Should I apply grease to brake pads on install?
In a nutshell – NO
Never apply grease of any kind to the rear or sides of the pad itself.
We do supply and sell brake grease, but only for use on slider pins or the contact faces of sliders in a sliding caliper, as shown below – and even then, only sparingly.
If grease comes into contact with the pad’s friction surface, it can melt and seep into the pad compound, effectively rendering the pad useless and leading to a loss of braking performance.
You should, however, clean the sides or “cheeks” of the caliper where the pads slide, ensuring they are free from rust and debris – but these areas should also be left dry.
Sadly, some installers have shared videos showing grease being applied directly to brake pads, including onto the rear noise reduction shims and this is not good practice.
The below video is a good example but please note:
- Do not apply grease to the hardware at all. It is stainless and does not require grease. Also, do not apply grease to the rear of the pad, it does not need it and will not reduce noise so there is no purpose.
