Silicone Brake Fluid.... Should I use it ?

[4x4Poet]

Originally Posted by 72MARIO

Oky, So am I stil good to go with the silicone ? Just change it every 2 years ?

Looks like a big yes all around, 72MARIO.

Originally Posted by tom hand

The only problem you will have with it if changed over properly, is that is doesn't work well at high altitudes...somthing to do with the boiling point. If you go to really high altitude you will have a spongy pedal and there is nothing you can do about it...at sea level you will have no problems and it will save the paint

I've heard of the spongy pedal problem. Never knew why until now.

Originally Posted by mr402

I haven't heard too much about the synthetic brake fluid. Is it any better as far as not eating paint? 4X4 what was your experience with it?...

Synthetic brake fluid definitely eats paint. No need to ask me how I know. I found it last Fall just as I was overhauling my TravelAll's brake system. New master; SS braided hoses; PDB shoes, springs, and wheel cyls; a few new SS hard lines mixed in with the old. The brakes work great, but I haven't noticed anything superior about it. I just figured that, like synthetic oil, it would not break down as easy and maybe not absorb as much moisture as petro brake fluid.

Originally Posted by neonlarry

...Brake fluid should be changed about as often as antifreeze, every year.

Great point, neonlarry. I think I have a good flush tip. I don't have a mityvac, so I use one of those battery bulb suckers (tech name) to suck out most of the fluid from each reservoir without letting air hit the bottoms so as to keep air out of the system. (I use a coffee can to catch the fluid with rags under the master.) Then, I fill each reservoir with new and, while keeping the reservoirs full, bleed the brakes till I see new fluid come out. This way I don't flush all the moisture ridden reservoir fluid thru the lines and past the calipers/wheel cyls. And fresh fluid hits the bleeders sooner.