Trike Brake fluid

[barnabus]

So im a first time trike owner with a motor trike kit. I took the side panel off and noticed the brake fluid reservior is empty. What type of fluid should I use? Can automotive fluid be used or is it something special? Also Im assuming even tho its be triked the reservior still needs to be full or did it do away with it since it was triked.I know this may be a dumb question to yall but bear with me.Thanks for helping a newb!

[Gorilla]

I would suspect they used the same fluid that was used on the bike as a 2 wheeler. I would expect DOT 4.

[Gold Rush]

I would suspect they used the same fluid that was used on the bike as a 2 wheeler. I would expect DOT 4.

YES DOT4.... The bad news is the OP probably has issues beyond empty reservoir. Brake fluid does not just disappear. At the very least a break bleeding job is in store.

[Solidbob]

Autozone now stocks Valvoline Synthetic Dot 3 / Dot 4 compatable brake fluid that works great and doesn't suck up water like regular fluid. So if your flushing and bleeding and changing this is the way to go....

[schiel1]

So im a first time trike owner with a motor trike kit. I took the side panel off and noticed the brake fluid reservoir is empty. What type of fluid should I use? Can automotive fluid be used or is it something special? Also Im assuming even tho its be triked the reservoir still needs to be full or did it do away with it since it was triked.I know this may be a dumb question to yall but bear with me.Thanks for helping a newb!

Is this a brand new conversion? if so maybe they did not properly bleed out the new rear brakes and/or did not recheck to make sure it was filled when completed. If it is waaay empty you probably suck in air into the system and will need to be bled of air. If you still have some fluid in the reservoir you could probably just get away with filling it up. either way check every line and fitting especially on the new conversion setup for leaks.

[Mick]

Valvoline DOT3/4 is good brake fluid. Been using it in my trikes brake and clutch unit for about 8 years. All brake fluid is synthetic because its glycol based. The one you have to watch out for is DOT 5 because it is silicone based and will not mix with the others.

Different types of Brake Fluid

There are various types and no. of specifications are available in the world, like FMVSS 116- DOT3, DOT4, DOT5, DOT5.1; SAE-J1703, J1704, J1705; ISO-4025, JIS-K-2233 etc; and OEM also made own specification. Every car owner wants to know about the difference of various types of brake fluid.


Basically there are two type of brake fluids (1) Petroleum (mineral oil) base (2) Non petroleum base. As petroleum base brake fluid is rarely used in automobile industry. Non- petroleum based brake fluid is widely used by the industry. FMVSS-116 brake fluid specification is based upon non- petroleum products and this specification is universal accepted brake fluid specification, so it is better for us to know the difference between the brake fluids in this specification. First of all, it's important to understand the chemical nature of brake fluid. DOT 3, DOT4, DOT5.1 brake fluids are the mixtures of glycols and glycol ethers. DOT 5 is silicone base
The main differences in the brake fluid are as per below :-

1) Boiling point(ERBP)

BRAKE FLUID	MINIMUM BOILING POINT (ERBP) SPECIFICATION
	DRY	WET
DOT 3	205 Deg C	140 Deg C
DOT 4	230 Deg C	155 Deg C
DOT 5	260 Deg C	180 Deg C
DOT 5.1	260 Deg C	180 Deg C

2) Viscosity

Kinematic viscosity: All brake fluids (DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5 & DOT 5.1) must meet a minimum viscosity test of not less than 1.5 centistokes at 100° C and must not be more than the following to meet their various classifications.

BRAKE FLUID	MAXIMUM VISCOSITY AT MINUS 40 Deg C
DOT 3	1500 cst
DOT 4	1800 cst
DOT 5	900 cst
DOT 5.1	900 cst

(3) Color:

The Brake Fluids are available in various colours like Brake Fluid DOT 3 is available in clear, Pale Yellow, Blue & Crimson Red colour, similarly brake fluid DOT 4 is available in Clear, Pale Yellow & Crimson Red colour, brake fluid DOT 5.1 is available Clear, Pale Yellow & Blue colour. Brake Fluid DOT 5 is available in Purple & Violet colour so colour is not a criteria to distinguish between the different types of brake fluids. The color is added in brake fluid to detect the leakage easily and color does not effect the quality of brake fluid.


DOT 3: This brake fluid is a poly glycol base product. Its dry boiling point (ERBP) is 205°C minimum and wet boiling point (Wet ERBP) is 140°C minimum. It absorbs 1 to 2 percent of water per year depending on climate and operating conditions. It is used in most domestic cars and light trucks in normal driving. This brake fluid does not require cleaning the system and can be mixed with DOT 4 and DOT 5.1 without damage the system. This brake fluid absorbs moisture from the atmosphere thus reduces its boiling point (ERBP). It can also damage the paint on a vehicle.

DOT 4:This brake fluid is also based upon poly glycol. Its dry boiling point (ERBP) is 230°C minimum and wet boiling point (Wet ERBP) is 155°C minimum. It is used in medium and higher size of modern cars; and also for vehicles in high-altitude, towing, high-speed braking situations or ABS systems. This brake fluid does not require cleaning the system and it can be mixed with DOT 3,DOT 5.1 without damage to the system. This brake fluid also absorbs moisture out of the atmosphere thus reduces its boiling point (ERBP). It can also damage the paint on a vehicle. The modified poly glycol boric ester DOT4 brake fluid is also available.

DOT 5: This brake fluid is based upon silicone. Its dry boiling point (ERBP) is 260°C minimum and wet boiling point is (Wet ERBP) 180°C. It is used in applications, like for weekend, antique, collector cars that sit for long periods and for some military vehicles. Some car manufacturers are also used in their road driven vehicles. This brake fluid does not mix with DOT 3, DOT 4 or DOT 5.1. It will not absorb water and will not damage the paint on a vehicle. It is also compatible with most rubber formulations. It absorbs more air and giving poor pedal feeling. It is unsuitable for racing due to more compressibility under high temperatures. If as little as one drop of water enters the fluid, severe localized corrosion, freezing or gassing may occur. This can happen because water is heavier and not mixable with silicone fluids thus it is unsuitable for ABS.

DOT 5 fluid is highly compressible due to aeration and foaming under normal braking conditions, providing a spongy brake feel. Poly glycol type fluids are 2 times less compressible than silicone type fluids, even when heated.

DOT 5.1: This brake fluid is also based upon poly glycol. Its dry boiling point (ERBP) is 260°C minimum and wet boiling point (Wet ERBP) is 180°C minimum. It is used in severe-duty vehicles such as fleets and delivery trucks; towing vehicles, and racecars. It can be mixed with DOT 3 or DOT 4 without damage to the system. It maintains higher boiling point than DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluids. It is excellent for severe duty applications particularly for racing of car. It also absorbs moisture out of the atmosphere and thus reduces its boiling point. It can also damage the paint on a vehicle.

[barnabus]

After close inspection and removing the cap I was able to see that tere was still some fluid in the reservior but not much so I just topped it off for now. I dont think air could have got in because it was above the tube but with it being clear I couldnt see thru the reservior.I called my Honda and they said $195.00 to bleed the brakes.They are nutz!

[Gold Rush]

After close inspection and removing the cap I was able to see that tere was still some fluid in the reservior but not much so I just topped it off for now. I dont think air could have got in because it was above the tube but with it being clear I couldnt see thru the reservior.I called my Honda and they said $195.00 to bleed the brakes.They are nutz!

Sounds like you dodged a bullet for now.... If you have good brakes just keep an eye on the fluid level. If it goes down again it would be a good idea to fix the problem. Last thing you want is for those brakes to fail when you need them!!

[Mick]

After close inspection and removing the cap I was able to see that tere was still some fluid in the reservior but not much so I just topped it off for now. I dont think air could have got in because it was above the tube but with it being clear I couldnt see thru the reservior.I called my Honda and they said $195.00 to bleed the brakes.They are nutz!

Unfortunately depending on your kit whether the brakes are linked or unlinked this is the usual cost. On an 1800 the brakes have to be bled sequentially to get the best performance to get all fluid bled and air free. Plus throw in the fact that some owners have front wheel covers with lights or extra accessories on the front end and the service time adds up when doing just a brake bleed.

[JaysGone]

If the trikes a new conversion. The dealer should eat the charges. They may have just missed it on the check list. If its a used bike and after you refill the reservoir and the pedals or hand brake feels "mushy" spent the dollars and have it looked into. Brakes are nothing to sneeze at, safety first.

[cjmitch]

While your at it, check your front reservoir, and clutch.

[SMSgt]

Valvoline DOT3/4 is good brake fluid. Been using it in my trikes brake and clutch unit for about 8 years. All brake fluid is synthetic because its glycol based. The one you have to watch out for is DOT 5 because it is silicone based and will not mix with the others.

Different types of Brake Fluid

There are various types and no. of specifications are available in the world, like FMVSS 116- DOT3, DOT4, DOT5, DOT5.1; SAE-J1703, J1704, J1705; ISO-4025, JIS-K-2233 etc; and OEM also made own specification. Every car owner wants to know about the difference of various types of brake fluid.


Basically there are two type of brake fluids (1) Petroleum (mineral oil) base (2) Non petroleum base. As petroleum base brake fluid is rarely used in automobile industry. Non- petroleum based brake fluid is widely used by the industry. FMVSS-116 brake fluid specification is based upon non- petroleum products and this specification is universal accepted brake fluid specification, so it is better for us to know the difference between the brake fluids in this specification. First of all, it's important to understand the chemical nature of brake fluid. DOT 3, DOT4, DOT5.1 brake fluids are the mixtures of glycols and glycol ethers. DOT 5 is silicone base
The main differences in the brake fluid are as per below :-

1) Boiling point(ERBP)

BRAKE FLUID	MINIMUM BOILING POINT (ERBP) SPECIFICATION
	DRY	WET
DOT 3	205 Deg C	140 Deg C
DOT 4	230 Deg C	155 Deg C
DOT 5	260 Deg C	180 Deg C
DOT 5.1	260 Deg C	180 Deg C

2) Viscosity

Kinematic viscosity: All brake fluids (DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5 & DOT 5.1) must meet a minimum viscosity test of not less than 1.5 centistokes at 100° C and must not be more than the following to meet their various classifications.

BRAKE FLUID	MAXIMUM VISCOSITY AT MINUS 40 Deg C
DOT 3	1500 cst
DOT 4	1800 cst
DOT 5	900 cst
DOT 5.1	900 cst

(3) Color:

The Brake Fluids are available in various colours like Brake Fluid DOT 3 is available in clear, Pale Yellow, Blue & Crimson Red colour, similarly brake fluid DOT 4 is available in Clear, Pale Yellow & Crimson Red colour, brake fluid DOT 5.1 is available Clear, Pale Yellow & Blue colour. Brake Fluid DOT 5 is available in Purple & Violet colour so colour is not a criteria to distinguish between the different types of brake fluids. The color is added in brake fluid to detect the leakage easily and color does not effect the quality of brake fluid.


DOT 3: This brake fluid is a poly glycol base product. Its dry boiling point (ERBP) is 205°C minimum and wet boiling point (Wet ERBP) is 140°C minimum. It absorbs 1 to 2 percent of water per year depending on climate and operating conditions. It is used in most domestic cars and light trucks in normal driving. This brake fluid does not require cleaning the system and can be mixed with DOT 4 and DOT 5.1 without damage the system. This brake fluid absorbs moisture from the atmosphere thus reduces its boiling point (ERBP). It can also damage the paint on a vehicle.

DOT 4:This brake fluid is also based upon poly glycol. Its dry boiling point (ERBP) is 230°C minimum and wet boiling point (Wet ERBP) is 155°C minimum. It is used in medium and higher size of modern cars; and also for vehicles in high-altitude, towing, high-speed braking situations or ABS systems. This brake fluid does not require cleaning the system and it can be mixed with DOT 3,DOT 5.1 without damage to the system. This brake fluid also absorbs moisture out of the atmosphere thus reduces its boiling point (ERBP). It can also damage the paint on a vehicle. The modified poly glycol boric ester DOT4 brake fluid is also available.

DOT 5: This brake fluid is based upon silicone. Its dry boiling point (ERBP) is 260°C minimum and wet boiling point is (Wet ERBP) 180°C. It is used in applications, like for weekend, antique, collector cars that sit for long periods and for some military vehicles. Some car manufacturers are also used in their road driven vehicles. This brake fluid does not mix with DOT 3, DOT 4 or DOT 5.1. It will not absorb water and will not damage the paint on a vehicle. It is also compatible with most rubber formulations. It absorbs more air and giving poor pedal feeling. It is unsuitable for racing due to more compressibility under high temperatures. If as little as one drop of water enters the fluid, severe localized corrosion, freezing or gassing may occur. This can happen because water is heavier and not mixable with silicone fluids thus it is unsuitable for ABS.

DOT 5 fluid is highly compressible due to aeration and foaming under normal braking conditions, providing a spongy brake feel. Poly glycol type fluids are 2 times less compressible than silicone type fluids, even when heated.

DOT 5.1: This brake fluid is also based upon poly glycol. Its dry boiling point (ERBP) is 260°C minimum and wet boiling point (Wet ERBP) is 180°C minimum. It is used in severe-duty vehicles such as fleets and delivery trucks; towing vehicles, and racecars. It can be mixed with DOT 3 or DOT 4 without damage to the system. It maintains higher boiling point than DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluids. It is excellent for severe duty applications particularly for racing of car. It also absorbs moisture out of the atmosphere and thus reduces its boiling point. It can also damage the paint on a vehicle.

I got tired of reading.......sorry.