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4 Mar 2013, 10:15 (Ref:3214015) | #1 | ||
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 15
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Brake fluid question
Hello all.
Just wondering if someone could advise regarding the best brake fluid that should be used. I am hearing differing advice between Glycol (normal) brake fluid and silicon brake fluid. I had been led to believe that Silicon based fluids had a higher boiling point, as such were better - I am now being advised otherwise. Many thanks for any input offered. |
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4 Mar 2013, 10:29 (Ref:3214021) | #2 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 819
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It would depend on what your running and hard you brake.
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4 Mar 2013, 10:55 (Ref:3214028) | #3 | ||
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 946
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To acheive a DoT rating, a fluid must exceed boiling points for dry and 'wet' where it gets contaminated with moisture, and DoT 3 is surpassed by DoT 4 and both by DoT 5.1.
Some DoT 4 fluids will have a clean boiling point thats in excess of DoT 5.1's requirements but doesn't get a 5.1 rating as its contaminated boiling point doesn't pass the 5.1 rating. Racing fluids often have a much higher dry boiling point than road fluids but have poor wet boiling points so would struggle to get a DoT 3 rating for the road. However as brake fluid often gets changed regularly via bleeding this isn't so much of an issue. Silicone does have a higher boiling point than DoT 4, but less than DoT 5.1, but also is more compressible than the other types of fluid and often results in a spongy pedal - fine for a classic car but not for a race car. I think the best value for money road fluid for performance is Castrol's Super Response DoT 4 (or whatever they call it now, it changed name recently). Otherwise AP's range of racing fluids is worth checking out. DOT 3 - 205°C (dry) / 140°C (wet) DOT 4 - 230 / 155 DOT 5 - 260 / 185 <- 'aka Silicone' DOT 5.1 - 260 / 185 |
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Andrew Cliffe - Norwich Photo & Racing Exposure |
4 Mar 2013, 11:27 (Ref:3214035) | #4 | ||
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 15
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Thank you very much - certainly a better understanding now.
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4 Mar 2013, 19:38 (Ref:3214205) | #5 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 14,699
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I have never looked back since switching to Castrol SRF before then I used to suffer from brake fade at the end of a long straight in my heavy Camaro race car. I tried all the usual 'race' fluids and none worked but the SRF and I wont ever use anything else.
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You can't polish a turd but you sure can sprinkle it with glitter! |
5 Mar 2013, 07:27 (Ref:3214388) | #6 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 213
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as above, SRF, its not cheap but its by far the best
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AMOC intermarque class B champion 2011 2012 2013 |
5 Mar 2013, 11:44 (Ref:3214491) | #7 | ||
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,820
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a salary slave no more... |
5 Mar 2013, 12:14 (Ref:3214502) | #8 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 14,699
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Don't need changing every five minutes either so can work out reasonably economical especially if your brakes faded like mine did, once I had to take to the escape road at the end of the Revitt straight where my cars hit over 140mph due to terminal brake fade, a brown trouser moment for sure! there used to be a race shop in Hendon and I happened to ask the guy in there years ago and he put me on to SRF and it cured it immediately.
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You can't polish a turd but you sure can sprinkle it with glitter! |
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