Brake Fluid Flush

[DriVer]

Today I serviced my toad; our 2008 Saturn Vue XE with approximately 55,000 miles total, 40,000 displayed on the odometer. Along with the LOF and tire rotation I choose to have my brake fluid changed.

It did not take an exceptional amount of willingness to do the job although I was charged about $90.00 for it, but I do remember and I won't ever forget to flush my brake fluid. (please don't tell me I spent too much money)

Now that most of us have new calipers and brake components and the Brake Recall is fading into history like the space shuttle, lets not repeat the omissions of the past and not consider the fact that our brake fluid requires periodic flushing.

So git-er-done.

No worries; I'll be back next year with the same reminder.

[Grumpytrkr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriVer Today I serviced my toad; our 2008 Saturn Vue XE with approximately 55,000 miles total, 40,000 displayed on the odometer. Along with the LOF and tire rotation I choose to have my brake fluid changed. It did not take an exceptional amount of willingness to do the job although I was charged about $90.00 for it, but I do remember and I won't ever forget to flush my brake fluid. (please don't tell me I spent too much money) Now that most of us have new calipers and brake components and the Brake Recall is fading into history like the space shuttle, lets not repeat the omissions of the past and not consider the fact that our brake fluid requires periodic flushing. So git-er-done. No worries; I'll be back next year with the same reminder.

They make test strips that check the condishion of your brake fluid. I use one every oil change. The last time I flushed the system out, I used a fluid extractor, and did the job myself. It takes about an hour to do, plus fluid, and with labor rates what they are, $90 would be about right.

[Full-Timers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriVer Today I serviced my toad; our 2008 Saturn Vue XE with approximately 55,000 miles total, 40,000 displayed on the odometer. Along with the LOF and tire rotation I choose to have my brake fluid changed. It did not take an exceptional amount of willingness to do the job although I was charged about $90.00 for it, but I do remember and I won't ever forget to flush my brake fluid. (please don't tell me I spent too much money) Now that most of us have new calipers and brake components and the Brake Recall is fading into history like the space shuttle, lets not repeat the omissions of the past and not consider the fact that our brake fluid requires periodic flushing. So git-er-done. No worries; I'll be back next year with the same reminder.

Well I am…well lets just say I have been around for a while and owned lots of cars trucks and motorhomes and this is the first one I have ever had the brake fluid flushed in. Seriously, I doubt I will be doing it again. Not out of defiance, just something I don’t do. On the other hand I am a firm believer in changing the oil (even synthetic) every 3000. Go Figure!

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpytrkr It takes about an hour to do, plus fluid, and with labor rates what they are, $90 would be about right.

GT, If you get a hold of "Oemy" (again) he has Workhorse-Bosch Speed Bleeders so you can do a 1 man bleed in perhaps less than an hour. (if you're good)

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full-Timers ... just something I don’t do.

I know and I wish I could sway folks into thinking that changing their brake fluid is just as important and more mission critical than just about any service you can do to your machine. Hardly anything else matches the return you get for the small amount of effort you put out to get the job done.

[rgvtexan]

The MH has air brakes and the fluid is changed often! But The 37 year old MGB gets the fluid every 2 years and the Honda every 5. A vacuum/pump brake bleeder makes it a quick process

[oemtech]

Here is a photo from my RV after 1 year of use.

[speed racer]

Way back when I was learning the mechanic trade(about 55 years ago and before disc brakes) a mechanic told me that when bleeding the brakes alway bleed till you see clean new fluid come out of each wheel cyl. He didn't call it flushing the system but thats what it was. I have been doing this on every hyd. brake system I have ever worked on and I will continue to do this every two years on all my vehicles because it's cheeper than waiting for the brake system to fail. PS I have had no problems with my 04 w22 brake system but I do understand why some people do.

[bsinmich]

I had the W22 problem and also the cure that has worked great. My first experience with old brake fluid was on my '89 Ford E350 when it was about 3 years old. I was in Peterboro, Ontario and hit the brakes for a red light at the bottom of a hill. Nothing happened. After sitting in a Church parking lot for an hour everything was OK again. When I got home and talked to my mechanic he explalined that my one caliper had probably hung up and explained the whole system of water in the brake fluid. He was a pretty smart mechanic and conviniced me to change every `2-3 years since then. If you check foreign car makers they have recommended the procedure for years. The one big advantage of this happening in a motorhome is that the clean underwear are within easy reach.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by speed racer Way back when I was learning the mechanic trade(about 55 years ago and before disc brakes) a mechanic told me that when bleeding the brakes alway bleed till you see clean new fluid come out of each wheel cyl..

When I was working the trade ... about the same amount of time ago, I recall seeing frothy or milky white gunk in and around the wheel cylinders. This would tell me to replace the wheel cylinders. Now that said, even then there was not an in place expectation that a mechanic should completely flush the brake fluid from the system. It was just bleed, fill the master and go.

I never (most of us) gave it a second thought and what was wrong about that is assuming that brake fluid doesn't wear out but we now know that it doesn't take long at all for it to loose its efficiency, boil and extend stopping distances.

[FreshAir]

I have a W24 and the brake flush is more than I care to handle as a DIY project. Wondering if anyone has had their W24 flushed by a shop and what should one expect to pay.
Maybe Oemy has come up with an easy way to do a W24?

[VanDiemen23]

Two things:

Speedbleeders and ATE brake fluid

speedbleeders make this process a no-brainer, no help required, etc. i put a big dollop of silicone grease around the threads to keep air from being sucked in if the threads are loose.

Ate makes excellent brake fluid, one variety of which has a blue dye, the other is amber. the idea is that you put the blue stuff in and pump until blue stuff comes out. Next time use the amber and you'll always be sure that the system has been flushed.

One trick to make things easier is to bleed one front and one back at the same time. This allows the master cylinder piston to make a full stroke.

Bleeder bottles can be built out of water bottles and clear tubing. If you hot glue a magnet to the side you can stick the bottle where you can see it when pumping the brake.

The race car has two bleeders per caliper so that setup is a real octupus and I use it at least once a weekend.

[Full-Timers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oemtech Here is a photo from my RV after 1 year of use.

Nice photo Omey, but the color of the fluid has nothing to do with it’s function, or lack of.
I haven’t been the bad guy for a while, just stirring the pot…

[oemtech]

Well... my brake test strips and fluid tester tell a different story.

The fluid will work ok... but the boiling point will be down.

I change yearly... $20 and 1 hour max is cheap insurance for this guy.