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Avid brake fluid

blindboxx2334

Turbo Monkey
Mar 19, 2013
1,340
101
Wets Coast
The Motul is said to be better and it's what I use typically, but I haven't had any problems with my bleeds using Avid's 5.1. What I find makes more of a difference is age of the fluid and how long the storage container has been sitting since it was first opened. The longer the fluid sits, the more water it absorbs from atmosphere. Water = bad
thanks for that info, i didnt know that about the age part.. im assuming the kit i bought was not the 'fresh-est'.. will always make sure to pickup motul from now on.

.. and yeah, anything other than brake fluid in your line isnt all that great ;)
 

BMCarter

Monkey
Oct 10, 2007
297
0
Santa Barbara
I've used the Honda motorcycle DOT 4 for years in my Avid brakes. It's cheap and available at any motorcycle shop. Since Brake Fluid is hygroscopic and will go bad from just sitting around (as stated above), spending all that cash on the Motul isn't worth it IMHO. Once you open up the Motul, use an insignificant amount and seal it back up and let it sit until the next brake bleed, it's going to suffer. Better off just buying the Honda stuff for less than $10/qt and bleed the brakes more often if you are worried about performance. I don't recall the exact wet boiling point of the "good" stuff, but I recall it being lower than fresh cheap oil.

I'll be the first to sing the praises of the Motul 600, for my track cars. I think it's overkill for a DH bike. In my experience I glaze pads LONG before the fluid boils.

Edit: I hadn't looked at prices of Motul since I sold my last track car, it's not as expensive as I remember. I recalled it being like $40-50/qt. Seeing $18 for a 1/2L isn't too bad. Might be worth it at that point. Smaller volume container means you don't waste as much fluid.
 
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blindboxx2334

Turbo Monkey
Mar 19, 2013
1,340
101
Wets Coast
Might be worth it at that point. Smaller volume container means you don't waste as much fluid.
bingo. i was going to try and see if i could find a smaller size bottle.. although im not sure what the standard sizes are... and im going to have a 'bleed party' (just what i like to call it) here fairly soon with my buddy and his dad, so ill definitely need to pick some up..

i will definitely look into the honda fluid.. dont need to spend monies if you dont have too! although i think my avids are DOT 5.1 only, so i might have to settle with something else as i dont know what crosses over in terms of brake fluid, what Udi posted yesterday confused the sh!t outta me i had to read it more than once to get it.. although im just going to stick with what it says on my lever
 
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fred.r

Dwangus Bogans
May 9, 2006
842
0
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dilzy

Monkey
Sep 7, 2008
567
1
Just use Dot 4. The suggestion that your bike brakes are somehow going to be hotter than a well worked car brake is laughable.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,152
6,114
borcester rhymes
Better to use fresh dot 4 off the shelf than old Motul or ATE fluid. I'd rather spend $4 on a bottle and toss the rest than crack open a year old can of super blue.
 

nowlan

Monkey
Jul 30, 2008
496
2
Any Dot fluid that matches the brakes specs will work fine. Avid didn't invent Hydraulic brake fluid, pretty sure other companies have had it nailed down for quite some time.