BRAKE FLUID CHANGE >>>IMPORTANT

[Boog]

@Wajhi I know you are looking to do this yourself as it does save a lot of money. I take mine to the dealer and this time they caught that my master cylinder was bad. My owners manual says to do a complete brake fluid exchange every two years. This is just the second time on my 2014 R3T. I need to buy the correct tool for this procedure myself as I do plan to keep the bike forever. It has almost 72K miles now.

 

[Gregger]

Only thing I would add is, for those who ride hard, use DOT5. I boiled my DOT4 on a track day (interesting experience), but then that may have been partially down to not changing fluid as regularly as I should.

A word of caution. Don't mix DOT 5 (silicone based) brake fluid with DOT 3 or 4 (glycol based). It can form into a sludge in the components. The only compatible 5 type brake fluid is DOT 5.1.

Also, there is a warning not to use DOT 5 brake fluid in ABS systems. Not sure why but it is on several sites comparing types of fluid...

Here is a brake compatibility chart I pulled from the net along with some info on Brake fluid characteristics.

Can DOT 5 Brake Fluid Be Used Instead of DOT 3 or 4?
Always refer to vehicle owner's manual for what the manufacturer recommends or warns against. As a rule, vehicles equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS) should not use DOT 5 brake fluid.

DOT 5 brake fluid is silicone based. DOT 3 (standard) and DOT 4 (heavy-duty) are glycol-based. It can be distinguished from conventional brake fluids by its purple color (which comes from a dye).

Silicone does not absorb moisture. DOT 5 brake fluid does not become contaminated with moisture over time as conventional DOT 3 and 4 brake fluids do. Silicone is also chemically inert, nontoxic and won't damage paint like conventional brake fluid. It also has a higher boiling point.

Because of this, it is often marketed as a premium "lifetime" brake fluid. It is often used to preserve brake systems in antique vehicles and those that sit for long periods of time between use.

DOT 5 silicone brake fluid is also very expensive (costing four to five times as much as ordinary brake fluid), and it won't mix with glyco- based brake fluid (creating concern over sludging if all old fluid isn't removed when a system is refilled with silicone).

Silicone also has slightly different physical properties and compressibility, making it unsuitable for ABS systems calibrated to work with DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid.

 

[Fingers]

There is a pen styled device with two prongs on the end that measure water content of the brake fluid.you can purchase on amazon for $10-$20 it also works on cars and trucks.

 

[Boog]

New issue with Brahma after coming back from the dealer. They did the brake fluid flush, rebuilt the master cylinder and the front calipers. The front brake is mushy and must be pumped once before I have descent feel. What is wrong?

 

[EwoutR3]

Probably air in the system. It should be bled properly

 

[daytonageo]

After flushing the brakes, tie up your front brake lever with a bungee cord and leave it overnight if you can. Difference will be amazing. All those little bubbles will work their way out of the system.