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1985 vt700c brake fluid? dot 3? Dot 4?

9K views 11 replies 11 participants last post by  adlowe 
#1 ·
So I have been trying to figure out which brake fluid / clutch fluid I should be using from what I've read it should be dot 4 brake fluid however some people say that dot3 brake fluid is just fine I will be changing the fluid completely and bleeding it from top to bottom.

My question is can I use dot 3? Some people suggest that. 4 is necessary because of the heat produced by the brakes... However other people suggest that dot3 is more than adequate for a shadow that you simply will not produce enough heat to require dot4

Furthermore to change both brake reservoirs and the clutch how much fluid will I really need?
 
#2 ·
DOT 3 brake fluid is fine. It shouldn't take more than a bottle of fluid, but I'd buy two. You may need the second, depending on how the bleeding process goes. Some bleed very easily, others not so much.
 
#3 ·
I would use Dot 4 with the higher boiling point, just to be safe. Dot 4 was not available when your Shadow was produced, otherwise it probably would be speced. Do not use brake fluid that has already been opened. Brake fluid sucks in moisture that can corrode metal.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Brake fluid sucks in moisture that can corrode metal.
There's also the issue of water in the brake fluid boiling into steam (should temperature rise high enough) and thereby influence braking performance. I always seem to have an opened can of brake fluid left after a system flush. I keep it around for emergency top offs (It's better than anything else I'll have lying around.) but NEVER use it for a flush-and-fill.

My question is can I use dot 3?
The differences between DOT 3 and DOT 4 are not great enough for me to care when it comes to the Shadow. 4 is marginally better but I'm not riding at the extremes so I go with whatever I need for my pickup. (Don't remember offhand.) Or whatever is still on the shelf when I need to buy more. That's coming next month.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Our old bikes are not the 170 MPH crotch rockets that are on the roads now days. Probably no reason to worry about temperature with normal riding. Here is a chart of different fluids and their temperatures.=

Brake Fluid Type
Nature
Dry Boil Temp
Wet Boil Temp
Color
Common Uses
DOT 3
Glycol
401 F/205 C
284 F/140 C
Colorless to amber

Passenger cars and trucks
DOT 4
Glycol
446 F/230 C
311 F/155 C
Colorless to amber

Passenger cars and trucks
DOT 5
Silicone
500 F/260 C
356 F/180 C
Purple
Military and show vehicles
DOT 5.1
Glycol
518 F/270 C
374 F/190 C
Colorless to amber
Racing cars
[Source: AFCO, USDOT]

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/brakes/brake-tests/how-to-check-brake-fluid2.htm
 
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