Detrimental effects of Copper Grease

[Edit: Re axle nut coming loose]
[Edit] Continued from My Journey to the Silverwing post

Well, I took it all apart yesterday. To get to the bottom of it. Exhaust off, swing arm off, along with calipers, wheel off, and what did I find?

Basically some fool had smothered everything thing with copper grease. Now why there's such an atraction to this stuff I'll never know.

It's only purpose is to act as an anti seize paste. It does this by introducing small balls of copper between any surfaces to prevent them actually "mating" together. That's all it ever has done. It's not a lubricant, it will swifly wear any surfaces that "work" together to a state where they will eventually wear each other out.

For instance Splines on drive shafts... It's quite capable of taking a spline off a drive shaft or the wheel it fits into given time.

It will soak through the backs of brake pads because it has no resistance to heat. So you put it anywhere near brakes and it will finish up on the disc eventually. Or even worse on the wheels.
If you put it on threads THAT HAVE SIMMONS NUTS ON THEM the locking ring of nylon will not work.
It will basically ruin anything it comes into contact with because it's an abrasive, not a grease. If you use it on calipers, it will very soon swell the sliding pin seals that stop dirt preventing the pins from working. If you put it ON the sliding pins it will eventually wear the female part of the sliding assembly and chattering/sticking calipers are next.

I used god knows how many rags, I did use a full can of brake cleaner. There is noticeable play in the rear wheel now, fore and aft, so it never be quiet. And it's now correctly lubed with CV boot grease.
The reason I missed it on the Simmons nut before was because I cleaned the thread on the drive shaft, but didn't soak the nut. Anyway, it's so stuffed the nylon insert that I do need the new one I've ordered.
So it's all spotless, I have new pads so I can clean the caliper off. The disc has been wire brushed and cleaned, the hand brake pads have been soaked in brake cleaner but need to be renewed as you can never completely remove the stuff once it's in the pad.
And I'm confident that once the new nut comes it will do the job it's meant to do.
The spacers are all present and correct. Everything is clean bar the hand brake pads. Just need that new nut now.  
And copper grease should be taken off the shelves.

Well written bud, I can't think how long I've been telling friends &/or customers when I worked in a garage much the same thing, molybdenum grease is far superior in most circumstance

Yes, the Honda stuff if anything was all I ever used, like Brylecreem " a little dab will do ya " don't slobber it on.

IIRC a dab of copper grease on the back of brake pads was supposed to help stop brake squeal.

I must confess, I've always put a smear of copper ease onto the rear of my brake pads but I won't bother in future. On reflection of Lost it's comments I reckon a dab of general purpose grease would do the job if required. If not, I won't bother putting anything on there.

IIRC a dab of copper grease on the back of brake pads was supposed to help stop brake squeal.

The pads should have a backing that prevents this. Either a metal backing pad or a section of some kind of covering.
Copper grease used to be responsible for sticking brakes as it attacked the neoprene seals over the pistons, swelling the weather seal so the pads didn't ease back properly when you let the brakes off..

Reb Rubber brake grease is the stuff.

The Bern wrote:

Well written bud, I can't think how long I've been telling friends &/or customers when I worked in a garage much the same thing, molybdenum grease is far superior in most circumstance

A little dab will do. So true. Moly between shim and pad. Honda has been using this for years and still does. If you buy a set of AUTO . pads from Honda dealer it will have a small packet of Moly grease in box.

Petroleum grease on any rubber part will make it swell and stick slides sooner or later.
No Moly on slides. Dielectric grease works great high temps and no rubber swell.