Drivers who take good care of their vehicles, on the other hand, tend to forget about the brake fluid from time to time. Auto manufacturers generally recommend that you change it at regular intervals versus changing it more frequently like motor oil, so it’s generally not changed as frequently as that. This requires a change every two years, meaning that it does not need to be changed on a regular monthly or mileage basis. Particularly true is this when it comes to high performance vehicles or heavy duty vehicles, whose brakes can be placed under tremendous pressure.
It is not generally used as a lubricant in your car. It is primarily used within the hydraulic system, so it is not subject to the same amount of contamination as motor oil or transmission fluid. Even so, it does get dirty and deteriorate over time from normal use and does reduce the effectiveness of your brake system. It is important to note that the brake fluid needs to be replaced periodically, particularly if you are especially harsh on your brakes, but this process is accelerated if you are particularly demanding of your brakes.
It is one of the simplest ways to buy new brake fluid for your vehicle, but that may not necessarily be the most convenient or cost effective method for you, as you would have to go to the dealership. In the case of a budget replacement of brake fluid, you can buy brake fluid online for just about any type of vehicle, but there are some factors that should be considered. Why is it important to consider the following factors when buying brake fluid? Would you be better off using a cheaper fluid or are you better off using the more expensive fluid?
Bosch ESI6 Brake Fluid
This brake fluid is suitable if your vehicle uses DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5.1 brake fluid so you should be able to use it. Most brake fluids only work for certain grades of DOT brake fluids, however, it is worth noting that the Bosch brake fluid will work for the majority of modern vehicles. With this fluid being able to be used in so many different vehicles with different DOT grade specifications, it is a perfect solution to satisfy the needs of a vast majority of drivers.
A full lifetime performance of this fluid is what is known as extended service interval, which is the next key advantage of this fluid. This Bosch fluid lasts 100 percent longer when compared to DOT 3 fluids, which is the traditional type. There is a 50 percent reduction in wear compared to traditional DOT 4 fluids, and a 10 percent reduction in wear compared to standard DOT 5.1 fluids. Also, the price of this brake fluid is competitive, as it is not designed for use with high performance brakes.
With a dry boiling point of 518, and a wet boiling point of 365 degrees Fahrenheit, Bosch ESI6 brake fluid is 18-degrees hotter than DOT 5.1 standards, and nine degrees hotter than DOT 5.1 standards while wet. Considering this Bosch fluid offers dramatic improvements over the DOT 3 and DOT 4 fluids, this Bosch fluid offers a better level of performance when used and when new, as well as when it is stored. There are also some improvements over the DOT 5.1 standard, but the improvements are not as remarkable as those of the DOT 5.1 fluids.
Prestone 32 Ounce DOT 4 Brake Fluid
DOT 4 brake fluid; 32 fluid ounces; Synthetic; High Grade; Prestone DOT 4 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid accommodates all the requirements for the DOT 4 standard, ensuring superior performance over DOT 4 specifications. In this synthetic fluid, the dry boiling point reaches higher than the DOT minimum standard, in order to prevent overheating, brake fade or performance decline due to water absorption.
In addition to the prolonged life (50,000 miles), this brake fluid has also been designed to prevent corrosion of metals in the braking system. All DOT4 braking systems (ABS, disc, drum) can be used with this formula, and it can be mixed with any other DOT 4 brake fluid. Using any other DOT product other than the suggested product for your car can have a detrimental effect on the boiling point or replacement interval if it is the wrong kind of DOT fluid used.
Motul RBF 600 Synthetic Brake Fluid
Motul RBF 600 synthetic racing brake fluid is labeled DOT 4, however, it is also acceptable for use in vehicles with DOT 3 standards. In addition to being able to handle the extreme heat load that is associated with road racing, the same electric motor can also be used in average daily drivers. Furthermore, when the product is packaged, it is sealed with nitrogen, which prolongs the shelf life of the product by preventing any contamination.
Despite its synthetic nature, Motul RBF 600 synthetic racing brake fluid has a dry boiling point of 594 °F and a wet boiling point of 399 °F. It is a major improvement over standard DOT 3 fluids, having dry boiling points of 401 and a wet boiling point of 284, as well as a major improvement over standard DOT 4 fluids, having dry boiling points of 446 and wet boiling points of 311. If I may repeat again, “dry” brake fluid would be fresh out of the bottle, while “wet” brake fluid would be used brake fluid that had soaked up a bit of moisture from the atmosphere.
Also, the Motul RBF 600 serves as a good example of what happens when brake fluid ages. As soon as you increase its wetness, this sponge loses nearly 200 degrees worth of heat tolerance abilities. Essentially, brake fluid is considered “wet” when it contains 3.7 percent water by volume, and because this high performance brake fluid on our list includes 3.7 percent moisture among other small elements, it shows a 31 percent decrease in performance, while lesser fluids suffer the same loss.
Castrol SRF Racing Brake Fluid
Having said that, Castrol SRF synthetic racing brake fluid is another high performance option on our list which is also one of the most expensive ones. DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluids are designed to replace those oils but this fluid offers boiling protection levels that far outstrip those offered by DOT 3, DOT 4, and DOT 5.1 brake fluids. This fluid is intended for high performance use, offering supreme protection during the hardest forms of racing, but it will also provide you with a full day’s worth of protection in your daily driver or for your work truck. As well as offering excellent protection against boiling under stress, it also stands up better to contaminants and retains only a small amount of protection from boiling as it becomes saturated with water.
When Castrol SRF synthetic racing brake fluid is brand new, it has a boiling point of 590 degrees Fahrenheit. 189 degrees is the advantage over the DOT 3, 144 degrees over the DOT 4, and 90 degrees over the DOT 5 grades. However, the boiling point of Castrol SRF fluid only drops to 518-degrees Fahrenheit when the fluid reaches the so-called “wet” point with 3.7-percent water-by-volume.
ATE TYP 200 Brake Fluid
You can find ATE TYP 200 racing brake fluid to be a great option if you want the best combination of performance and affordability. Despite the fact that this fluid falls into the DOT 4 category, it meets or exceeds the requirements of DOT 3 as well as DOT 4. Despite the lower cost and comparable improvements over standard brake fluids, this high performance fluid is thought to be cheaper than many other high performance fluids.
A TE TYP 200 racing brake fluid has a boiling point of 536 degrees in the dry state, and a boiling point of 374 degrees in the wet state. There is a DOT 3 rated at 401/284 degrees, a DOT 4 rated at 446/311 degrees, and a DOT 5 rated at 500/356 degrees. Thus, this ATE exceeds the requirements for every grade of DOT standard brake fluid. As a result, it offers a huge improvement over the standard DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluids while only costing slightly more than non-performance options.