I have seen this conversation before. Some people sing silicone's praises
(myself among them), others relate horror stories. I don't get it. What's
the difference? Any chance we can correlate the finer details (like who
made the caliper seals and/or the brake fluid) and maybe determine what's
causing this difference in experience?
Chris Kotting
ckotting@iwaynet.net
'77 Midget (running silicone brake/clutch fluid)
On Monday, December 29, 1997 4:30 PM, Christopher Palmer [SMTP:ctp@gbn.org]
wrote:
> STOP STOP STOP! DON'T USE THE SILICONE FLUID UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THIS!
>
> I rebuilt my '69 Midget practically from the ground up (mechanically that
> is...the body is still a little rough)
>
> I put in a new M/C, new calipers, new rotors, new wheel cylinders, new
> drums, stainless braided flex lines. I had read all the hype about
> silicone fluid...doesn't absorb water, very hi temp properties, won't
mess
> up paint. I thought it was the perfect solution, so I used it.
>
> Well, it turns out that regular (dot 3 or 4 glycol) brake fluid works
with
> the natural rubber seals in our LBC brakes, makes them swell just the
right
> amount, and keeps them sealed. Silicone does not.
>
> My silicone brake fluid leaked out of my calipers, not under braking
> load...it just dripped out slowly when the car sat! Of course it soaked
my
> pads with silicone (very slippery stuff). When I tried to flush out the
> system and put dot 4 fluid back in, it didn't work because all of the
seals
> were well coated with silicone (very tenacious stuff as well). I wound
up
> rebuilding the calipers myself, and replacing the pads. I put in dot 4
> fluid and it works great. I won't use the stuff again until I get a good
> explanation why I should.
>
> I asked Norman Nock and his son about it...they both told me never to use
> it. I wish I had asked before I used it!
>
> ctp
>
|