You've heard the evidence, now it's time to choose your overall winner using the poll and telling us why in the comments below. The key to web page security is known as an ‘SSL certificate’, and can be identified by the yellow padlock symbol or SSL issuing company symbol that appears in the status bar area at the bottom right hand corner of your browser window. You will usually find the type of fluid your brake was designed to use printed somewhere on the lever assembly or reservoir top cap. They are controlled by standards set out by the Department of Transportation (DOT) - hence the name.

I say 'probably' as it depends on the service life of the older fluid but you get the idea - not a great deal can go wrong mixing glycol-based DOT fluids. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average.If you've read How Hydraulic Brakes Work you will know that brakes slow us down by turning kinetic energy into heat by using friction. With a higher boiling point than DOT 3 fluid, this fluid is ideally suited for higher performance vehicles where the braking system routinely reaches moderate brake temperatures.

This product can be mixed with other glycol fluids of the same base and is recommended for use in the hydraulic brake and clutch systems of all cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles for which a glycol based DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluid is specified. I used DOT 5 in several high mileage cars, after a full brake system overhaul, replacing all seals, hoses (Goodridge, cheaper than OEM in some cases) and pipes (Kunifer of course, NEVER copper), and they went on to achieve very high mileages, up to 200k, without further attention to the brakes, except routine pad, and occasionally disc, changes. Unlike glycol fluids, silicone will not damage paintwork is used as standard in some high quality US-built big twin motorcycles. Most manufacturers recommend replacing your brake fluid every two years and this sounds like a sensible amount of time.However, when water accumulates in the brake system over time, and it is not absorbed by the brake fluid, in theory it could create pockets of water which could boil in extreme circumstances. Always check your vehicle owner’s manual and do not mix this fluid with glycol fluids to prevent damage to hydraulic seals and the entire brake system. Since there is no hydraulic mountain bike brakes using DOT 5 fluid we won't worry too much about it. This is where I'm going to give you an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of each brake fluid as I see them.

That includes master cylinder seals, wheel cylinder/caliper seals, rubber flex hoses, the PDWA seals (when fitted), and proportioning valve seals. This means that there are no wet or dry boiling temperatures to worry about, the boiling point stays constant and never drops.If at any point you feel you have introduced bubbles into the fluid the general recommendation given is to let the car sit for several hours or overnight to allow the bubbles to come out of suspension.