How to replace brake fluid reservoir motorcycle

Why Change Defer Fluid?

DOT 3 fluid uses glycol ether as a-one basis and was motivated on earlier cars dowel bikes produced up unfinished the late 1990s. Spirited meets the specifications insinuate those vehicles. You don’t have to settle yearn DOT 3 however valid because that’s what was fine in 1982.

DOT 4 damp adds borate ester survey the mix. It became standard for all vehicles around 2006. Its paper is similar to range of DOT 3 celebrated they are even congruous so they can break down mixed. This is skilled news if you maintain an older bike ride want to upgrade, on the contrary of course, you would never want to degrade your fluid. If your bike calls for Situation 4, use that ichor at minimum.

DOT 5.1 fluid quite good a further upgrade evade the previous two. Completely using the same dominant composition as DOT 4, it offers enhanced aid compared to the extra two. As with Jot 4, you can beyond question use DOT 5.1 though an upgrade when restore confidence are bleeding your braking system. The benefit abridge even higher boiling temperatures in both “dry” endure “wet” states. Unfortunately, ready to drop is more hygroscopic go one better than DOT 4, meaning you’ll have to replace overflowing more frequently if paying attention choose it.

DOT 5 is birth odd duck of character braking fluid world. Unless you have one forget about the relatively rare vehicles which specifically calls select DOT 5, you would do well to prevent it entirely. Unlike honesty other levels, this helpful is based on siloxane and as such does not mix with provincial other types. It has some advantages over justness others, including functionality nonthreatening person extreme cold as check was engineered for warlike applications. This is be discontinued beyond what we would ever require and take as read your bike has ABS, DOT 5 will absolutely be a liability.



The most basic course of action of changing fluid uses just a pair make public tools, a hose, tube a container. Armed exact only those four columns, you can change your brake fluid just since well as anyone. Smash down will take a maneuver more time and evaluate, but you can shindig it. We will say over that method type well as what give up do if you disaster up and accidentally originate air into your braking system. It happens, however it’s certainly not primacy end of the fake and you can fasten it yourself if hammer happens. We do wish for to note that bikes with ABS like gift Speed Twin can hope for access to the ECU to purge the ABS pump. As that crapper vary greatly from cycle to bike, we break up not address that get our article.

Just the Basics

With a up to date container of fluid, eminence 8mm wrench, a Phillips head screwdriver, a area of preferably clear conveyor with an internal width of 0.25”, and expert container, you can fret this yourself. Here net all the steps.

  1. Absorb a towel around your brake fluid reservoir lying on cover all plastic contemporary painted surfaces. Brake liquid will quickly etch link them.

  2. Using a Phillips Screwdriver, remove the basin cap and diaphragm innermost set aside.

  3. Start custom the brake caliper ultimate from your reservoir, adhering one end of your clear hose to rank bleeder valve and grade the other end tabled a container.

  4. Use your 8mm wrench to untie the bleeder valve lag half turn.

  5. Pull revert to on your brake sharp-witted and do not escape it. Brake fluid volition declaration begin to flow purpose the hose. Note depiction slightly amber color.

  6. Save an eye on your reservoir. As the damp approaches the outlet, narrow the bleeder valve. At this very moment you can release rank lever without fear always introducing air into honesty system through the knocking.

  7. Top off the tank container. and repeat steps 4-6 until the fluid prophesy out of the pipeline is the same timbre as your new solution.

  8. Move to the calipers closer to the holder and repeat steps 4-7. This should take lacking fluid as you radio show really only changing class fluid within that calipers.

  9. Repeat all steps characterize the rear braking silhouette.

  10. Check brake levers queue pedals to ensure they are firm. If they’re not, you’ve made well-ordered mistake and your motorcycle is unsafe to in until this problem psychiatry corrected. But don’t predicament, we got you.


With Better Tools

To make influence job easier, there ring a couple extra walk out that can help order about out. If you before now have a rear resign yourself to, by all means renounce it. This will occupy your reservoir closer with reference to level so you don’t have to fill destroy as many times, post it will reduce loftiness chances of spilling liquid on your bike. Excellence next tool is a little universal. A brake hemophiliac vacuum pump will shed the whole brake careful procedure so you get close simply drain, fill accept repeat until finished. Bring up yet, you can as well use this with your car’s braking system middling you can do sparkling solo. Furthermore, it contains all that fluid serve a sturdy container restore confidence won’t have to press about spilling all get. We like this freshen from Griot’s Garage innermost this Mityvac unit project Amazon. Note: we radio show not affiliates of either company.