My car is still on its original brake pads after 10 years, so the pins will never have been touched by the main dealer. What’s the easiest way to pull them out and grease them? I’ve done it plenty of times on a Mk1 but the Mk3 seems to have separate pins and caliper bolts. And lithium grease, Ceratec brake grease,or red rubber grease?
They just pull out.
Be careful of the rubber boots just in case.
Likewise they are handed i.e different top and bottom.
I cleaned them with white spirit then dried them off after washing.
A cotton bud is good for assisting with the cleaning.
I have always used Red Castrol rubber grease for years on all my cars with no issues.
Look on eBay and you can get a small tin which will more than cover your needs. 
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A good smear of red rubber grease .
M-m
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Just greased mine yesterday, red rubber grease👍
Clean with a cloth and brake cleaner. Take care removing the small rubber boots, they can split and are difficult to source on their own.
The top and bottom pins differ, remember where they go back.
I’ve just done some work on my 2011 NC which had a sticky calliper. I cleaned the sliders and where they insert with brake cleaner and small brushes and then used red grease. I might add they were NOT the culprit.
after realising the piston was sticking i pushed it back in with a clamp and out a few times and when out carefully lifted the piston seal and put red grease in there. I worked all around the piston seal doing this.
Problem sorted. Not sure if it is a permanent cure but will just get new callipers if required.
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I feel like I should clean and grease my pins but I don’t actually know quite where they are. I had a quick look while I had a wheel off for the drop links but they didn’t jump out at me.
Could someone point me at them please?
Ooh you are 24 hours too late in asking, i could have took a pic. Had mine all lovely and greased yesterday on the bench ready to refit.
Here’s a another pic instead borrowed from another thread.
The nice shiny pins in the red calipers (yours will probably be a dull worn silver type colour, standard) are the things that need greasing a pair on each brake caliper.
Similar for front and rear brake calipers. Just to add not to use any grease, red rubber grease is a favourite, it’s kind to the rubber sleeves, for instance don’t use bearing grease, a no no!.
Stripping brakes for a service annually, cleaning and greasing the slide pins too is a good habit to get into. The brakes can seize quite easily if left unattended. I know some service centres may just do a visual check on brakes when a cars in for a service, yep it may only say that in the service schedule too.
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I have been using PERMATEX Silicone Ceramic Extreme Brake Parts Lubricant for a while now on sliders.
I find is seems to last longer than red rubber grease and is good for around 1600degC
red rubber grease is technically only good for a max of 150degC
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Can you get it from Halfords or motor factors like GSF?
Plenty in one of these small tins.
When you take the calliper off 17mm and 12mm spanner’s/socket. (From memory).
You will see the black rubber bellows. The pins just slide out.
Be careful not to damage the rubber bellows.
Likewise, remember that they are different top and bottom.
If you ever get stuck come back to me.
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Small tubes of the Permatex on ebay
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