DOT 5 Brake Fluid

Rick Angles #3328
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Dot 5 Brake Fluid

Post by Rick Angles #3328 »

Hello everybody :D Just thought I would give my 2 cents worth.I changed to DOT 5 after a problem with my front brakes :cry: (another story).Some fellow co workers were cleaning my master cylinder while I was off work and a drop of regular brake fluid found it's way onto the right fairing pocket cover(82 X).After that I changed to DOT 5 so as to not to ruin any more body work.I haven't noticed any performance difference and I knew going in I needed to change the fluid regularly,because of the water not mixing with the fluid.I suppose this will be an ongoing topic to discuss,as long as there are hydraulic brakes.Rick

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Post by Passx »

Hi Guy's



A little more info on the DOT5 fluid, the military pretty much uses it exclusively in their hydraulic systems, all military H1 Hummers use it and this is one of the systems that my group is responsible for thus the testing requirements. DOT5 will not absorb water and therein lies the rub, on my old muscle car I replaced the entire system in 81 with all new components and in 97 or so I was going through the car to freshen it up and when I pulled the M/C off and opened it up i was shocked to find the bottom of the bore to have deep rust pockets in it even though there was no leakage or performance issues, I haven't as yet done the wheel end parts because the car has been in a corner waiting on me to get reinterested but that's another story. One other quirk with DOT5 is it does aireate easier than DOT3-4 and altitude aggravates this. Myself I use DOT5 in all the toy's because the benefits outweigh the negatives in my opinion. With the X's or any of the bikes that use the aluminum components rust is not an issue but the aluminum can corrode and if you mix 3,4 and 5 it turns into a snotty jell over time and you'll notice that the levers don't seem to return quite as fast or the brakes drag. Brake feel is the same on all the fluids so if you have a perceptable feel difference I would rebleed the system because it probably still has air in it (#1 brake problem) few people ever get a good bleed on things and the systems in our bikes are particularly hard to do because of the small ports and all the kinks and twists, there is no magic fix for this just persistence and maybe a rebleed occasionally which should keep things free of air and water. Hope this helps. :)



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Post by cbx4evr »

My question is more in the opposite direction but I suppose it goes both ways.



I have Dot 5 in my 80 CBX and have had no problems or complaints except for the cost of the stuff. Anyway I have purchased a set of twin piston calipers that I intend to put on this bike. These calipers had Dot 3 in them.



My question is do I have to diassemble the calipers to clean them and remove all the Dot 3 if I want to stay with the Dot 5 or will flushing/bleeding be sufficient? Or viceVersa. If I want to switch back to Dot 3 in the brake system can I just flush out the Dot 5 or are more elaborate procedures required?



Thanks
"It's a friggen motorcycle, it's not supposed to be comfortable, quiet or safe. The wind noise is supposed to hurt your ears, the seat should be hard and riding it should make you shit your pants every now and then. "

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Post by Passx »

I would recommend it unless you want to have a problem with the pistons not returning/brakes dragging and then have to do it in the future anyway, it's a good opportunity to look at those calipers and see if they need anything anyway. The problem is that no matter what you do you cannot get all of the DOT 3 out w/o disassembly and the fluids don't play nice together. Good Luck



Steve P. #5220

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Post by busaboy »

FWIW, I have never disassembled any of the vehicles' systems I have changed over, and I have never had a problem.
Eric

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Steve P. #5220

Rick Angles #3328
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Dot 5 brake fluid

Post by Rick Angles #3328 »

Hi all.When I changed my fluid to DOT 5,I disassembled all the brake components to get out all the previous fluid I could.I know with out replacing some parts(hoses come to mind), I would still have some traces left in the system.I have noticed no problems though, since the change over.

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Post by Robert Hill »

In 1992, coming home from work one night, I hit a rather large pothole. This caused the fork brace to slap the banjo fittings at the splitter, breaking them and spilling DOT-3 all over my nice shiny front fender. At that time, I replaced the hoses with two from the master cylinder down and switched to DOT-5 fluid. Since then, I have bled the system once a year, just a small amount through each caliper. I have never noticed any water in the fluid, nor any dramatic change in the purple color. I have not experiencd any seal failure. They feel great, but that is probably due to the braided steel hoses. I also use this flid in my other bike, a 1972 Suzuki GT 750 water buffalo. No problems there either.

Chevrolet Corvettes use DOT-5 from the factory.

Harleys use DOT-5 from the factory.

I will continue to use DOT-5 for the foreseeable future.

Robert Hill

Oklahoma City

:D

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Post by broook »

My son just bought a new Yamaha ATV and I noticed that also came with DOT 5 brake fluid. Must be the way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Re: brake fluid

Post by Mike Cecchini »

Mike Nixon wrote:Aris -- Thanks for reminding me that I did not address your actual question (only the comments of others on the board). I'll get to that in a bit, but first, silicone fluid (DOT 5) needs to be changed SEVERAL TIMES as often as glycol, so if you are looking for less maintenance, don't use it. As for its compatibility with the CBX's parts, it's generally agreed that seals that have been used with glycol be replaced before silicone is introduced, but it's not a hard and fast rule. But then you know that already, since you have used it several times in other vehicles.
T-H-E very reason DOT 5 was invented was and is less fluid changes. GM and HD both recommend 5 year change-outs and it's been proven that DOT 5 is perfectly fine at 10 years.

I've been using DOT5 since DOW put it on the market back in the early 80's.....and it's still in one car that's been waiting for me ......some 15 years and the brakes work fine and there's no rust or water in the lowest brake caliper I removed 5 yrs ago.

I've been running DOT 5 in most of my bikes since 1985 and not a single issue from any of the track bikes, road bikes and bikes that sit for years.

Also, I just rebuilt 3 complete X brake systems.....front and back.....and installed DOT5 in all of them. All bled fine. Now, evne if one leaks, I don't have to worry about all that white caustic stuff getting on area parts and causing havoc.

After all these years using DOT 5, I can happily say .... DOT 5 rocks. :rocker:
It's not what you ride.....it's how you ride.

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Re: DOT 5 Brake Fluid

Post by Mike Cecchini »

Btw...... DOT 5 is completely and totally compatable with all Honda CBX brake seals and parts..... zero issues.

Only one brake maker I know of says not to use DOT 5 ..... Brembo.......and even this isn't 100% true as I've installed DOT 5 in brand new virgin Brembo systems with 100% sucess. Presently I have 5 Ducati's (all Brembo systems)... that have 100% DOT 5 in them for over 5 yrs...... zero issues.

Some get used very often in daily use, some get tracked at some very serious speeds......and others sit around for years...... zero issues.
It's not what you ride.....it's how you ride.

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Re: Brake Fluid

Post by Mike Cecchini »

Mike Nixon wrote: <snip> The bottom line is this -- glycol fluid, though technically a less performing variety, is far more consumer friendly. Silicone fluid is not at all consumer friendly, and you MUST change it often for it to be safe and to avoid maintenance issues, whereas as I say, glycol can be neglected indefinitely (it plainly is in the most cases), with no devastating effects. Interestingly, the issue is no longer which is more fade-resistant, as the newest glycol fluids perform as well temperature-wise as the glycols.
Gycol brake fluid is "consumer friendly" ?? You mean that stuff that eats paint and holds water + brake fluid that makes that white caustic foam is "consumer freindly" ??? :no

DOT 5 does none of this. You can pour it on your paint and leave it there...... no problem. :)

DOT 5 dosen't combine with water to form any cuastic foam. :)

DOT 5 dosen't have to be changed more often than gylocol fluid.... just the opposite...... DOT 5 lasts 3x--5x longer than glycol brake fluid. :)
DOT 5 is THE consumer friendly brake fluid.......not DOT 3 & 4. :oops:

Glycol (DOT 3 & 4) can't be "neglected indefinitely".......this is why DOT 3 & 4 is suppose to be changed out every 2 yrs. :oops: DOT 5 is 5--10 yrs. :)
It's not what you ride.....it's how you ride.

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Re: DOT 5 Brake Fluid

Post by NobleHops »

Mike gets the last word here, although I have edited his first of these posts to 'improve the quality' of it.
Nils Menten
Tucson, Arizona, USA '80 CBX, sort-of restored :-)

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