Dow Corning Corporation, a global leader in silicone and silicon-based technology and innovation, is launching new Molykote® G-3407 Caliper Pin Grease to help disc-brake designers reduce fretting corrosion and excessive wear on caliper guide and mounting pins.
The new grease, developed especially for high braking temperatures, is being used by a major vehicle OEM on a global small-car platform.
“New Molykote® G-3407 Caliper Pin Grease solved caliper-pin corrosion and wear problems experienced by a Tier 1 brake-systems manufacturer during durability testing of a new-vehicle program,” said Matt Hagemeyer, an application engineer for Molykote® brand lubricants from Dow Corning. “The specified lubricant was not designed for metal-to-metal lubrication, and Molykote® G-3407 Caliper Pin Grease provided an effective solution with both lower frictional forces under load as well as good thermal stability at high temperatures.”
Especially suited for metal-to-metal pin lubrication, the new Molykote® G-3407 Caliper Pin Grease is a PAG (polyalkylene glycol) oil with lithium complex thickener. In extensive Dow Corning fretting-corrosion tests, as well as customer brake dynamometer and vibration tests, the light-green grease showed superior performance over a competitor’s silicone grease with PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) for reducing corrosion and wear in the application.
Extending the temperature capabilities of a previously available PAG-based caliper-pin grease, new Molykote® G-3407 Caliper Pin Grease offers these key features and advantages:
- Wide service temperature range, from -40 to +200°C (-40 to +392°F)
- Good corrosion resistance
- Excellent fretting and wear protection
- Enhanced elastomer compatibility at 150°C (302°F)
“Durable caliper-pin lubrication is critical for optimized caliper functionality; more consistent pad and rotor wear; controlling NVH issues; and preventing binding, grabbing or even seizure,” Hagemeyer said. “Based on the successful test results, our Application Engineering and Technical Services team was able to validate Molykote® G-3407 Caliper Pin Grease with a Tier 1 supplier for use on an OEM global small-car platform.”