Shimano mineral oil in Avid ?

[Konaman]

Can one use Shimano mineral oil in Avid 5 or Juicy disc brakes?

[no calves]

no!!!!! it says clearly on the res. cap use dot 4.5 or dot 5 oil

[GoLefty!!]

No you can't use mineral oil in Avid brakes.

 

DOT 3, DOT 4 or DOT 5.1 are the only brake fluids allowed for technical reasons.

 

[Minion]

 

No. No Calves is also not quite correct, you cannot use DOT 5 fluid. You can only use DOT 4 or DOT 5.1 brake fluids:

[quote name='Park Tool]The Avid? hydraulic disc brake calipers use a DOT 4 or DOT 5.1 fluids. Never use a mineral oil in this system.

[quote=SRAM/Avid]If your brake was filled with brake fluid other than DOT 4 or 5.1' date=' damage to all rubber and plastic internal parts may exist. Commonly used INCORRECT fluid is mineral oil or DOT 5, which is silicone based.[/quote']

Fortunately, since DOT 4 and 5.1 are standard automotive brake fluids (DOT = Department of Transport), you should be able to buy it in bulk from your local Midas or equivalent and not pay the exhorbitant prices for small bottles of 'Avid-specific' fluid from a cycle shop.

 

Finally, since DOT fluids are corrosive, if you spill any on your paintwork, mop it up quickly. It's also generally a good idea to wear gloves and not get too much on your skin.

 

Edman2009-03-15 03:53:13

[GoLefty!!]

do not buy DOT 4 or 5.1 brake fluids in bulk, uy only what you need.

these fluids absorb moisture from atmosphere very quickly which lowers their reflex boiling point lowering performance.

a small 100ml or 250ml bottle is adequate for 2 brake bleeds.

 

[Dirtbreath]

Are their alternatives to using Shimano mineral oil?

[GoLefty!!]

Shimano mineral Oil is just a low viscosity hydraulic oil around ISO 15.

 

Magura blue blood also works well in shimano brakes, although the shimano guys will spin the BS story that this voids the warranty when in fact it does not.

 

the problem with hydraulic oils is that they are only available in 20L drums

 

[Dirtbreath]

 

Shimano mineral Oil is just a low viscosity hydraulic oil around ISO 15.

 

Magura blue blood also works well in shimano brakes' date=' although the shimano guys will spin the BS story that this voids the warranty when in fact it does not.

 

the problem with hydraulic oils is that they are only available in 20L drums

 

[/quote']

 

Thanks lefty. That should last like a million years!

 

[Johan Bornman]

Mineral oil....just a fancy term for oil that comes out of the ground in an assortment of screwed up places like the US, middle east, south America and of course many basket case countries in Africa.

 

Like Lefty says, this oil is used in hydraulic systems so if you work at an earthmoving company you may have a cheap supply of the stuff.

 

If you drive a Jaguar, Rolls Royce or Audi you could syphon some of it off from the power steering reservoir, brake assist circuit or suspension height adjustment system.

 

Note, it is not the same as power steering fluid and only some cars use this oil as power steering fluid.  

 

Every now and then when I need some for my disc brakes, I take 10cc or so from my Rolls' power steering reservoir. It is on motorplan, so it gets a free top-up every time it goes for a service.

 

The rubber used in  brake fluid systems and mineral oil systems is different and the fluids therefore not cross-compatible.

 

I prefer it over brake fluid even brake fluid is very, very cheap. It doesn't each paint and suck water from the atmosphere.

 

Finally, chemists sell mineral oil too. And it is cheap. Unfortuntely this is a laxative (caster oil with some electrolytes, I guess) and this is something completely different from the stuff Shimano sells. The latter does have the same effect on my gut when I swallow the Shimano price though.

 

 

 

Johan Bornman2009-03-15 23:47:49

[Johan Bornman]

No. No Calves is also not quite correct' date=' you cannot use DOT 5 fluid. You can only use DOT 4 or DOT 5.1 brake fluids:
[quote=Park Tool]The Avid? hydraulic disc brake calipers use a DOT 4 or DOT 5.1 fluids. Never use a mineral oil in this system.

[quote name='SRAM/Avid]If your brake was filled with brake fluid other than DOT 4 or 5.1' date=' damage to all rubber and plastic internal parts may exist. Commonly used INCORRECT fluid is mineral oil or DOT 5, which is silicone based.[/quote']
Fortunately, since DOT 4 and 5.1 are standard automotive brake fluids (DOT = Department of Transport), you should be able to buy it in bulk from your local Midas or equivalent and not pay the exhorbitant prices for small bottles of 'Avid-specific' fluid from a cycle shop.

Finally, since DOT fluids are corrosive, if you spill any on your paintwork, mop it up quickly. It's also generally a good idea to wear gloves and not get too much on your skin.

 

Edit: Just noticed the silicone story was covered in the thread. 

Johan Bornman2009-03-15 23:51:13

[Wyatt Earp]

 

I thinks it's been covered.