Greasing the pins is normal. They should have dust boots on them to help protect them. One pin will have a rubber bushing on the tip. If you put too much grease, that pin gets a vacuum-like suction (preventing the pin to slide normally, the grease plugs the flutes in the bushing). I ran into this exact behavior. I caught it due to excessive brake dust (and it was kinda big dust particles) on the spokes of the wheels. I bought another pin set and went with both pins that do NOT use a bushing. I am not sure why the bushing design is there.

As for pulling, you may or may not have pulling. The car I had with a cocked caliper piston did not pull at all. Brakes felt right. It's tell tale was a noise that sounded like the warning tab for the pads rubbing the rotor. I did an initial inspection and was like "nothing wrong here, great pad life". I admit, I drove about a year with that noise (only heard it if the the windows were down). Finally decided "change the pads". In both the cocked piston AND the slide pin, look at the pad material, look closely. In those two cases, BOTH shows the pad wear had an angle (if I took measuring calipers, the amount of material on the back of the pad would be different from the material in the front of the pad, and it's usually off by hairs, maybe a 16th or more of an inch). This leads to "why" and gives something to research.

There can be some seriously "weird" brake issues that prematurely wear the pads, but don't lock the wheel. There is nothing as fun as a seriously locked up caliper. I have had that before (you can put your hands to the wheel like you are warming them on a camp fire, feel immense heat radiating and sometimes seeing the rotor glow from heat).

 

When you speak about greasing the pin are you talking about the bolts that hold the brake caliber on or the slides that the ends of the brake pads ride in?

 

You dont know how much this just helped me. Ive had excessive dust for the last 3 pad changes ive done. Guess ive been using too much grease as I feel that suction everytime and never knew you could use too much.

 

Okay guys I built buildings for a living and at best call myself a shade tree mechanic and I don’t have a shade tree to work under. 😀

I believe that the picture I am posting is what is called the slides and the pins are what holds the caliber in place?

 

It is a weird problem. I two used to think "coat the crap out of those pins". No, absolutely not, too generous actually can be an issue. The flutes on those bushings are not very big. If you over grease it, I bet you find that one pin is a pain the pull out (lots of suction) and somethings you have to fish the bushing out. I still wish I knew the purpose of that pin bushing.

 

No worries man. I think ALL of us are some form of a shade tree mechanic. I never did any professional auto-repair work (I am an I.T. guy by trade). Trust me, I have learned a lot from other fellow shade-tree mechanics and also reading various issues people have had. Amazing the weird little things that add up. And some amazing repair tricks you learn over time too!

Those are not the pins. I am not sure the actual term for those (I think "anti-rattle clips"). In this case, the pins have threads that lock into the the caliper itself but long shafts to go into the bracket (the caliper bracket that is bolted to the steering knuckle). They should look much like the pic I added. The one will have a small rubber bushing on the tip of it.

 

Just to interject, since this is all great information. But they are called abutment clips

 

All,

I think that I have figured out why I only put pads on my car every 100,000 miles, that’s because I have never put grease on the pins. I do stop when I hit the brakes however, so no grease for me. I hate to admit it but I am 60 years old and never have I paid a shop to put brakes on my trucks or cars. I do use the grey anti-seize for the pins.

 

I have used anti-seize on pins before. It is better than nothing and has served well. Using the right grease for the job is ultimately better.
Curious how this progresses for you, what you might find wrong.

 

I will update after I get another chance to check into the issue. I have a wedding to go to this Saturday and resting and recharging on Sunday. I will update in a couple of weeks.