brake fluids

Polo_T · Post by **Polo_T** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 12:44 pm

hello again!

brake fluids!
what do you suggest for high performance?

Speedlaw · Post by **Speedlaw** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 3:44 pm

Dot 4 or higher! Just guessing, as I still have the standard stuff in my car. But when the time comes, I'll be upgrading it to Dot 4 or 5. Don't think brand matters that much. Anyone else?

polo2k · Post by **polo2k** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 6:52 pm

well the dot rating is similar to the rating on oils i.e. 10w/40
dot 3 is mineral
dot 4 is mineral too but synthetically enhanced
dot 5 is synthetic
dot 5.1 is what i run and i think its chemically enhanced synthetic
the dot number relates to the resistance to boiling temp. you really dont wanna go below 165 deg for norm driving
the boiling temp falls with time as brake fluid is ascorbic (sp?) ie it pulls water out of the air and when brake fluid boils then you have no pedal
note* i have only ever seen 5.1 made by ferodo
there is another type of flud that is non-ascorbic and has insane boiling points (you never need to change it aparantly) called sillicon blue or somthin like that, most performance bikers swear by it but its ment to be a sob to bleed

Speedlaw · Post by **Speedlaw** » Thu Jan 09, 2003 5:31 pm

What he said.

(Now that was a proper answer! I'm getting the 5.1 stuff then!)

polo2k · Post by **polo2k** » Thu Jan 09, 2003 7:30 pm

i also advise you to get the stainless flexi`s ( i use omp)
at the moment (this is not on a gti so i dont worry about rear disks

)
galfer drilled and grooved disks
omp road and sport pads stailess flexi`s
belive me when i say that i can put you on the windscrean (the vw sales man did ones on a test drive*)
but when i had the road and sport pads on the standard discs and standard susp (+ front upper strut brace) i used to be able to touch the front bump on the floor under heavy braking

.
a little word of advice though. when i did all my braking upgrades i didnt think about the chassis, this was more of an oversight that i thought it might be, when pushing the braking system to its limits the back end has a tendancy to "sway" (feels like your fishtailing) this tends to make most passengers feer for their life, its also a little tricky to control the first few times. the way i solved this was to fit a lower front strut brace (kinda also doubles as a sump protector (till i get my real one on

)

* went to vw to get the gear box play checked out and at the start of the test drive i told him not to worry and that i didnt mind if he caned it a little as the engine and tyres were already fairly hot. he accelerated to about 45 mph and then remembered that the original brakes were kinda crappy, in other words " he literally jumped on the pedal". he forgot to put on his seat belt and thus got thrown foreward ,,, and into the windscrean, leaving a big splat that i had to clean. but oh was it worth it

Speedlaw · Post by **Speedlaw** » Fri Jan 10, 2003 12:34 pm

That was by far the funniest thing I've read in a while. Wish I saw that IRL!

polo2k · Post by **polo2k** » Fri Jan 10, 2003 5:36 pm

it was kinda brummmmmmjmmhiss brummmmmmmmm squeel splat
bwahahahahqah
the look on his face omg it was funny, kinda, oh god i feel like such a retard. lol
hes the same sales man who took me for a blat in a 4 motion tdi and nearly lost it drifting btw what a machine, (shame i found that out after locking my keys in my car at the dealership

)

Speedlaw · Post by **Speedlaw** » Fri Jan 10, 2003 10:31 pm

Brake improvements rule. I've found a how-to for a reardrums-to-discs conversion, may have to try it next summer.

hardhitter · Post by **hardhitter** » Fri Jan 10, 2003 11:32 pm

I will do a "how to upgrade your Mk 3 brakes" in the not too distant future.