Brake Fluid Rant

[m3bs]

I was planning to flush my brake fluid today. I looked up the fluid spec in the owners manual : DOT 4 Low Viscosity. None of the parts stores in my area stock the LV fluid, so I had to order it. With as many of these trucks as there are on the road, I can't believe nobody carries it. I assume F-150 is the same, and I know most European cars call for it now. I guess no one reads the manual.....

Another rant..... Every fastener I've dealt with on the truck so far has been metric. But....brake bleeders are 3/8".

 

[zak99b5]

Isn’t 3/8” 10mm?

 

[m3bs]

Close, but 10 mm was pretty loose on the bleeder and I don’t want to round it off.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

I was planning to flush my brake fluid today. I looked up the fluid spec in the owners manual : DOT 4 Low Viscosity. None of the parts stores in my area stock the LV fluid, so I had to order it. With as many of these trucks as there are on the road, I can't believe nobody carries it. I assume F-150 is the same, and I know most European cars call for it now. I guess no one reads the manual.....

Another rant..... Every fastener I've dealt with on the truck so far has been metric. But....brake bleeders are 3/8".

Did you check with a Ford or Lincoln dealer for the fluid?

 

[chuck s]

Amazon says they'll have DOT 4LV on your front porch tomorrow.

-- Chuck

 

[LazSlate]

DOT 5.1 is the universal replacement for DOT 3 and DOT 4. I went down this road before. Most manuals will list 5.1 as an alternative.
Its Glycol based like 3 and 4 so it can be mixed. DOT 5 is the one that cannot be mixed since its Silicon Based.
Because we have DOT 5.1 you wont see a lot of specific DOT 4 in the stores.

Also DOT 5.1 exceeds the boiling points of DOT 4 so its actually a better fluid. DOT 5.1 is only a replacement for DOT 3 and 4 its not for DOT 5 or mineral based fluids.

 

[m3bs]

I got the DOT 4 LV from O’Reilly next day, cheaper than Amazon. After a bit of my own research, it does appear that the 5.1 options would have been fine. It has slightly higher viscosity, but I suspect in my warm climate location it would not have been an issue.

FYI, if you haven’t changed your fluid in a few years, do it. There was visible material suspended in the fluid in my reservoir. Surprising since my car is low mileage, and garaged full time. I don’t understand why US automakers don’t make that part of the maintenance schedule like the Euro cars do.

 

[Retiredusps]

just wondering how many on here check their brake fluid for moisture?? Brother in law said he checks his at each oil change!!! But he is a fuss pot checks count on prescriptions and other things even soap pods ( laundry )

 

[Polo08816]

Change your fluid every year or two with something high quality like ATE Type 200 and you won't have a problem.

 

[LazSlate]

just wondering how many on here check their brake fluid for moisture?? Brother in law said he checks his at each oil change!!! But he is a fuss pot checks count on prescriptions and other things even soap pods ( laundry )

many fluid changes are not needed and overkill. Not saying it not good to NOT change the fluid as there may be benefits but I have had fleets of vehicles for businesses with 300K+ and 10 to 20 year old vehicles. Never changed the brake fluid or diff and zero issues.

The only time I will change the brake fluid is if it was overheated (which you would have warped vibrating rotors) or the pedal was mushy or a caliper needed replacment, etc.

Take the transmission, there are stories left and right that after someone performed preventative maint and flushed the fluid the transmission failed shorty after. Experts cite when you flush you can un-lodge big chunks of particles that would have normally been no issue.