[IH8Rice]

I have a set of Elixrs and need to bleed them, but dont have anymore "avid brake fluid"

the brake says only usa DOT 4 or DOT 5.1, but i can only find DOT 4 or DOT 5 in local auto stores. the bike shops around me either dont have any or are too expensive.

Can i use DOT 5 in place of DOT 5.1, or should i stick with DOT 4? what actually comes in the brakes?

 

[norbar]

You can't use dot 5. Your brakes will be very unhappy if you do that Can't you just order? Motul dot 5.1 or rbf 600/660 work great. Avid fluid is crap imho.

 

[gemini2k]

^^ like he said, don't use DOT 5. DOT 5 is like silicone based whereas dot 4 and 5.1 aren't or something like that (might be the other way around?). The wrong kind will eat your seals.

Just use regular DOT 4. Doubt you'll be able to tell much difference. And don't ever buy fluids/oils at bike shops, its the same stuff at car/moto places just twice the price for half the quantity.

 

[toodles]

DOT 4 and Dot 5.1 are intercompatible, DOT 5 doesn't mix with either of them.

 

[gonefirefightin]

DOT 4 works fine

 

[IH8Rice]

Can't you just order? Motul dot 5.1 or rbf 600/660 work great. Avid fluid is crap imho.

i can order, but it wont be here right now when i want to ride

DOT 4 and Dot 5.1 are intercompatible, DOT 5 doesn't mix with either of them.

why do the brakes say 4 or 5.1 then?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOT_5.1




what do the brakes have in them? DOT 4 or 5.1??

 

[dagmz6s]

elixirs I believe come with DOT 5.1 but you can use DOT 4. If you have a Pep Boys close by, pick up some Castrol GT LMA. Its technically a DOT 4 brake fluid but it exceeds those standards. DOT 4 and DOT 5.1 are cross compatible as mentioned above. DOT 5 is in fact silicone based and would ruin your seals.

 

[gemini2k]

why do the brakes say 4 or 5.1 then?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOT_5.1


what do the brakes have in them? DOT 4 or 5.1??

Intercompatible means they ARE compatible. I believe avid fluid is DOT 4.

 

[IH8Rice]

inter...incom....i phailed are reading in 5th grade.



hmm 1 vote for DOT 4 inside em, 1 for DOT 5.1

 

[toodles]

why do the brakes say 4 or 5.1 then?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOT_5.1

what do the brakes have in them? DOT 4 or 5.1??

Not incompatible

Intercompatible means they can be substituted for each other safely. Dot 5 reacts with 5.1, 4 & 3 and can cause seals to swell or leak.

3, 4 & 5.1 can all be substituted.

 

[SylentK]

"Inflammable means flammable? What a country!" - Dr. Nick Riviera, The Simpsons

 

[Kanye West]

If you're going to do a full bleed on them, no reason not to use the Motul RBF600. Good stuff, and say goodbye to fading brakes.

 

[IH8Rice]

If you're going to do a full bleed on them, no reason not to use the Motul RBF600. Good stuff, and say goodbye to fading brakes.

do any of the big chain stores carry this or should i try a speedshop first?

 

[Transcend]

4 and 5.1 are ok, 5 will kill your brakes. As mentioned one is silicone based, and the other is alcohol based. Do NOT use DOT 5.

 

[SylentK]

Why need to bleed? Cuz of air?

Without getting into details, you could try to just suck air out of the lever for a quick job. Do you have enough oil for that?

Quick explanation: You usually only have to suck the air out of the lever, if you've been riding for awhile (which lets the air rise to the lever) and perhaps have already done a full bleed (so you know its not the questionable factory bleed).

 

[IH8Rice]

Why need to bleed? Cuz of air?

taking my shock off to run the hose is too much of a PITA, so taking the hose off is the only other option. plus i havent bled them since the summer and just want to put new fluid in there

 

[Yukonrider]

Just use regular brake fluid from the car place, DOT 4 NOT DOT 5. DOT 5 is NOT compatible.

 

[IH8Rice]

do you guys think DOT 5 is a good idea?

 

[Jim Mac]

elixirs I believe come with DOT 5.1 but you can use DOT 4. If you have a Pep Boys close by, pick up some Castrol GT LMA. Its technically a DOT 4 brake fluid but it exceeds those standards. DOT 4 and DOT 5.1 are cross compatible as mentioned above. DOT 5 is in fact silicone based and would ruin your seals.

I too almost made this near fatal mistake this week! Luckily the label the can also warned of the incompatibility with DOT 4.

 

[time-bomb]

......., and the other is alcohol based.

"One for you, one for me...."

Dude, what ever you do, DON'T use Dot 5!!

 

[big-ted]

FYI, I used DOT 5 in my old Hopes for a year or so with no averse effects.







But yeah, you're not supposed to.

 

[Banshee Rider]

Interesting. What kind of frame is it that makes removing the shock more of a PITA than removing a brake line? (seriously)

 

[IH8Rice]

Interesting. What kind of frame is it that makes removing the shock more of a PITA than removing a brake line? (seriously)

my Revolt. the linkage can be a pain sometimes to get aligned to get the shock bolt out.
i wanted to re-bleed the whole system anyway, so its not that big of a deal

 

[Kanye West]

do any of the big chain stores carry this or should i try a speedshop first?

Motorcycle shops usually.

 

[crohnsy]

This is an interesting thread.....

Last year I bled my Elixir CRs with DOT 5 after i changed a line and my brakes are doing well.

They have not exploded nor have the seals burst into flames yet....

 

[DirtyMike]

FYI, I used DOT 5 in my old Hopes for a year or so with no averse effects.







But yeah, you're not supposed to.

This is an interesting thread.....

Last year I bled my Elixir CRs with DOT 5 after i changed a line and my brakes are doing well.

They have not exploded nor have the seals burst into flames yet....

I wil say that will probably be the last time you guys bleed out your brakes without peices of seals coming out. Silicone easts up teh seals in a DoT system.





Originally Avid was using a DoT4.... Newer avids are using<higher end> a 5.1 factory.... Shop around, alot of times you can find higher boiling points in DoT4 over the 5.1 if you dont want to wait and order the good 5.1. Youll have no worries running a good DoT4 in the avids.

 

[rollertoaster]

Pm sent... I have some free dot4 for you if you're interested.

 

[crohnsy]

I wil say that will probably be the last time you guys bleed out your brakes without peices of seals coming out. Silicone easts up teh seals in a DoT system.





Originally Avid was using a DoT4.... Newer avids are using<higher end> a 5.1 factory.... Shop around, alot of times you can find higher boiling points in DoT4 over the 5.1 if you dont want to wait and order the good 5.1. Youll have no worries running a good DoT4 in the avids.

Whats the time for this seal eating? shouldn't my brakes be leaking after a year of DOT 5 inside?

 

[boogenman]

Pm sent... I have some free dot4 for you if you're interested.

Can't you buy DOT 4 at 7-11 for $2?

Angry Ido your brakes came with 5.1:

http://www.sram.com/_media/pdf/en/avid/specs/AVID_Hydraulic_Disc_Brakes.pdf

 

[IH8Rice]

thanks kevin, i didnt look at the comparison chart.

if i cant pickup the DOT 4 from rollertoaster, im going to the local dirtbike shop for some crap today anyway and will check it out.

thanks all

 

[wood booger]

Motul 5.1 and be done w/ it.

Any moto or even go cart shop should have it.

Try not to cry when you see the dirty, water filled crap that comes out of those brakes.

 

[IH8Rice]

Motul 5.1 and be done w/ it.

Any moto or even go cart shop should have it.

Try not to cry when you see the dirty, water filled crap that comes out of those brakes.

been looking for that. i went to two moto shops, but apparently they went out of biz and i wish there was a gokart shop round these parts.

the main reason i want to do the bleed is to get the old crap outa there

 

[DirtyMike]

Whats the time for this seal eating? shouldn't my brakes be leaking after a year of DOT 5 inside?

What happens is the seals swell up. You dont always see the seals fall apart and just stop working in any type of timeline so to speak, whal youll def notice is if you take it apart, you wont get it back together again. As far as what youll feel, I can only equate it to automotive, seeing how I havent had this issue with bikes, Youll have what feels like normal brakes, all the way till it either swells up and you cant pull the lever anymore, or the seal will ahve swelled to the point it blows out..... Either way youll find a sudden loss of braking. If you want to see this more directly without waiting for it to happen, take an old DoT fluid style lever apart, and drop the seals in the DoT5... Check it in a day.

 

[slyfink]

I've a sort-of related question. what's the proper disposal method for all that fluid? I didn't want to pour it down the drain, so I have a few glass jars with dirty used fluid sitting taking up space on my shelves now.

any thoughts? bring it back to a motorsports shop?

 

[GoodbyePorkPie]

I've a sort-of related question. what's the proper disposal method for all that fluid? I didn't want to pour it down the drain, so I have a few glass jars with dirty used fluid sitting taking up space on my shelves now.

any thoughts? bring it back to a motorsports shop?

Take it back to the moto shops or local garage check they do recycling, don;t just dump it, I always keep the original packs to dump the old oil./fluid into and take it for recycling.

With oil they way it its resources recycling is not only good for the environment but helps keep us going in the longer run.

 

[Kanye West]

Auto parts stores will almost all dispose of oil for you. PepBoys, VatoZone, Kragen, CarQuest, etc. If you do much motor or suspension or brake work, it's really convenient to have one of those jugs that doubles as a drain pan with a fill slot on the side.

 

[Udi]

i run some Elixirs and they need a bleed it says use dot 4 and i cant find it anywhere. everyone says use dot 5.1 whats the differences and will it affect the ride

DOT4 and 5.1 have the same chemistry (polyglycol-ether) and therefore are compatible. The DOT5.1 specification requires a lower maximum viscosity for use in systems with smaller orifices (eg. ABS) which may also allow easier bleeding, while DOT4 is not quite as restricted. Without this restriction, the highend DOT4 fluids tend to have slightly higher boiling points (eg. Motul RBF series), but DOT5.1 fluids have quite high boiling points anyway.

Bottom line - either will work. Just don't use DOT5 (different chemistry, misleading name).

 

[blindboxx2334]

so the motul stuff is better than avid brand?

i need to bleed my code on my DJ, and ill have no problem tossing out my avid fluid with some better quality brake fluid

 

[fred.r]

so the motul stuff is better than avid brand?

i need to bleed my code on my DJ, and ill have no problem tossing out my avid fluid with some better quality brake fluid

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

 

[VMARTINEZ]

Moto shop.