Changed your brake fluid lately?

From Moss Motoring 1983

When was the last time you changed your brake fluid? Yes, that’s right: brake fluid. Not just topped it off, but changed it? If you answer “never” or “years ago,” you may wish to consider that failure to do so every couple of years can be an expensive over-sight!

The problem is caused by two main facts: conventional brake fluid is hygroscopic (meaning it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere), and water causes corrosion. A third consideration is that constant heating and cooling (which happens when you use your brakes a lot) also causes eventual deterioration of hydraulic fluid. Most British sports cars these days, we surmise, are either restored (or at least very clean) and saved for occasional use only, or else they are worked very hard as “fun” cars. The former spend a lot of their time sitting around, being driven only occasionally; the latter get driven a lot so the brakes get a lot of use.

If your car does a lot of sitting around, every time you take it out there is a chance that one or more wheel cylinders will have stopped working because of corrosion. Eventually, you will have to rebuild your brakes again, even though you have put very few miles on the car. With today’s costs for wheel and master cylinders, changing brake fluid regularly would seem a much more attractive alternative.

Perhaps the most attractive alternative, however, is making your next change the last one you’ll need to do! How is this possible, you ask, in light of what was said earlier? By replacing your conventional brake fluid with Silicone brake fluid. There have been many views put forth about this product but two facts are inescapable: it must work as a brake fluid or it would never have received DOT 5 approval, and it physically cannot absorb moisture. This latter point was confirmed in a test performed by two members of the Society of Automotive Engineers,” with the results published in SAE Paper #780661. They reported “After two years of won’t make bad brakes work well, but if you’ve got good brakes and you want them to stay that way, consider one last brake fluid change – to Silicone Brake Fluid.

What’s so GOOD about this stuff?

Answer: Well – I mean – nobody ever THINKS about brake fluid – until the brakes go bad. Mainly Silicone brake fluid doesn’t absorb moisture, which is the cause of most corrosion, pitting, wear, and deterioration in your brake system. If s also nice that it lubricates, (the old stuff doesn’t) it preserves, (the old stuff doesn’t) and it doesn’t harm paint (the old stuff – ever see it spilled on a fender?….Moan)

Is this stuff compatible with the old fluid – or do I hafta disassemble and replace…..ad nauseum?

Answer: It IS compatible with ALL automotive brake fluids and ALL brake system parts in ALL autos – Foreign, Domestic, and Antique. Believe It!

What’ll it do to FOREIGN (read British) systems?

Answer: Make’em last forever! No, seriously – the best preservative known for natural rubber is (you guessed it) SILICONE! Your British car never had it so good.

Must I get ALL the old fluid out?

Answer: As much as possible – get that old stuff out! The sooner the better! It’s not as hard as you might think to get out 97% or so.

Will this stuff cure my LEAKY brakes?

Answer: Now gee guys – this isn’t snake oil. No, this won’t reverse the ageing process created by your old brake fluid. Be sure your system is in good condition! Now put our silicone brake fluid in and it will stay that way indefinitely.

Isn’t this stuff a little EXPENSIVE?

Answer: You’re kidding. Checked the cost of a brake rebuild lately- if you can find the parts for that orphan? We’ve got one test car with 8 years and 137,000 miles on it, and the hydraulic system is NEW.

I mean BRAND NEW! There’s no wear, there’s no corrosion, the hoses still pass burst tests as new, and everything’s new!

We don’t know it may last forever.

Now, if we were all engineer types we’d be talking “cost effectiveness,” “safety considerations,” “life cycle costs,” while tearing our pocket off to get the billfold out … Quick! This may be the best money you’ve ever spent!