Doing brake upgrades? maintenance? Fast Bikes Like Fast Brakes and Healthy Riders.
Never mix DOT 5.1 Brake Fluid w anything else. its a different animal/ 5.1 loves water and gets dangerous when its had to much. its made of silicon fluid. Don't get it!
What you want is DOT 3,4 or 5 not 5.1
Dot 5 is the purest but Dot 4 is good. Check with current supply for an apropriate price level for you and your vehicle.
------FYI- these are brakes! don't do what i am suggesting unless you are a qualified technition I:I
heres a thread on how to Get ur brake pistons mobile again, and check the working condition without removing the piston from the caliper. Could or should be done with the regular mantenance schedule (6 months??) or when pads need replacement.
Raise the caliper remove the pads check and relube. Basic service.All listed clearly in from any service manual.
Then I always try sliding the brake caliper piston back and forth about ten times with air pressure{{[always place piece of wood in caliper to stop it from shooting out or cutting ur finger off or worse*}}
Then you can feel for yourself how nicely the piston slides back and forth, telling what condition the caliper is in. I allways do this to any disc caliper. The seal only moves as the pad wears out, the piston does not "slide" thru in heavy use like eveyone thinks. The piston seal flexes and slightly rolls on the piston as the piston makes its 1/8 travel. Because of that the piston and seal bind, corrode/ oil film oxidizes leaving more gunk..... piston starts getting more and more friction till one day you realize your brakes have sucked for 6 months but you didn't really notice.
Moral of this story is that moving parts that move very little get the worst build up of Dirt.
Ok so if the piston moves really easy back and forth, About one or two fingers to slide it back in right, feels smooth enough for more time in the field, then put it back together and your done.
If its difficult to move then either find a replacement caliper or What I do is pop the piston all the way out clean everything, check the seal. and Polish the piston with 1000 grit to get the oxides off it then a quick hand polish with a polishing cream. Done, put the piston in the caliper, check with air pressure to check its working condion.
Hope you guys like the Thread if i think of more i will add it. Im not a disc brake qualified technition, this is from my 15 years knowledge proffesional and personal, of offroad hydraulic disc caliper serviceing.
Never mix DOT 5.1 Brake Fluid w anything else. its a different animal/ 5.1 loves water and gets dangerous when its had to much. its made of silicon fluid. Don't get it!
What you want is DOT 3,4 or 5 not 5.1
Dot 5 is the purest but Dot 4 is good. Check with current supply for an apropriate price level for you and your vehicle.
------FYI- these are brakes! don't do what i am suggesting unless you are a qualified technition I:I
heres a thread on how to Get ur brake pistons mobile again, and check the working condition without removing the piston from the caliper. Could or should be done with the regular mantenance schedule (6 months??) or when pads need replacement.
Raise the caliper remove the pads check and relube. Basic service.All listed clearly in from any service manual.
Then I always try sliding the brake caliper piston back and forth about ten times with air pressure{{[always place piece of wood in caliper to stop it from shooting out or cutting ur finger off or worse*}}
Then you can feel for yourself how nicely the piston slides back and forth, telling what condition the caliper is in. I allways do this to any disc caliper. The seal only moves as the pad wears out, the piston does not "slide" thru in heavy use like eveyone thinks. The piston seal flexes and slightly rolls on the piston as the piston makes its 1/8 travel. Because of that the piston and seal bind, corrode/ oil film oxidizes leaving more gunk..... piston starts getting more and more friction till one day you realize your brakes have sucked for 6 months but you didn't really notice.
Moral of this story is that moving parts that move very little get the worst build up of Dirt.
Ok so if the piston moves really easy back and forth, About one or two fingers to slide it back in right, feels smooth enough for more time in the field, then put it back together and your done.
If its difficult to move then either find a replacement caliper or What I do is pop the piston all the way out clean everything, check the seal. and Polish the piston with 1000 grit to get the oxides off it then a quick hand polish with a polishing cream. Done, put the piston in the caliper, check with air pressure to check its working condion.
Hope you guys like the Thread if i think of more i will add it. Im not a disc brake qualified technition, this is from my 15 years knowledge proffesional and personal, of offroad hydraulic disc caliper serviceing.