

 

The Subaru specified grease is the red niglube that comes with the caliper reseal kits. Other greases often used include syl-glyde, permatex makes a couple varieties, a hi-temp silicone based formula and some other one, Neo HP800 (my favorite).

Yes you can lubricate those sliders. You just need to get the pins out of there, then clean out the rubber boots and everything with brake cleaner (or use new rubber boots from a reseal kit).

 

 

I don't think you want to be using brake cleaner on any rubber, plastic or paint - very bad. You're better off spraying the rubber boots down with PB Blaster.... Brake cleaner is fine for the metal surfaces.

 

Update: Well a quick google on brake cleaner, and there does appear to be several products out there that claim their formulas will not harm rubber, plastic, and paint. - so now I dont know. I'm checking my can of PB Blaster as I was sure I read it is safe on rubber.... yep "PB restores life to "O" rings and rubber seals", but " may affect some plastics". I always figure it was better to use PB to clean out the rubber boots than brake cleaner.

Ya just make sure the brake cleaner does not contain chlorine. When I did my brakes I found a few scored sliders and replaced them. So I decided to replace 4 sliders and install one missing boot. (which resulted in a slider seizing VERY good, thanks last idiot who did the brake job) Then Used some red synthetic grease for brake sliders. Also replaced my brake fluid for the 5th time the same month LOL.

Ok, maybe brake cleaner isn't the best for the rubber parts. I cleaned some of those rubber boots out with chlorinated brake cleaner and a nylon brush before and it didn't seem to do any damage to them, but I ended up using new ones from a reseal kit anyway. The label does say to protect all rubber parts from the overspray. Any grease for the rubber should not be petroleum based as it could make them swell.

[...]Any grease for the rubber should not be petroleum based as it could make them swell.

Correct...

 

 

[...]I'm checking my can of PB Blaster as I was sure I read it is safe on rubber.... yep "PB restores life to "O" rings and rubber seals", but " may affect some plastics". I always figure it was better to use PB to clean out the rubber boots than brake cleaner.

...which is why using PB Blaster isn't a good idea. It "restores life" to seals because it's petroleum-based, and swells them.

 

I'd suggest that if the boots are going to be reused, cleaning them with dry cotton or foam swabs is probably a better approach; a little of the old grease left behind usually isn't going to be a problem. As has been mentioned already, silicone-based lubricant is appropriate.

Your point it taken. However, whatever minimal swelling there is I think is negligable, not any worse than when rubber shrinks from drying out. I've notice no issues to date on the original brake boots when I would inspect them during tire rotations, 12 years and now just replaced on my last brake job. I'd rather have the rubber soft and plyable than to have it dried out and cracking more rapidly over time because of the natural oils in the rubber removed by products like brake cleaner which tends to be very harsh on rubber (chlorine mention above as an example).

 

I'm sure that brake grease too, whatever formulation, will have some petroluem distulates, along with the heat generated from braking, are both enemies to rubber over time - (seals in the engine). But al least there are some elements that help compensate keeping the rubber plyable if it must come in contact with it.

 

But you're right, neither is good, simple cleaning with cotton or foam swabs is best, and using a silicon-based lubricant for the rubber.

 

http://aa1car.com/library/2005/ic80560.htm

[...]But you're right, simply cleaning with cotton or foam swabs is best.

Or just replace the parts if they've seen enough time/miles.

Yep. And the reseal kits are inexpensive @ $20 (complete set of seals for both wheels). Wish I had known about that a few years ago, would have done it then just for preventative maintenance. I had always figured the seals would be expensive and cost prohibitive.

It would probably be worth it to do a full refurb job on the calipers. Get a seal kit, remove the caliper, push the piston(s) out and replace the seals. Polish the piston(s) and refit.