Originally Posted By: alarmguy
Originally Posted By: bmwpowere36m3
Originally Posted By: alarmguy
Originally Posted By: BusyLittleShop
DOT 3 DOT 4 and DOT 5.1 are Glycol based brake fluids whereas DOT 5
are Silicone based... Glycol based...
Harley-Davison, one of the sole current
OEM users of silicone fluid, warns buyers to let the fluid sit at
least an hour before using it. The trip home in the saddlebag is
enough to aerate silicone brake fluid until it looks like a freshly
poured soft drink.
Great post about the difference between the fluids and honestly do not know why someone would put in a fluid not specified by the manufacturer. Doesnt make sense to me, most bikes maintenance calls for replacing every two years, amazing how many people dont know it.
Great info on the changing color and water contamination. I can verify your fluid should be changed every two years on a bike. Can tell you a whole other story about my Yamaha, coming down a mountain one day and losing my rear brake due to vapor and moisture in my system. (we lived, no accident but scared the [censored] out of me)
Anyway, I dont understand your reference to Harley.
I dont know if some other models use DOT5 but my 14 ABS Road King specs DOT4 and every two years the same as almost all other makes.
Some manufacturers still spec DOT3 and there is no reason one cant use the higher-spec DOT4 (other than maybe cost, which is insignificant). I just use DOT4 in everything as I don't have any vehicles recommending or containing silicone fluid.
My father's '98 Softail specs silicone fluid... and I thought most other HDs do as well.
I guess Harley gave up on the Silicone fluid sometime between 1998 and 2014.
All I know is ALL 2014 Harley touring models require DOT4
It would be silly to put a Silicone brake fluid in a brake system where it is not recommended.
I have been running it in my Caddy and my wife's Grand National for close to twenty years. If it doesn't have ABS, I will use silicone brake fluid!