Thread: Silicone brake fluid

Just wondering why you wouldn't just use normal DOT4 fluid, especially in a normal car.

Changed at specified intervals it won't fail you.

Seems like a lot of heartache and concern over something that is really unnecessary.

Oh and not trying to offend,,,,,,just wondering why?

Dave

Most places will not want to know about getting it as there is no money in it.
BRAKE FLUID SILICONE 1 GALLON CAN | Gammagoat | Military Vehicles For Sale | Military Trucks For Sale | M35 A2 | 5 Ton | M151 A1 A2 | Surplus Parts - TNJ Murray

Originally Posted by davrac

Just wondering why you wouldn't just use normal DOT4 fluid, especially in a normal car.

Changed at specified intervals it won't fail you.

Seems like a lot of heartache and concern over something that is really unnecessary.

Oh and not trying to offend,,,,,,just wondering why?

Dave

Agreed there is nothing really wrong with normal brake fluid.
I converted to silicone on different vehicles for different reasons.
Both my 101 landrover and studerbaker truck had master cylinder issuses and silicone fluid helped.
The studebaker rear axles wheel cylinders have alloy pistons which tend to grow and seize with age and lack of use and the silicone fluid seem to seal and lubricate better
Hydraulic clutches seem live longer with Silicone fluid.
If using the silicone fluid I would give the vehicle a quick bleed of fluid once a year to ensure no water is in the system.
I note that if you read the fine print in the owners book of your new landrover it states the normal type fluid must be replaced, calipers rebuilt and hoses replace every 30,000 km( only to cover the manufactures arse if things go wrong), so bleeding silicone fluid shouldnt be a disadvantage.

My work van is at gross Mass and I time to time need to do a run over the MTs though Kangaroo valley, while I dont go asking for trouble I know with the standard fluid It was possilble to cook the fluid if pushed, a Dot 5.1 would do the job just as well and cheaper, but I had silicone fluid at work and it is used for no other reason.

I have some silicon fluid I use in a vintage car [limited use] & it hasn't had a problem since it was put in other than a weeping wheel cyl. The brake bloke said silicon needed a cup in the cyl. with a tighter contact to the cyl. wall. These cups were readily available. The bottle said not to put it in an ABS system. I have heard that the silicon fluid froths quite easy therefore if the ABS was ever actuated the fluid may froth up. this of course would result in brake loss. Any comments on that theory? I have wanted to put it in my motorbike but don't fancy hitting the skids coming up to a tight corner & loosing the picks. Ian

The comment about not mixing with conventional fluids is more about losing one of the major advantages of the silicon brake fluid.
Conventional fluid is hygroscopic, silicon isn't. Mix the two together and the brake fluid will now absorb water potentially causing problems. But if the silicon fluid doesn't absorb the water and somehow water gets into the system maybe this is more of a problem ??

When it was launched many years ago I was living in the UK. Most people didn't have any experience of using it but the recomendation was to replace every rubber component in the system before switching to silicon fluid. This was possibly a precaution because no long term trials had been carried out.

If changed regularly 'conventional' brake fluid doesn't seem to have too many vices but a lot of us have purchased old Land Rovers with seized wheel cylinders & master cylinders. Possibly this wouldn't happen if silicon brake fluid had been used ?

I'll post a picture of a problem with Super Dot 4 (Dot 4 plus) in my wife's car. I did read that some manufacturers are not recommending Super Dot 4.

Colin

Found the picture of the Super Dot 4 problem






Brakes work fine, nothing seems to be deteriorating, Territory has done 155,000kms. Fluid changed every 3 years (by me).
Spoke with the owner of a local brake company and he hadn't seen anything like it before but did mention that some manufacturers now recommend changing fluid every 1-2years.
Problem wasn't picked up by the dealer, probably because they only do a visual check of fluid level !

That reminds me, probably time to check it again and see if it has reoccurred.


Colin

Looks contaminated to me I see it weekly

Originally Posted by 460cixy

Looks contaminated to me I see it weekly

Contaminated with what though ?
There is a bellows type diaphragm that sits in contact with the fluid so it is not in contact with the air.

Colin