Brake fluid for road course
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peter pan (03-03-2018)
#3
Race Director
Valvoline dot4. If you have to ask, you're not fast enough to even need that, you just need new fluid. But it's cheap and available everywhere.
Buy cheap dot3 or 4 and make sure your fluid is fresh before every track weekend and you'll be happier and never notice a difference.
Buy cheap dot3 or 4 and make sure your fluid is fresh before every track weekend and you'll be happier and never notice a difference.
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peter pan (03-04-2018)
#6
Burning Brakes
This would also be an excellent question in this sub-forum as well:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...roadracing-23/
Lots of threads about road course stuff and great, knowledgeable people!
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...roadracing-23/
Lots of threads about road course stuff and great, knowledgeable people!
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peter pan (03-05-2018)
#8
Although Motul RBF600 is the best Dot 4 fluid with the highest boiling point for guys that will get the fluid close to boiling points each track event (dry boiling point 594F/401 wet), it's a little expensive at close to $65 a quart, and over kill for the novice once in a blue moon autocros'r still running street pads that may never get the brake fluid close to that boiling point isntead.
Walmart has Castrol dot 4 (dry boiling point of 509F) for about $20 a quart, as well as Preston that is the same boiling point (dry 510F) and the same price in the end, but wallmart only carriers it in the 12oz bottle isntead
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Castrol-B...1918#read-more
Note, stay away from the Valvoline 3&4 highbreed, since it has a lower dry boiling point of 480F instead.
And yes, you want to power bleed the old fluid out after the weekend event, since the closer you get to the boiling point of the fluid, the more its going to wick in the humidly moisture out of the air, to cause more water in the fluid, dropping the boils point of fluid closer to it wet point instead.
P.s, the service manual calls out for the brake and clutch fluids to be power bleed changed every two years for street use; for the same moisture water problem in the fluid too. It just due to racing causing the fluid to get hotter than say street use, that excels the rate of which the fluid is going to adsorb moisture instead.
Walmart has Castrol dot 4 (dry boiling point of 509F) for about $20 a quart, as well as Preston that is the same boiling point (dry 510F) and the same price in the end, but wallmart only carriers it in the 12oz bottle isntead
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Castrol-B...1918#read-more
Note, stay away from the Valvoline 3&4 highbreed, since it has a lower dry boiling point of 480F instead.
And yes, you want to power bleed the old fluid out after the weekend event, since the closer you get to the boiling point of the fluid, the more its going to wick in the humidly moisture out of the air, to cause more water in the fluid, dropping the boils point of fluid closer to it wet point instead.
P.s, the service manual calls out for the brake and clutch fluids to be power bleed changed every two years for street use; for the same moisture water problem in the fluid too. It just due to racing causing the fluid to get hotter than say street use, that excels the rate of which the fluid is going to adsorb moisture instead.
Last edited by Dano523; 03-05-2018 at 10:19 AM.
#10
Drifting
RBF600 for an HPDE/fun in mountains car
Castrol SRF for a TT/W2W/Sanctioned bodied race car.
That reasoning is for cost as I would not spend SRF money on a DE/fun car.
Castrol SRF for a TT/W2W/Sanctioned bodied race car.
That reasoning is for cost as I would not spend SRF money on a DE/fun car.
#11
Race Director
When I was running SCCA and IMSA we would boil the best DOT 5 silicone fluid you could buy in the early 1980's if you were not careful. When the fluid boils the brakes go away and you have to start using the transmission which is much more, risky at best. We would change fluid after every practice or qualifying session. I agree that Motul is very good. If you are running long races you need to be easy on the brakes to make it to the checkerd flag in one piece.
#12
When I was running SCCA and IMSA we would boil the best DOT 5 silicone fluid you could buy in the early 1980's if you were not careful. When the fluid boils the brakes go away and you have to start using the transmission which is much more, risky at best. We would change fluid after every practice or qualifying session. I agree that Motul is very good. If you are running long races you need to be easy on the brakes to make it to the checkerd flag in one piece.
#13
So throw in qualifier runs where you are pushing even harder that you will in any race, and you going to be going threw gallons of the fluids each weekend with all the flushes isntead.
So we need to back this up, and get down to nitty-gritty of someone just getting into HDPE events on a stock car, where about the only thing they need to do is change out the brake pads to ones like the powerstops they will not burn up for the event, and power flush the old fluid out after the week end is over with something like new Dot 4 , all while keeping the cost down as well.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ds-review.html
As for if the point comes that you start running R6's (or another tire with that much track grip, over a standard dot road tire) with their increased grip, then a hell of lot better fluid since you will be braking even harder, even higher race temp pads will be needed, as well as wheel hubs since you will trashing the OEM in record time flat to due the increase torque to the hubs on cornering too.
#15
#17
Burning Brakes
Price of Motul:
https://www.amazon.com/Motul-RBF-Rac.../dp/B005UGKKW2
Slightly higher at your local motor cycle shop.
https://www.amazon.com/Motul-RBF-Rac.../dp/B005UGKKW2
Slightly higher at your local motor cycle shop.
Last edited by TomdaToolman; 03-08-2018 at 04:56 AM.
#18
Tech Contributor
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Sox-Fan (03-08-2018)
#19
Former Vendor
A good read of the options and values from many suppliers.
BRAKE FLUID FOR DUMMIES
*Currently up to 83 different brands.
BRAKE FLUID FOR DUMMIES
*Currently up to 83 different brands.
Last edited by Todd TCE; 03-08-2018 at 09:26 AM.
#20
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Jul 2010
Location: Tacoma, Wa/Surprise, Az
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Dot 4, what 96GS mentioned. Never the Silicone versions. I'm more concerned with temperature range and frequency of replacement than synthetic or non-synthetic. Motul has always worked well for me even when I've faded my brake pads (XP-10's) during burnishing sessions.