[mlange]

Just checking what everyone is using for brake fluid in their karts and secondly how often they bleed their brakes.

I'm interested in finding out as Im sure the 100% humidity here does play a factor in the choice of brands.

When karting over the weekend, I noticed my brakes going soft after a couple of laps, which led me to reading more on brakes, brake pads and fluids when I got home.

I found an interesting article on brake fluid http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_brakefluid_1a.shtml

[tmskarting]

Tonykarts, including FA Kart, Redspeed and Kosmic use DOT 5.0 Brake fluid which is silicone based and connot be mixed with anyother brake fluid.

Most other manufacturers use DOT 4.0 or 5.1 which is glycol based

Thanks

TMS

[DMmotorsport]

The 5.0 of 5.1 is recommend at least i think. Specialy in Asia, warm temp, AND a lot of cooling again from the rain. The viscosity on the oil is important, the higher the dot number, the higher the viscosity and temp resistance.

We use our own brand; Syntower, which we developed on the Brembo-brakes we use atandard on our Jesolo Chassis.

It is pretty important you use the 5.0 or 5.1 ... and especcialy to refresh it often, when the collour turn a little bit dark, just refresh it.... ALSO you keep your whole system "wet"becase after a while some oil-turners will dry and start leaking....

ciao, Kristof
http://www.everyoneweb.be/DMmotorsport

[tmskarting]

Agreed, but it is VERY important not to mix 5.0 & 5.1

[DMmotorsport]

Ofcourse, indeed.

[Mikko Nassi]

tms karting that's a very good bit of information that I wasn't aware of - I now know to not lend dot4 to a tony driver now

Bleed your brakes every now and then =). I think 2-3 times a year if you're not at the track all the time. Once a month if you're at the track a lot. If you have an old kart without steel braided lines you probably have to do bleeding fairly often. For the lube just use high quality brake fluid from a proper brand. None of that no-brand stuff.

[JohnKing6]

tms karting that's a very good bit of information that I wasn't aware of - I now know to not lend dot4 to a tony driver now

Why not? ... as long as you're not right in front of him when the brakes start failing it should be fine