Calipers on a 2008 E250 have a grease fitting covered by a rubber. Is this a grease fitting and if so what grease goes in there ? Wheel bearing grease or brake caliper grease ?

 

You're pulling our collective legs yes, that is making a poor joke?

If not then what you're describing in the BRAKE FLUID BLEEDING valve or fitting. No grease of any kind can be or should be attempted to be pushed into a brake caliper.

I recently installed Ford's '08 front calipers, no grease fittings whatsoever.

 

commonly called a bleeder screw

 

The first clue it's not a grease fitting should be the fact that the grease gun's tip won't fit over it.

 

yes, I was suspicious. A bleeder for the shop.


I did the right front today , first disc brake.


Serviced at abt 60000 by Ford McHaik, now at 145000


Caliper pins were out of grease, one frozen. Replaced with new pins, boots, new seal, repack. painted the ABS mount...have hi temp paint on hand. A string of rust or tarnish areas at top spindle where the seal runs. Had an old 3M brown pad scrubbing with brake cleaner but not much reduction.


One clip missing. Autozone has clips.


While your hear....what replaces Ford's blue thread sealant...from McHaik , Austin TX. I'm using standard Loctite Blue OEM, liberally, but Lock Blue isn't speced for flange surfacing as is Lock Red. The McHaik blue sealed off flanges beautifully not one spec of rust or tarnish.


I hesitate on using Red for flanges and seating areas fearing red will encroach on Blue giving me a hellofatime getting the bolts out.

 

I NEVER use thread sealant on anything related to Brakes....Just Torque everything to Specifications and that's it....I use White Lithium Grease on the Pads where they contact the Caliper bracket and lube up the Metal clips and that's it .....I believe the torque on caliper bolts is around 40 Lbs/ft....But I would have to check my factory manual....or CD.....If you have to remove the Rotor then those bolts can be loctited ..BUT since the are at 145 lbs/ft of Torque you don't really need to ....They can get quite hot so the heat kinda seals them....

 

242 was recommended by local Ford Service as thread sealant for disc brake bolts. There is a 243 claimed as more oil tolerant for oil on surfaces to be sealed.


I used 242 with a new 2' breaker bar on the caliper retaining bracket. Coated all contact surfaces liberally, floated.


I bought a new right bracket. Bolt would not come out. No rebuilding from Ford, factory specs only with new bracket, bushing, bolts and boot as one unit.


Servicing Ford's disc's is straightforward with quality parts and design. I was at 'home' with a Volvo level of parts and metallurgy. Online advice excellent.


Doing it does ask for prior background for cleaning, getting the dirt out. Brakeclean and paper towels, scrapers, wire brush, paper plug in spindle hole or over bearing.


If you're first time out maybe new rotors would be easier than cleaning the old rotors ?


Installed new seals with 1x3" for a seal tool with 11 pound hammer. Removing seals with 2 vice grips clamped to seal, 2 1x3 under grips then step on 1x ends as levers: sub orbital seals.


Schedule time and Hi Temp paint with wire brush/drill for repainting the backing plate and ABS mounts.


I did my 544's drum brakes Spring and Fall.


The discs ? In not hostile climates, no salt, no heavy winter rain, what do you recommend for Ford disc brake servicing ? Disassemble, clean, lube guide bolts and surfaces.


The rear's are overdue. Are rear discs needing less service or longer service intervals than fronts ?

 

sorry this one had me laughing........


thread locker is fine on threads of Caliper slide bolt. never use red unless you have no plans of ever servicing it again . ONLY ON THREADS!


never use a petroleum product on the rubber slide parts. meaning no grease or antiseize products on these parts either. silicone or synthetic lubricants only, rubber parts will swell with petroleum and act like a rust seized part!


any grease fittings you find, grease them until it comes out around the "boots". which means>>>>> steering/suspension and Ujoints in the driveline.


good luck in your maintenance schedule.

 

You weren't alone friend...............


With proper torque on any brake bolts thread locker shouldn't be required. It can be a great way to stop corrosion or rusting of threads making them very difficult to remove at some point later. If that's the intent "blue" or "green" could also be used as they're much lower in sheer strength but still provide a protective layer between mating threads. This action alone pretty much eliminates rust and corrosion in those areas.

Kinda disagree with this over all. Over filling a swivel fitting with protective rubber boot to the point it oozes out causes them to fail early OR split/crack which hastens their demise. Best practice is to carefully watch the boots as they're filled, stop pumping when they seem to begin to swell up. For this reason alone I use a hand operated smaller grease gun---it gives good feedback as internal pressure is felt.

Never ever try to grease the calipers via their bleeder screw!

 

X 2 on this, but some boots are designed to be over filled. You have to examine them to see which style boot it is before greasing them.

 

What is the proper lube for a caliper slide bolt?
Thanks,...jack

 

I use anti-seize compound.

 

On the threads only, or the threads and the slide?
Thanks,...jack

 

I use white lithium grease as I mentioned above... on sliders and where pads contact the bracket....I check my brakes a lot because I carry very heavy loads so my threads never get a chance to sieze....

 

On the parts that need to be able to slide. I've never needed to use anything on the brake bolt threads, but torque. I do use antisieze on drum brake slack adjusters though to insure the threaded portion rotates with ease.