Posted by garrison on November 05, 1997 at 00:31:41:
In Reply to: W300 Brake Conversion '58 posted by Tom Zeno on November 03, 1997 at 09:24:23:
If you would try some DOT 5 (silicone) brake fluid, you might have much better luck. Silicone brake fluid has 2 MAJOR properties necessary for brake system longivity that glycol based (regular DOT 3or4} do not have. 1. Reg. fluid is VERY hydroscopic, it attracts moisture like crazy, so much in fact that it will pull it out of the air through a rubber brake hose even. whenANY moisture mixes with it, it turns into acid which starts to corrode all of your brake parts, outside and in. this also causes rough pieces of corrosion to wear out your rubber pistons and cups in everything. Silicone fluid does not. It absolutely repels any and all moisture. even if you get actual water in a silicone system it doesn't do much damage because the fluid does not mix and get acidic. 2. Silicone based fluis are the PERFECT lubricant for rubber brake parts because THE STUFF IS RUBBER! (almost) It is ALL I will put ion anyones old vehicle systems any more. An engineer with ma large brake parts co. told me a few years ago when I asked him why the manufacturers did not use DOT5 fluid in new cars said this: 1 it costs more. 2.If they did we wouldn';t sell hardly any brake parts when the cars got older. Enough said.