Why you should flush your brake fluid properly

[Knizar]

So if my front brakes are constantly screeching, would I benefit from a brake fluid replacement job? 2021 RTL with about 5500 miles.

Brake pads would be my guess over fluid problems.

 

[Freddy]

So when your pressure bleeding your system, does it not push fresh fluid thru the ABS?

Indeed it does. The issue is that BUDS cycles (opens & closes) the tiny solenoid valves, allowing them to be flushed too.

 

[Cobwebs]

So if my front brakes are constantly screeching, would I benefit from a brake fluid replacement job? 2021 RTL with about 5500 miles.

Might just be something lodged in your brake pads. Try hitting the brakes hard in reverse a few times as fast as you can safely go. Usually clears it. Don't try anything fancy, these things are like a drunken sailor in reverse. :cheers:

 

[Woodaddict]

I work on friends' bikes as a side hussle to my main job. Since I try to be fair, I tell my friends to find out what a dealer would charge for any given service and I'll do it for half. This person called a local dealer and was told it was a 5 hour job and would cost $700. I told her that was BS and I'd do it for $175. An independent motorcycle shop told her (without using BUDS) that it would be $175-200, plus $19.99 for DOT 4 fluid. Really? A quart of DOT 4 at Wally World is less than $8. And yes, I'm 1/2 hour south of you.

Well Jetfixer and forum.... I have a worse story than that quoted above. Went to Ridenow (nationwide) dealership to get my state inspection. As they do inspections, they checked the moisture content in my reservoir. Written on paper, "2.5% recommend brake flush soon." This is NOT my normal dealership, as I bought from one north of me, this is just the closest convenient one to me.

So labor is $841.50!! 5.1 hrs quoted (sounds like story above) plus $32.97 for fluid, for a total price of $874.47!! SORRY, NO WAY.

So Jetfixer, I will be coming to your DIY garage!!! I had on my agenda to flush the fluid this spring anyhow. I am just 50 miles from NC/SC border on I77, so won't be much farther to your house. AND to earn EXTRA money, I need a key programmed. Dealership price was $79, not too bad, but they were trying to program it, desk tech came back to me "let me see if they're done". Comes back, "He needs to call BRP, can't get key to program yet." Well, they're working on the issue, already made me late to have to go to work the afternoon shift, didn't want to be even later, so I told him, have to get home to go to work. So I can just have Jetfixer earn some extra money, now this is nice CLEAN money, don't have to get your hands dirty.

 

[Jane1330]

Changing to DOT 5 fluid would be easy. Changing all the rubber components to suit silicone fluid wouldn't be, as they haven't been made for a Spyder.

DOT 5 and ABS don't play well together...at all. DOT 5 is designed for vehicles expected to see little or sporadic use ie...military equipment, classic vehicles.

 

[Woodenfish]

Does the ABS on the Spyder go through a self check on start up like a car? I was just wondering if so could we use this to our advantage.

 

[Cobwebs]

Something triggered in my mush pot and reminded me of these guys. They have a unit to activate the ABS for flushing Harleys. They do custom stuff so could do one for Spyders but $500! Maybe a group buy situation or something. :dontknow:
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=0e7b9babbfa6a8f9JmltdHM9MTY4MDIyMDgwMCZpZ3VpZD0xM2NlMTkwNy04OTMyLTYyNjQtMGNiMC0wYjgyODhkODYzYzYmaW5zaWQ9NTE4Mw&ptn=3&hsh=3&fclid=13ce1907-8932-6264-0cb0-0b8288d863c6&psq=harley+abs+flush+tool&u=a1aHR0cDovL2luZm90ZWNobWVyY2VuYXJ5LmNvbS9wcm9kdWN0LzMxNS8&ntb=1

 

[Steve W.]

Just on the subject of cocktails I wonder how effective Buds is at clearing the bar so one could switch over to silicone fluid and avoid the hangovers associated with the old dot 4 juice.

Changing to DOT 5 fluid would be easy. Changing all the rubber components to suit silicone fluid wouldn't be, as they haven't been made for a Spyder.

Yes, the actual changeover would be relatively easy, but be aware that DOT5 brings its own problems.

As noted several times in this discussion alone, moisture that finds its way into a DOT3 or DOT4 system will eventually contaminate the entire system. DOT5 fluid does not absorb moisture, so it merely collects at the lowest point. That 'lowest point' might happen to be a caliper, which will be the hottest point on a long, downhill section of road. Using the brakes heats the pads, which then transfer the heat to the brake pistons and calipers, then the fluid. If that fluid happens to be water, it can easily turn to steam, meaning that you basically will NOT have any braking power.

.

 

[Freddy]

..... If that fluid happens to be water, it can easily turn to steam, meaning that you basically will NOT have any braking power

.

That's not strictly true. Dual circuit braking system were introduced half a century ago to minimise, if not eliminate, the chance of brake failure happening. Braking performance and 'feel' would be significantly reduced.

Some vehicles, where the brake lines run close to exhaust pipes, will exhibit brake failure in 1 circuit due to boiling (if the system hasn't been maintained as recommended), while the other circuit (usually the front) functions normally except for the fact that the brake pedal goes half way or a tad more to the floor before applying. A bit scary but not no brakes at all.

 

[Cobwebs]

Yes, the actual changeover would be relatively easy, but be aware that DOT5 brings its own problems.

As noted several times in this discussion alone, moisture that finds its way into a DOT3 or DOT4 system will eventually contaminate the entire system. DOT5 fluid does not absorb moisture, so it merely collects at the lowest point. That 'lowest point' might happen to be a caliper, which will be the hottest point on a long, downhill section of road. Using the brakes heats the pads, which then transfer the heat to the brake pistons and calipers, then the fluid. If that fluid happens to be water, it can easily turn to steam, meaning that you basically will NOT have any braking power.

.

Good info to know. Sometimes I think Fred Flintstone thought he had the best setup and would have been in awe of the arrival of cable operation. What next for us.................... magnetics???

 

[Jetfixer]

Here's a good read on brake fluid:

https://www.g-locbrakes.com/products/brake-fluid/

 

[bigbadbrucie]

Good info to know.What next for us.................... magnetics???

Don’t discount anything.....who the ach eee double hockey sticks knows?

 

[McRuss]

With that being said, I have been told that the fluid is replaced on a police vehicle after it has been involved in a prolonged high speed pursuit.

Hmm, maybe now.....During my 23 years as a LEO, and many high speed pursuits, as well as high speed non-pursuits (getting to an emergency for example), I never heard of replacing the brake fluid. I will say that this was about the time disk brakes were being introduced to cars. Maybe drum brakes were different. I will also say that the old drum brakes would fade pretty fast, making for some interesting stopping!

 

[Jetfixer]

Here's the latest one I've done. This is from a 2021 F3L with 17k miles that is almost exactly 2 years old.

 

[FrogmanDave]

Here's the latest one I've done. This is from a 2021 F3L with 17k miles that is almost exactly 2 years old.

View attachment 201952

That is crazy dark for being just 2 years old. Very surprising indeed.

 

[seaweed]

Here's the latest one I've done. This is from a 2021 F3L with 17k miles that is almost exactly 2 years old.

View attachment 201952

Crap that is a lot of crap in the brake-fluid.

 

[UtahPete]

Here's the latest one I've done. This is from a 2021 F3L with 17k miles that is almost exactly 2 years old.

View attachment 201952

I'm seeing discoloration but not necessarily contamination. Is that right?

 

[Peter Aawen]

I'm seeing discoloration but not necessarily contamination. Is that right?

The 'discoloration' IS contamination! :lecturef_smilie:

It's all the moisture/water absorbed into the brake fluid that's making it change colour. The darker the colour, the thicker the fluid; the more moisture/contamination present.... :shocked:

 

[FrogmanDave]

The 'discoloration' IS contamination! :lecturef_smilie:

It's all the moisture/water absorbed into the brake fluid that's making it change colour. The darker the colour, the thicker the fluid; the more moisture/contamination present.... :shocked:

Exactly right!

 

[Freddy]

The 'discoloration' IS contamination! :lecturef_smilie:

It's all the moisture/water absorbed into the brake fluid that's making it change colour. The darker the colour, the thicker the fluid; the more moisture/contamination present.... :shocked:

Pure conjecture. Get a brake fluid moisture tester to measure it correctly. See reply 9. Take the guess work out of it. :lecturef_smilie: