76-77 disc. brake grease points

[FOMOCO_1546]

Where do I apply brake grease on a 76 single piston caliper or bracket. Do I put a little on pad tips? Thanks

 

[DirtDonk]

That’s one potential spot. I think it might even be recommended.
But I’ve never put it there, because these aren’t really known for having the pads stick in the grooves. Really the important parts are the two main sliding points.
Sand off any rust, make sure the surfaces mate up to each other well, then add a little dab of the grease to the Caliper bracket ends, and the underside of the lower slider anchor/bracket.
I forget what it’s called, but it’s the part that the bolt holds in.
That part is to keep rust away, as well as keep things moving. The important side of the anchor bracket is the top where the spring tensioner is. That’s where the caliper slides.

 

[FOMOCO_1546]

Thanks again Dirtdonk, I have a 73 shop manual and watched a couple videos. Both videos didn't show greasing anything.

 

[DirtDonk]

The Ford disc brakes actually worked really well in all of my experiences. As long as the sliding surfaces were cleaned and lubed during regular maintenance, I never had or never saw any other problem.
I have seen other issues though. With really large tires, or really heavy loads, not usually experienced on Broncos, I have seen the ears of the caliper brackets actually spread out and leave the caliper loose.
I’ve seen that happen mostly on F250s and 350s with the dual piston calipers. Never seen it on a 150 or a bronco.
I’ll have to look back in some of my books and see if they recommended it. Pretty sure I just started doing it intuitively, but I would think that would be mentioned somewhere. I think back in the day, they considered these things to be used and serviced regularly. So maybe greasing wasn’t even expected.

Honestly, I had never heard of silicon Brake grease back in the day. All I knew was that you didn’t want the sliding surfaces to rust. Or any lubrication anywhere near the friction surfaces.
My go to was a high temp anti-seize. I only first discovered Brake grease about 25 years ago.
For the previous 25 years, it was anti-seize.

 

[gnpenning]

Back in the 70s and 80s factory gm brakes came with a tube of silicone grease to use on the pins, bushings and o-rings that came with the brake pads. Some put it on the slide areas as well.

 

[DirtDonk]

Now that you mention it, I do remember those tubes/packets.
Heck, I think I still have a couple of unopened ones in my toolbox!
Probably solid as a rock by now.

 

[gnpenning]

I'm thinking I might have one or 2 hiding out as well. Forgot about them until your post.

 

[Speedrdr]

If they’re unopened/sealed there’s no reason that it would degrade. I happen to have an unopened tube and one that is open that are either 5 or more years old and both are still pliable. The open one was a little stiff to use, but it did work.

Randy

 

[gnpenning]

If they’re unopened/sealed there’s no reason that it would degrade. I happen to have an unopened tube and one that is open that are either 5 or more years old and both are still pliable. The open one was a little stiff to use, but it did work.

Randy

You should be right. I'm thinking mine would be from the 80s!!! .

One more thing for me to check.

 

[Speedrdr]

You should be right. I'm thinking mine would be from the 80s!!! .

One more thing for me to check.

From the ‘80s??? I would be surprised if I could even FIND those packs of grease. Lol

Randy

 

[DirtDonk]

A lot of the plastic single use tubes from back then literally disintegrated around the material in them.
They get hard, then brittle, then crack and then just keep falling farther and farther apart.

 

[Steve83]

Where do I apply brake grease on a 76 single piston caliper or bracket. Do I put a little on pad tips? Thanks

Same as on any brake system: at EVERY point of moving metal-to-metal contact, except the friction surfaces.

(click this text)


That includes drums, too.

(click this text)

 

[SteveL]

Anybody else think this was going to be a newbie trying to grease the bleeder valve?