Every motorist who takes care of his car knows when to cut the engine, but he does not always have a clear idea of the life of the brake fluid, the pads and the discs . When should I change the brake oil? After how many kilometers should brake discs, pads and drums be changed ? Now that we know how the brakes work, how the pads are produced and the test wings have to overcome the quality brakes, we are ready to clarify in the video under the less talked-out curiosities to always keep the car’s brakes in order, with Konstantin Vikulov , Manager quality brake pads from TRW .
OIL AND BRAKE FLUID – Should we call it oil or simply brake fluid? The correct name would be “brake fluid”, however the name of oil given to it by the mechanics leads back to the origins of vegetable-based brake oil . On some road or racing cars, in fact, around the 50s and 60s castor oil was used with antioxidants, methyl or ethyl alcohol. Over time, the brake fluid formulation has also changed, but without ever losing the label and its characteristics: incompressibility and hygroscopicity.
The more hygroscopic the brake fluid is, the shorter the replacement intervals are. As Konstantin Vikulov of TRW explains, the most widespread brake fluidDOT 4 should be changed every 2 years or 50,000 km , while for DOT 5.1-6.1 liquids, more thirsty for water, it is advisable to replace them every 6 months. However, for each engine coupon a check should be made for any leaks and boiling point. We have learned that water and heat are the main culprits of failures; see what happens to poor quality brakes. But where does the water find the door open to mix with the brake fluid?
WATER IS FLEXIBLE FROM THE FLEXIBLE – The most vulnerable and stressed braking point is definitely near the brake caliper, where the flexible pipes connect the pistons to the brake distributor (distributes 70-80% of force to the front brakes and the rest to the rear ones). The hoses are quite robust, since they are built with different layers of vulcanized rubber and synthetic fiber braids to resist when the steering wheel is turned.
