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Sweetbriar · 12-09-2017, 06:44 AM

Flushing the brakes with a bleed bottle and turkey baster is one of the easier chassis recurring maintenance item. Takes me maybe an hour and $10 of Dot 3 fluid. The color difference between old and new fluid is pretty striking. Old fluid looks like tea while new has a slight yellow tint. Makes it easy to determine when new fluid has reached the wheel cylinder.

BFlinn181 · 12-09-2017, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetbriar

Flushing the brakes with a bleed bottle and turkey baster is one of the easier chassis recurring maintenance item. Takes me maybe an hour and $10 of Dot 3 fluid. The color difference between old and new fluid is pretty striking. Old fluid looks like tea while new has a slight yellow tint. Makes it easy to determine when new fluid has reached the wheel cylinder.

Maybe next time I do it I'll just fill the reservoir and wait a few months to see how well the new has mixed with the old at the brake calipers. No, on second thought, I want to stop!

twinboat · 12-09-2017, 09:28 AM

It's kind of like changing 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles. After 6000 miles and you got new oil, right ?

grindstone01 · 12-09-2017, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

It's kind of like changing 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles. After 6000 miles and you got new oil, right ?

...

Truckers do that all the time with oil, they send in samples for testing then add any additives suggested, top off the oil level and can run 50k miles on a oil change. Times are changing.
Not suggesting you change your method to this resevior change method, but it does work, been doing it for years now. Yes, the brake resevior fluid will be dirty yellow after a couple of weeks which proves the mixing theory. A air bubble in the brake lines is considered a blockage and will prevent fluid mixing.

twinboat · 12-09-2017, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grindstone01

...

Truckers do that all the time with oil, they send in samples for testing then add any additives suggested, top off the oil level and can run 50k miles on a oil change. Times are changing.
Not suggesting you change your method to this resevior change method, but it does work, been doing it for years now. Yes, the brake resevior fluid will be dirty yellow after a couple of weeks which proves the mixing theory. A air bubble in the brake lines is considered a blockage and will prevent fluid mixing.

OTR trucks run all of the time, not sit around building up moisture in the oil. Very different then MH use.

jeeepz · 12-09-2017, 05:03 PM

I can't find any brake fluid flush recommendations from ford or Chevy or dodge.are my searching techniques inferior or is this flushing just an old wives tale.the 2017 ford chassis manual definitely does not mention it.

BFlinn181 · 12-09-2017, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeeepz

I can't find any brake fluid flush recommendations from ford or Chevy or dodge.are my searching techniques inferior or is this flushing just an old wives tale.the 2017 ford chassis manual definitely does not mention it.

Does the manual list intervals for all other maintenance procedures that need to be done on the vehicle? If you read about the nature of the brake fluid your vehicle has, factored into your local climate, you can decide if it needs to be done or not.

The price of brake fluid and the hour or less it takes to do a complete bleeding of the brake system to me is cheap compared to brake failure. Also, if you don't exercise the bleeder valves periodically they might just snap off when you do decide to try to bleed them.

twinboat · 12-09-2017, 05:37 PM

Here is a screenshot from the 2015 F53 service schedule.

jeeepz · 12-09-2017, 06:10 PM

yep,thats what is says, thanks twinboat.

Sweetbriar · 12-09-2017, 08:30 PM

Same for me. On page 47 of 48 of the Scheduled Maintenance Guide so it's easy to miss. For my daily drivers, 2005 Honda CR-V and 2010 Honda Accord, both list three year change intervals.

cj23andout · 12-09-2017, 08:49 PM

This chassis is pushing the limits for hydraulic brakes. That is why bigger vehicles have air brakes.

Ford uses a booster on the system for that reason. Turn key on but don't start engine. Press brake and you will hear the pump.

Also, check your owners manual for the proper brake fluid. My 2013 spec is for DOT 5.1 ONLY.

From my manual:

"Chassis with Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings of 20,500 lb (9,299 kg), 22,000 lb (9,979 kg), 24,000 lb (10,886 kg) and 26,000 lb (11,793 kg) are equipped with Hydromax Brake Booster Systems and must use Motorcraft DOT 5.1 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid or equivalent meeting Ford Specification ESD-M6C57-A. Refer to Technical Specifications in the Capacities and Specifications chapter.
Add fluid up to the bottom of the rings located at the top of the reservoir. Do not fill above this line.
Note: Use only DOT 5.1 brake fluid that is certified to meet Ford specifications."

The lower weight chassis can use DOT 3.

saddlesore · 12-09-2017, 09:13 PM

For getting brake fluid in the reservoir on our former coach, I recycled a large plastic squeeze jug with a hose attached ... a two handed squeeze and forced the fluid to the system

grindstone01 · 12-09-2017, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

OTR trucks run all of the time, not sit around building up moisture in the oil. Very different then MH use.

...

An oil sample sent to a lab for $25 will confirm if moisture is present in the oil. Just cause a MH sits for a period of time dosen't mean moisture is present. The sample will also tell if the bearings are wearing properly, injector health, piston ring health and any other issues showing wear in the motor.

grindstone01 · 12-09-2017, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

It's kind of like changing 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles. After 6000 miles and you got new oil, right ?

...

Actually that is a very good method of oil changes for a vehicle. Add and drain a quart of oil every 1k miles for the life of a motor is actually very good. It's just not practical so seldom done.