# Ceramic paste - better than copper grease?



## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

Ceramic paste is a totally new lubricant to me, I have read a couple of threads on here where it's recommended for where wheels meet the hub and also windscreen wiper splines.

But, is it a better allrounder than copper grease (got tons of the stuff...) or is it just that the copper grease can accelerate galvanic corrosion (ooh, I love that description  )

I have seen a brand mentioned on here - Plastilube, is this ceramic paste with a name on it?

http://www.ate-info.de/en/details/produ ... lube-75-ml

Thanks


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Plastilube has been around for years & I always recommended to prevent squealing brakes & better than Coppaslip.
Hoggy.


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## tttony (Dec 21, 2014)

There is no simple yes or no answer to your question. Copper grease is fine for use on the back of brake pads. In other situations it, in theory, depends on what metals are involved. Having said that, there should not be any need for any grease on Audi factory fasteners. If I think any is necessary I would use an aluminum rather than copper based anti- seize grease.


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

Audi (and most manufacturers) have very specific requirements for materials designed to be used with their parts. I would be very cautious about going with the "latest and greatest". For example, there was a time when applying copper paste was quite common for spark plugs, but today almost every plug supplier will advise against it since the threads are already pre-coated with a lubricant. Also, the addition of lubricants can throw off the torque values for fasteners.

Based on your previous posts, I would advise you not stray off the reservation with non-OEM material selections for the Audi TT. From my own engineering experience with galvanic-corrosion and corrosion protection of gas turbine engines, stick with the manufactures recommendations since there are solid engineering practices behind them.

I have seen too many instances where some knuckle head grabbed a bottle of local off-the-shelf "rust preventative" and ended up causing some serious damage not knowing that some engineer with a wee bit more education and knowledge actually did their homework on material compatibility.


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

Thanks for the replies.

I am aware of metals reacting and corroding hence my questions.

I removed the wheels over the weekend in readiness for their spruce up, well, tried to remove....the way they were corroded on I don't think that the bolts were really that necessary 

It's incidences like this that I try to minimise, a smear of copper grease would've seen me save a good few hours lifting the car and then "dropping it" to release the corrosion's grip.

Would copper grease be best or ceramic paste in this instance?

The same question for the pads to stop brake squeal?


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

I've used copper paste between the hub and wheel faces in the past, but found that it tends to dry out since it's not "air tight" as would be the case for a threaded fastener. Not to say that it won't work, but you really have to go over the hub and wheel faces with a hand drill and wire wheel. Ensure you remove any of the old residual copper paste along with any corrosion on the contact surfaces before you put them back together.


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Never heard of ceramic paste so never used it. Plastilube for brakes & a thin smear of CoppaSlip for hubs.
Never had squealing brakes or stuck wheels. Simple
Hoggy.


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## kerwinrobertson (Sep 3, 2018)

Copper grease dries up and can react with rubber seals causing them to swell. I have always used Mintex Ceratec without any issues.


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

I think I have a new tube of the Mintex Ceratec in the garage, it's hidden in between the mountain of copper grease.... 

Do you use Ceratec on wheel to hub?

Update

Just been into the garage and yes it's a brand new tube of Ceratec that I have.

Bit worried that it looks just like normal grease, mind you as Mrs Happy says don't choose on looks alone....


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## kerwinrobertson (Sep 3, 2018)

I have used it on wheel to hub surfaces, to lube pad contact points and on the back of the pad. Works really well and doesn't dry up like coppergrease. It's also non conductive so good for abs/ebd systems.

https://mintex.com/copper-slip-vs-ceratec/?lang=en-gbr


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

So, just to confirm...

Ceratec is pretty much the same as Plastilube and is to be used for caliper slider pins, brake pad/caliper contact points, can it also be used for caliper piston reassembly instead of the old red grease as it's rubber friendly?

Is Dow Corning Molykote 111 a replacement for the old red grease used to lubricate the rubber piston seals in a brake caliper?

Interesting thread on Dow Corning Molykote 111

https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/b ... se.144000/

Copperslip is only to be used between wheel and hub as it reacts with rubber possibly making it soft, but even then Ceratec/Plastilube can be used here.

The ETKA picture shows two types of lubricants on the caliper page (please see photo)

I am guessing these two lubes are the equivalent to red assembly grease/possible Dow Corning Molykote 111 ( number 19 on picture - G 000650 = £43.63 + VAT) for the piston seals and Ceratec=Plastilube (number 20 in the picture - G 052150A2 = £30.53 + VAT) for pretty much all other jobs brake wise?

Sometimes too much information is not a good thing.


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

Update

Hmm, it appears that the Audi G00650 lubricant may well be Molykote G3407 or even Plasticote?

Getting rather confusing in here right now....


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