brakes

[2bob]

how many have change their brake fluid
3 to 4 years they say you should change it

 

[dryad]

surely that comes at recommended intervals depending on your vehicles service schedule doesn't it?
think some are changed at 2 year intervals..

 

[Steve]

Everytime i do the pads i do the fluid. So far twice in 5 years.

 

[Stealaway]

You can buy tester - http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...er.TRS0&_nkw=brake+fluid+tester&_sacat=180124

 

[WAG2CRU]

We have ours tested once a year at our local garage when in for oil change or service.

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[Allanm]

We had ours done ( I hope!) at the first service when the van was two years old. It's on the schedule to be done. Not sure if it's every two years after the first change though.
But, I've had cars for years and never changed the brake fluid. It was never recommended as a 2 or 3 year consumable as far as I can remember.
Either brake fluid is not as good as it used to be or someone had a good idea to make more money.....

 

[Abacist]

As I understand it brake fluid attracts water which renders it less effective and probably why brake fluid can boil if it has too high water content. Boiled water turns to steam which is going to make the brakes far less capable of exerting hydraulic pressure on the pads to grip the disc brake. So it is worth changing brake fluid to make sure that brakes remain as efficient as they were designed to be. Too high a water content will also rust the pipework etc leading to brake component failure, particularly the brake pipes!

Now having written that here is a better explanation!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_fluid

 

[busby]

In 53 years of motoring i have never had brake fluid replaced on a vehicle i have owned.Mind you don't rely on brakes very often,,,tend to slow down by going down the box,, a method frowned upon now days.BUSBY.

 

[daveandsan]

I always change down the box, I just cant get out of the habit,

 

[ianandkath]

mines an autobox, so have to use brakes.
mind you have never changed brake fluid on any of my motors

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[Flamenca]

Changed mine 2 years ago but did have to fit new calipers anyway.

 

[Manic]

Changed mine this year but that was only because I had to do change rear cylinders and shoes and new discs/pads.

 

[MitchandJenny]

Another money spinner methinks.
Unless you are a heavy brake user, or have an auto box, I wouldn't change mine until the 5 year point. Just my opinion.

 

[injebreck99]

Brake fluid should definitely be changed every 2 years , regardless of vehicle, unless it does not have hydraulic brakes.

 

[busby]

Brake fluid should definitely be changed every 2 years , regardless of vehicle, unless it does not have hydraulic brakes.

Long time ago when i drove a vehicle with rod brakes...BUSBY.

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[dave newell]

Hmmm, money spinner? or life saver? You decide!

Brake fluid is hygroscopic (yes with a G not a D) which means it draws water out of the air. The water is heavier than the brake fluid so gradually sinks to the lowest part of the braking system which happens to be the wheel cylinders and calliper cylinders. Brakes work by converting kinetic energy (the energy of motion) into heat via friction, this all takes place as you might have realised at the pad/disc, shoe/drum interface which is very close to the cylinders and callipers. Water has a much lower boiling point than brake fluid and so it follows that a lot of heat generated in the brakes may cause it to boil (the larger the vehicle the more energy there is to be converted and therefore the more heat is generated), if the water boils it turns to steam which is vaporous in form and therefore compressible. A compressible medium in the hydraulics causes a spongy pedal. If you encounter a spongy pedal on an extended downhill run (think Pyrenees(sp?) perhaps on way to Spain for Winter) you will naturally press harder on the pedal putting more force into the brakes and generating even more heat which in turn boils more water and creates more steam and an even soggier pedal. Eventually you run out of brakes and I happen to think a 3.5 tonne (or bigger) motorhome is a bit too big to have crap brakes. Engine problems mean it won't go very well, brake problems mean it won't stop very well............................

Its what I often refer to as the Dirty Harry question....How lucky do you feel?

D.

 

[laurieash]

The above hapened to me when doing the Pyrenees in a K reg Land rover Discovery we were doing the smugglers route down into Andora, miles of downhill dabbing the brakes low gear but brakes fading not a nice experience, after that changed the fluid by each wheel cylinder.
also when I got to the bottom of the hill drove on brakes cooled pedal back to normal as tho nothing had happened.

 

[Al-Di]

dot5 fit and forget(to some degree)

 

[DanielFord]

On all my vehicles I replace the brake fluid every 2 years, might be overkill, but I'd rather that than not being able to stop. Plus I find it disturbingly therapeutic to work on vehicles!

 

[barsteward]

Hmmm, money spinner? or life saver? You decide!

Brake fluid is hygroscopic (yes with a G not a D) which means it draws water out of the air. The water is heavier than the brake fluid so gradually sinks to the lowest part of the braking system which happens to be the wheel cylinders and calliper cylinders. Brakes work by converting kinetic energy (the energy of motion) into heat via friction, this all takes place as you might have realised at the pad/disc, shoe/drum interface which is very close to the cylinders and callipers. Water has a much lower boiling point than brake fluid and so it follows that a lot of heat generated in the brakes may cause it to boil (the larger the vehicle the more energy there is to be converted and therefore the more heat is generated), if the water boils it turns to steam which is vaporous in form and therefore compressible. A compressible medium in the hydraulics causes a spongy pedal. If you encounter a spongy pedal on an extended downhill run (think Pyrenees(sp?) perhaps on way to Spain for Winter) you will naturally press harder on the pedal putting more force into the brakes and generating even more heat which in turn boils more water and creates more steam and an even soggier pedal. Eventually you run out of brakes and I happen to think a 3.5 tonne (or bigger) motorhome is a bit too big to have crap brakes. Engine problems mean it won't go very well, brake problems mean it won't stop very well............................

Its what I often refer to as the Dirty Harry question....How lucky do you feel?

D.

As a complete numpty and may I say never having a problem with "brake fluid" perse. I thought brake systems were sealed, so where does the water come from?
Having said that I always change the fluid in my bike every 2 years cos I'm not prepared to take risk being such a numpty.

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[Derbyshire wanderer]

Most people learn about the importance of changing the brake fluid AFTER scaring themselves silly due to brake fade.
Due to the nature of the fluid being hygroscopic, it is only when you REALLY need them to work properly that you find out they can't.
The moisture gets in through the breather in the cap and as it sinks through the system to the calipers you never can see anything wrong with the fluid.
Usually an easy half hour job and the last service I paid for ( to keep the warranty) it was £38 extra.
As everything else, the 2 year recommendations are well before issues would be likely to show but either way I would never go above 4 years.

 

[Diesel]

I have nothing to suggest mine has ever been changed since new........certainly not been done in last 9 years .....needless to say brake service and fluid change is on "the list"

 

[Abacist]

Brake fluid is cheap and you don't need a huge amount of it. If you check Google the cost to have changed by a garage is variable but probably less than £100 split over 2 or 3 years so its not expensive for peace of mind.

It is something a competent DIY'er can do provided that you don't get air in the system and you bleed any air out. I used to do it in my youth but that was with less sophisticated and much lighter vehicles and I will get my garage to do it as and when required!

 

[Hymie]

Just had the Hymer and the Talbot done, 28 quid each at National Autocentres, as I have no idea when they last had it changed.

Better safe than sorry.

 

[Diesel]

Sounds a great price Hymie .......

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[dave newell]

The mater cylinder reservoir is vented to atmosphere, it has to be as a sealed system would create a vacuum as the braking material wears away.

D.

 

[Cavs]

Brake fade and spongy pedal are different issues, although both are thoroughly alarming!

 

[jockaneezer]

Mate of mine used to drink brake fluid. I told him he was an addict. He said "I'm not, I can stop anytime I want"

 

[Tootles]

or someone had a good idea to make more money.....

Correct. IMHO. modern Dot.4 fluid is good for a lot longer. Just keep your eye on it.

 

[Ranger]

To give you an idea of the heat generated if you have one of those digital thermometers that you point at heat sources try pointing it through the holes of your front wheel when you get to the bottom of a mountain pass you will be astonished at the reading even if using the gears and dab breaking effects.

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