As my scooby is due for it's 30000 mile service and the brake fluid will be changed as routine on this one, what brake fluid do subaru uk dealers use in their prodrive/alcon brake upgrade kit if different to standard, and can they supply braided hoses on their own without buying the upgrade kit

cheers
topdog

 

Well, STi do hoses, but I don't know if they are available there or not. They fit both the floating callipers and 4 pots, so are pretty nice IMHO - leaving room for further OEM upgrades if that is your bent (dunno what you have on, so forgive me if it sounds daft). I bet they are more expensive than Goodridge though - they seem to be about a third of the price (in the UK) of mesh hoses here in Japan

Hope this helps a bit.

 

i bought some braided hoses from Peter Lloyd Rallying in bridgend for £50, my dealer fitted them for before i picked the car up
mark

 

If you ask your dealer to use DOT5.1 then they will (mine did and then put in big black pen dot 5.1 on the resovoir )

Tony

 

thanks guys
tony, did the dealer supply the DOT 5.1

 

Topdog,
Yup the dealer supplied the DOT 5.1

Tony

 

TSL have just fitted some Goodridge hoses, and have supplied Dot 4.
What is the difference between the two?

 

It's basically the boiling point of the fluid. Also, DOT 3/4 are Glycol-based and absorb water from the brake system, DOT5.1 is Silicon-based and doesn't.

These pages might help explain the differences:-

http://www.tirekingdom.com/purch/brkfluid.html
http://www.vtr.org/maintain/brake-fluids.html

Stefan

 

Cheers mate!

 

A DOT 5.1 doesn't always outperform a DOT 4 fluid though.

 

Well it should, since the boiling point is higher with DOT 5.1, you get less fading. And when it boils, the DOT 4 will absorb water, creating a spongy pedal, when the DOT 5.1 wont.

You've gotta explain that one to me, ChrisB.

NB: I didnt quote you, happy?

 

ozzy - I'm pretty sure that DOT 5 is silicon based but DOT 5.1 is glycol based. Hang on a minute I'll just pop to the garage to check

 

In the garage I have some AP Lockheed DOT 5.1 brake fluid. On the container it says "Non silicon based. Dry boiling point 270C, wet boiling point 186C. Contains Polyalkylene glycol esters and ethers".