Opinions abound on which brake fluid you >should< use, DOT 4 or DOT 5
(which is usually, but not always, silicone).
One fact is constant: DON'T >>>EVER<<< USE DOT 3! DOT 3 fluids will eat
the natural rubber seals used in our brakes like a college student eats
pizza (amazingly fast, making a mess in the process).
As for the DOT 4 vs. Silicone debate, I'm using Silicone, but I started out
by replacing every bit of rubber in my hydraulics. This seems to be the
one constant with people who are happy with silicone. Silicone and DOT 4
cause rubber to swell differently, and exposing seals to one, then the
other, seems to always lead to trouble.
In short, unless you're redoing everything at once, stick with DOT 4.
Chris Kotting
ckotting@iwaynet.net
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