Cant tell you how much I hate this fuckin stuff......no wonder it's now banned from most motorsport activities

.......sorry, just needed to share my frustration

_________________
Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

Nip down to the Offy, and buy a bottle of Vodka then

_________________
If your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough.

No shortage of voddy here mate (but you already worked that out ).......at least vodka is hydroscopic and only rots my guts/brain cells as opposed to the braking systems on my bikes

_________________
Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

_________________
IF IT BLEEDS WE CAN KILL IT ,THIS STUFF WILL MAKE YOU A GODDAM SEXUAL TYRANASURUS ,YOUVE BEEN PUSHING TOO MANY PENCILS DILLON .GET TO THE CHOPPER

Any particular reason? - I've been using it since the early '80's with no probbies at all.

_________________
Sept 2017. Email will find me.

Only advantage I can think of re. DOT 5 is that it wont mark ya paint if you're clumsy enough to spill it.......other than that I cant think of a single good reason for using it.

DOT 5 is not hydroscopic, so any moisture entering the system drops to the lowest point ie. calipers. It just sits there and rots the chrome off the pistons.......even a regular fluid change wont shift it.
Additionally, because H2O boils at 100C, there's a good chance of vapour lock resulting in spongey/no brakes (which is why it's banned in motorsports)
Using DOT 5 in systems designed for 3,4 or 5.1 can damage the seals if they're specific.

_________________
Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

Never suffered from any of those.

Maybe Brembo's are immune. That and systems I've changed to Dot5 have always been re-hosed and flushed (not just bled) at the same time. All my bikes (most of which, being Italian came Brembo'd) have always run on Dot5 (Harley & Tuber came Dot5'd naturally).

Beats me too, how that much water gets into a sealed system that's hydrophobic. I'm not being funny - I mean it.

Mind you, once you've mastered bleeding Guzzi linked brakes (esp those with proportioning valves allied to twin bleed valves on the old callipers) the rest is peasy.

The early stuff from EBC was a pretty mauve colour too.

_________________
Sept 2017. Email will find me.

So what's your reason for using DOT5 ?

_________________
Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

Well the Guzzi has had it in for the best part of 25 years. And as I've never had issues - I see no point not to trust with that I know. And the two bikes preceding the Rocket (the only other bikes I've had since 1990) came with Dot5. I had to change the R3 front hoses - and saw no reason not to do as I've always done.

And I just love mauve dahrling!

_________________
Sept 2017. Email will find me.

OK, let me ask you another way........what's wrong with DOT 4 or better yet 5.1

_________________
Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

You are correct that Dot 5 has 'chemical issues.'

I always use 5.1 in all of my bikes.

Never had a problem since.

Nige.

_________________
Sanity is in the eye of the beholder.

Arrival is the byproduct of the purpose.

BallacrainesCorner

I use DOT 5 in bikes designed for it......I know for a fact that the early Buells which used 5 have seal issues if anything else is used.
What I also know is that every single time I've stripped a DOT 5 caliper the pistons are well corroded behind the seals, unlike DOT 4 calipers which are usually mint behind the seals.
As far as I know, H-D's still use DOT 5 and the dealers were a little confused when Erik decided to ditch it in favour of the far superior modern fluids and they had to stock something other than the purple shite.
Speak to anyone who manufactures brakes and the very mention of DOT 5 will result in a tirade of abuse and scorn.
The arguement for 5 used to be its higher boiling point but that only works if the fluid aint sitting on water in the bottom of the calipers.
5.1 now well exceeds the boiling point of 5

_________________
Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

Maybe someone can help me here cos I am feeling a bit dumb. Let me share my dumbness by using 1998 S1W and 2002 X1 to explain...

These two bikes have the same front and rear brake calipers, they have the same front and rear master cylinders. I am sure the brake hoses are different, but I am also sure they are variations on a theme (braided hose at the front and steel brake pipe connected to a bit of rubber hose), and most people have probably replaced this stuff with Goodridge anyway (the fronts were Goodridge out of the factory).

Owners of the 1998 S1W are directed to use DOT5 (silicon) whereas owners of the 2002 X1 are directed to use DOT4 (mineral).

Lets look at seal part numbers:

S1W front master cylinder seal kit 45185-98Y (superceded by N0220.F)
S1W front caliper seal kit 44148-98Y (superceded by H0020.FA)
S1W rear master cylinder seal kit 45073-98Y (superceded by H0040.F)
S1W rear caliper seal kit 44149-98Y (superceded by H0030.F)

X1 front master cylinder seal kit 45185-98Y (superceded by N0220.F)
X1 front caliper seal kit 44148-98Y (superceded by H0020.FA)
X1 rear master cylinder seal kit H0040.F
X1 rear caliper seal kit 44149-98Y (superceded by H0030.F)

Well I'll be dipped in dogshit if they are not the same...

So, I would guess that you can use DOT4 in your S1W without messing seals up...

Now, I can't vouch for PM calipers, as being Merican, they probably need DOT5, however the Brembos, being European are most probably designed for DOT4 (or 5.1).

What am I missing????

_________________
08 Specialized Langster

It's a contamination thing Pash methinks

Some reading for you.......http://uk.search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A7x9Q ... luid.shtml

_________________
Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

......and more.....http://uk.search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A7x9Q ... luids.html


.......there's chuffin loadsa this stuff out there and they all basically slag off DOT5 and warn against ever moving from 5 to mineral without changing seals, hoses, etc.......

_________________
Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR