Mineral oil for brake systems. Brake fluids for cars - types, compatibility
You bought a bike. And whether you thought how many different chemical chemicals can, and some and need to pour, smear, labeled, splash into your favorite great? Interesting? Let's figure out the diversity of lubricants and oils used in modern bikes.
Here's a picture made by the kindly provided by a friend Barlog C Bicycle Virk.
So where do we use all kinds of chemistry during operation or maintenance? Let's decide.
Let's start with obvious places. In the fork, the oil, in the brakes (they are hydraulic), too, should be splashing. Chain something with smear - also liquid. Everything? No, not all. Not everyone.
Let me remind you that this material is not an instruction manual and a guide to the selection of lubricants. Everything is based on purely personal experience. Some lubricants do not need to be replaced by the entire service life of the node, or even the bike. Some nodes are simply maintenance free. I strongly recommend maintenance in authorized service centers, and for the lack of such - in qualified mechanics with straight hands. This will warn in many sorrow, believe me.
Fork. We will assume that you have an air plug - it is there that the maximum variety of oils - 3-4 types. This can only be understood when the bulkhead is.
The strangest oil is a liquid seal of the air chamber. The most viscous, poured in a small volume right into the air chamber. Rock Shox recommends pouring fork oil by viscosity 15W, FOX offers its oil.
Without liquid sealing, the air chamber will ride air and rubber rings on the piston, most likely will not live for a long time.
The damper is a fork oil. In different manufacturers of different viscosity, in accordance with manuals. I use Motul. If it is not possible to use corporate oil, of course. Often, manufacturers are wise with the viscosity of corporate oils, forcing them to buy exactly their product. But the same stuft oils of different viscosity, but one series is perfectly mixed, which allows you to get all possible intermediate viscosity values \u200b\u200bfor any needs.
All the same fork oil is used to lubricate the feet fork. Some manufacturers of forks are another viscosity other than the damper. Some have the same straight, from the damper, thanks to the design.
There is another type of lubricant in forks. Mounting. It is usually applied to new anthers and is designed to prevent the zaming of the rubber band when assembling and facilitate installation. It, being essentially disposable, is completely replaced by any teflon or silicone lubricant when assembling forks.
The rear shock absorber is functionally and in a large constructive look like a plug. Yes, and oils are used there as in fork.
Separately, it is worth adding that replacing the oils recommended by the manufacturer is permissible only to be similar to the appointment and characteristics. In the plug / shock absorber - only hydraulic fork oil. No mooring there is no longer able to pour. Too different purposes from them.
With a fork, it seems to have figured out. Next, according to plan - brakes. Consider the hydraulic, because there is no particular in mechanical lubricants.
The working fluid in the bike brakes is 2 species. Either it is all known torracks (dot3, 4, 5.1) or it mineral oil. If you have brakes on dot, and this is written on the lid of the expansion tank or the body of the brake handle, then there are no problems with the fluid replacement. What is written - then the clock when pumping. It is usually a padded brake from any auto shop. In principle, DOT 3, 4 and 5.1 are completely interchangeable. They have different boiling temperatures and some more, not particularly significant for bike parameters. But, if you ride, for example, downhill, and extremely warm brakes - it makes sense to not replace the specified DOT manufacturer with nothing else.
If you have brakes on mineral oil - here you will have to reflect in more detail. From all brake manufacturers, the mineral oil marked Shimano, Tektro, Magura, GatorBrakes and some more completely little-known offices. As the practice of using and statistics in workshops - brakes on mineral oil holds confident leadership.
I am constantly asked what is better - dot or mineral oil? I will answer. Yes, no difference. In the summer for sure. If drinking them is better, of course mineral oil. DOT is still toxic. If you do not take inside and follow the precautions when working is better than DOT due to its physical properties. If you ride in winter - then mineral oil some firms can just thicken. Because of its non-aggressiveness to rubber seals, some brake manufacturers save on these most seals, which often leads to them in the cold and leakage of oil from the system. The brakes on DOT are completely delivered from such a defect.
Mineral oil for cycling brakes is simply clouded firms. All brake manufacturers on oil must make their own, native. Plus consumables manufacturers. As the long-term use practice has shown, all of them are interchangeable, and differ only in color. Shimano reddish, Magura blue, Alligator green and so on. By the way, the color is a resource indicator, both in DOT and mineral oil.
Regarding the replacement of mineral oil by other liquids, I will say that it is categorically not recommended brake manufacturers. But, as they say, there are no rules without exception. An example of this can serve a rim hydraulic brake Magura HS33 used in cycling. The brake is so loved by trialists for a huge braking force and accurate work - practically "shop standard". At one time it was fashionable to pump these brakes ... with water. Conventional water from under the tap. Apparently, due to a large amount of water dissolved in water, the brake becomes "softer" than on the oil. But this method is very highly specialized, therefore we will leave it to the crusher to the trialists. If not going to such extreme deburs, it is worth remembering that mineral oil with similar characteristics is found in modern carsSo in auto shops. In the old right-handed Japanese brake machines were on mineral oil. A B. modern machines It is present in the clutch hydraulics and in the GUR system (hydraulic steering amplifier). This liquid has a Citroen LHM certificate and is manufactured by all manufacturers of automotive, often directly under this name. Also similar by properties are easily accessible on sale hydraulic fluid AJ12T for combine tractors, and some analogues from the aviation industry. All this, of course suitable, but it is rather an extreme emergency replacement in case that there is absolutely nothing. The only thing that should never be done is to replace mineral oil on DOT. On the contrary, it is also not desirable. In the overwhelming majority of cases, this leads to the death of the brakes. And at any time after such incorrect pumping.
And again, I will say separately that the brakes should be pumped by the fact that they recommended their manufacturer. All other replaces are simply dangerous, because the brakes are not the bicycle knot, over which it is thoughtlessly experiment. Error price here is your health.
Wheels. Here everything is simple - consystem grease In bearings and sealant at will in the chambers. For lubrication of the bearings of the sleeves, any consistency grease is suitable. Litol, Ciathim, their foreign analogues (thousands of them), Teflon lubricants (for example, Weldtite TF2), Sls lubricants - all variety of modern lubricants is suitable for use. Personally, I prefer to use Teflon lubricant. If you have sleeves on industrial bearings, you should not worry about lubricant. They were already smeared at the factory. Cyatim or its analogue.
If you have tubeless tires - then without a special sealant you can not do. Something like this
Approximately the same is the case with the steering and carriage. The carriages have long been maintained for a long time - so the carriage does not have to lubricate.
Chain. I will not go into details and subtleties of all options for lubricating the chain. Thousands of holivarians and swearing pages on cycle orders finished this controversial question. Therefore, I'll just tell you how to service the chain.
Having tried many options I came to the optimal, in my opinion, in terms of labor costs and material investments. So, the chain is dirty. Shed her WD40 - she will displace moisture and soften the dirt. We wash it with the White spirit or gasoline "Kalosh" in a cleaning typewriter or capacitance with a lid (like, you do not have a lock on the chains? I recommend putting.). Wipe dry. We apply a lubricant for each roller chain. If the chain is clean, without strong contaminants - you can skip the first points, replacing them with a rubbing chain with a rag. But even the most pure and shiny outside the chain must be rinsed at least sometimes. The new chain is usually in the conservative lubricant, and it is not worth lubricant
The lubricants for the chain, by the way, is also a subject of fierce disputes - there will always be an ardent adherents of any brand and hate of the other. Moreover, often, such polar opinions are emotionally and unfounded, except for personal addictions and the presence of cherished jars in the nearest store. I myself use two types of lubrication in my work. On dry weather perfectly proven aerosol grease from Permatex
.
For crude weather, oddly enough, it is. Only the mileage between lubricants is strongly reduced from about 100-150 km in dry weather, up to 60km or even less in crude. There is an option to lubricate the chain of oil for chains of chainsaw. The option is very good, given the low cost of this consumor compared to the "cycling" oil and excellent properties. But this version is simultaneously complicated for use because of the need to accurately dispense the oil for lubrication by very small portions.
It is categorically impossible to smear the chain of motor and transmission oils. Motor oilUnlike the chain, it is designed to spray from the lubricated nodes, creating a "oil fog" in the closed space of the crankcase. Being applied to the chain, it also sprinkles on switches, sleeves, asterisks, wheels, knitting needles, your pants. Along the way, thanks to the washing additives, all these splashes are very dirty and difficult. Despite the whole bike with oil completely, the chain can be full of sand and grincling.
It is absolutely impossible to smear the chain with consistency lubricants. After lubricating the same Litol, the chain in a short time collects all available dirt from the street, turning into a piece of black mud. Fix the chain after such a lubricant is extremely difficult. The switch also fails pretty quickly in such conditions.
Therefore, relative to the chain one simple recommendation - the chain is lubricating only with chain oil. You will not be in the engine of your car to fill the chain oil or shove Litol?
Well, it seems to be all. It remains to add about small amounts of lithium or silicone lubricant In the shirts, gear switches, cable shirts - but these nodes are usually blurred at the factory, and maintenance do not require.
Let's summarize. Bicycle, of course easier car For many parameters, but modern technologies that have made your bike convenient, fast and relatively safe sports shell, do not give way to the car. And therefore, the level of maintenance of the modern bicycle must comply with the applied technologies. And the number of consumables lubricants And there is no additional chemistry to be surprised, it is probably not worth it.
Fork oil 5w.
10w fork oil
Fork oil 15w.
Oil for air chamber fork / shock absorber
Universal consistency lubricant - lithium or teflon
Brake fluid DOT or mineral oil for brakes (depending on the brake model)
Sealant for tubeless tires
WD-40
Petrol
Chain grease.
In addition to this list, you can recommend various cleaners, polyroli, dirt-tolls, and so on.
Successful pokatushek to you.
Bicycle brakes of different manufacturers can have significant constructive differences, but one principle of them combines unconditionally: the replacement of the brake fluid must be carried out once a year, regardless of how well the brake system works well or poorly.
If a cyclist holds a long time in the saddle and drives around the terrain, where frequent, strong or sharp braking is required, it is possible that the replacement of the brake fluid will need even more often: once every six months.
Visually determine the need to replace the liquid is easy: by setting the brake lever parallel to the surface of the earth and, by reloading the lid of the expansion tank, the cyclist can evaluate whether foreign impurities are available in the brake fluid, whether its color has changed, whether it has become muddy. All of the above factors indicate the need to replace the oil.
Preliminary preparation for self-replacement
To avoid pollution oil fluid Brake pads, it is recommended before replacing the oil to dismantle them from the bike. The wheels for the same reason are preferably covered with something.
Selecting the liquid for the brake system of its bike, it is important to adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations. Replace original oil Analogs for brake systems Car do not: automotive oil It may not coincide with viscosity parameters, contain additives that are not suitable for bicycles.
In addition, automotive fluids can destroy rubber seals, which will damage the entire bike brake system.
Tools for replacement of brake fluid
Before starting self-replacement Bicycle brake fluid, you need to take care of the toolkit. They will need a little: cross screwdriver, wrench number 7, a set of hex keys, a container for the drain of waste oil, a segment of a plastic tube and a medical syringe (optional, but a very convenient device for the oil bay).
Replacing the brake fluid
To drain the waste liquid you need to wear a cut tube on the valve brake caliper (Caliper) and with a wrench open it by sending a free end of the tube into a drain container.
Pressing the brake lever contributes to the drainage of waste fluid. Making sure that the fluid merged completely, you can move to the filling of the hydraulic system with fresh oil.
To do this, with the help of a medical syringe or manually, you need to fill out expansion tank To the very edges, and click on the brake handle several times. The liquid will begin to go into hydrolynes, squeezing air bubbles. As the liquid level decreases in the tank, it must be treated for a little, so that the tank does not remain completely empty.
When the hydrolynium is filled to failure, and excess fluid will be pulled out from the tube to the supplied drain container, the caliper valve can be closed.
The system should not contain air - this is checked by pressing on the brake: Soft and sluggish pressing indicates the presence of air. In this case, the valve must again open and add brake fluid, pressing on the brake handle until the feeling of hard press appears.
Tightly closing the brake caliper valve, and removing the tube, you need to add liquid into the expansion tank to the vertex, after which the tank cover can be twisted.
Beginner cyclists who do not understand all the intricacies of the work of the bicycle and care for it, probably faced with questions on the operation of the brake system. A handle was sold, new blocks are badly slowed down when changing the brake fluid - we will try to answer our article to the main questions.
Running in new brakes
All new disc brakes, brakes after overhaul, or partial replacement of components need running time. In this case, it does not matter - mechanical or hydraulic. During the period of running, the efficiency of the brakes is reduced, so jumping "from the room in the quarry" and use the brakes to the entire coil is not desirable. Special attention should be paid to new brakes when the brake disc is not tied simultaneously, and the pads. We should not forget about running and when replacing the brake pads - in this case, the duration of the runoff is reduced.
During the running period, there are 2 important points. First - The smooth surface of new brake pads should be rough. Second - The brake pad material should get into the surface of the brake disc. Due to the running, the brake work improves - braking becomes more smooth, the efficiency of the entire system increases, vibration disappears and foreign sounds.
When running brakes, you can make a set of events:
- Make 3-4 stops slightly stronger than normal braking. It will warm up the rotors so that when the running does not happen the temperature blow.
- Make 8-10 strong braking without stopping, for example, from 35 km / h to 5 km / h.
- In the process of braking, you can feel that the brakes have become "wadded" - this is the norm, because They have greatly heated. After braking, ride 5-10 minutes so that the rotors can cool from the incident air flow.
Mineral oil or dot?
In hydraulic disc brakes For transmission effort from the brake handle on the brake pistons of Caliper, a special brake fluid is used. In the process of the evolution of bicycle brake systems, manufacturers came to two standards "TORROSUhi" - dot and mineral oil.
- DOT (US DEPARTMENT OF Transportation) - became the common name of the working brake fluid in vehicles (not only in bicycles). Key feature of dot'a is a high boiling point of the liquid. At the same time, the boiling point decreases when dot begins to absorb water, so ideally change dot every 12-18 months.
- Mineral oil - produced from oil and is a mixture of hydrocarbons separated from gasoline. It is used in different industries (including cosmetology), including used as brake fluid. Liquid compression levels and boiling point are approximately similar to dot.
All other things being equal, the boiling point of mineral oil and dot is approximately the same, but "mineral water" has one an important nuance - She does not absorb moisture, but accumulates it in the hydraulic system. If the accumulated water reduces the efficiency of the brakes, then in the "mineral unit" at high temperatures of the brakes the water evaporates and leads to the failure of the system failure. Similarly, the brakes on the "mineral milk" are not recommended to be used in the cold season, since the water accumulated in the system during freezing is expanding and the gums of the pistons in a caliper or the brake knob may simply be simply squeezed. Treaty and starting to slow down, it can be found that there are no brakes, so when using the bicycle year-round use, it is recommended to use a brakes onto dot or change to mechanical analogs.
Another very important nuance - brake fluids Not interchangeable! Systems designed to work on "mineral milk" will not work on dot and vice versa. Such systems like Avid / Sram, Formula, Hayes and Hope Use dot 4 or 5.1. Systems Magura, Shimano.and Tektro. Use "mineral water".
Brake pads - organic or metal?
Organic brake pads are made from a mixture of fibers and connecting them resin. Due to the softer structure, it is believed that they are much quieter of their metal analogues. However, the silence has a reverse side of the medal - they quickly overheat and during long-term braking begin to lose their properties. In addition, in conditions of dampness, their wear is significantly increased, there were examples when the pads were fully rated with a short trip to the rain.
Metallized pads have much greater reliability, because In their composition, metal fibers compressable at high temperatures. They are better tolerant dirt and dampness, they are not so wear out when moisture is hit, and their key difference from the organic is that they do not lose their properties and retain efficiency with long-term braking. The main minus is noise when working and overheated by hydraulic fluid.
I still brake perfectly, is it necessary to serve?
It is the opinion that the maintenance of brakes includes only timely replacement of the pads. As we found out above, the replacements require not only the pads, but also the brake fluid, preferably - once a year or two, depending on the intensity of use.
The first plan comes out of air and fluid in the brake system. Over time, the brake handle begins to fall to the infraces, the braking efficiency is reduced and the brake pumping is required. As the brakes can be used service maintenance Handles and Caliper - either full busting system or a bulkhead with partial replacement Rubber and seals.
Four brake care councils:
- Try not to pollute the brake system. Be careful with the lubricant chain - it is desirable not to use a spray smear and a chain cleaner in the form of a spray, since the oil or cleaning agents on a fatty-based basis are out of construction. When you wash a bicycle, try not to knock down the dirt from the bike and chains towards the rotor.
- Remove the rotor cleaning agent for brakes. Special solvent-based remedies remove pollution and oil particles from pads and rotors, which increases the efficiency of brakes.
- Check the tightening of the bolts or fastening the center-lock rotors. With a poorly tightening, the rotor begins to "walk", causing vibrations and reducing the efficiency of the brakes, which can lead to an accident.
- Inspection hydrolynes and mechanisms for the presence of leaks. Wear no one excluded - it is quite likely that with the time of the gum can be crying, come into disrepair and the hydraulic fluid will flow. Early diagnosis allows you to solve the problem with the smallest losses, while riding with a flow can fail the pistons and other details.
Hydraulic brakes on a bicycle provide the predicted response rate, absolute accuracy, and they are much more powerful mechanical, therefore are installed mainly for the extreme and high-speed type of riding.
The mechanism of the hydraulics is similar to mechanical: the brakes begin to work as a result of the tension of the cables, but in the hydraulic system, the brake fluid works instead of cables, and the lever and eccentric are replaced by a cylindrophone group.
Therefore, hydraulic brakes are much easier to slow down, because when braking less effort is spent than in mechanical.
But, unlike the mechanics, the hydraulic brakes are much more difficult to repair, with a test of hydrolynas it is impossible to repair the system on hiking conditions, the only thing that can be taken without professional equipment is to pump the braking system.
About what bicycle brakes are, you can read.
Structure of hydraulics
The hydraulic brake consists of a "tank" with a liquid on the brake handle, the hydrolynya and caliper, consisting of a cylinder and piston.
The braking reaction begins as a result of pressing the brake lever, which leads to a movement of the piston, and in turn it squeezes the liquid from the main reservoir and directs it to the hydraulic line to the workspace.
In the cylinder under the pressure of the liquid, the piston movements come in the movement and affect the blocks, the braking occurs as a result of friction.
Cylindrical mechanism B. brake machine Always larger in size than in the control lever, so the pressure on the brake pads is performed in a reinforced size, much higher than the pressure on the lever.
Bicycles, scooters, components
Also, the load is enhanced by setting several brake cylinders.
Breakdown mechanism
The main sign of the hydraulic breakdown is "falling out" brake handle when braking.
This is due to the appearance of air bubbles in the hydraulic system, due to the fall, lowering the level of fluid or the rupture of the connected circuit inside the hydraulics.
The air is compressed when the air is compressed, creates pressure, leads to the movement of the pistons and starts the mechanism.
To clarify the cause of the failure, it is necessary to eliminate the usual contamination, and the pads are removed for this, the brake machine is cleaned.
After that, the pistons are pressed by specialness: it is pressed on the brake lever to the full extension of both pistons, if they are jammed - the cylindrical system is worn, in this case the pistons and special sealing rings are changing, oil is replaced in the system.
Also, independent triggering of the brakes can occur as a result of jamming the brake piston after water from entering.
Hydraulics must be repaired even with minor failures.
In addition to mechanical damage to the shell, over time, the brake fluid or hydraulic oil changes its consistency and begins to absorb air and moisture through microscopic gaps.
As a result, the fluid changes its color, the brake lever fails, the efficiency of the system is reduced.
Air penetration is also possible due to the expansion of the tank, this happens if you pull the lever on the inverted bike.
To resume normal operation it is necessary to hold maintenance Hydraulic brakes on a bicycle: completely pump hydraulic system.
Through hydraulics
The hydraulic fluid differs from different manufacturers.
In the hydraulic system of bicycles, the company Shimanu, Tektru, Maguru - Mineral or semi-synthetic oilsAll other firms use dot brake fluid.
It should also be borne in mind that in AVIT and Formulu hydraulics there are no connecting tubes for pumping, so the syringe kit with a sleeve M5 / 0.8 will be needed.
The main difference between liquids: the brake fluid dot is hygroscopic, that is, over time, it absorbs moisture and can lose its properties, it should be changed every 2 years, regardless of the mileage, but oil does not absorb moisture, but over time it darkens, and if all the water It will fall into the fluid, then when mixed, it becomes "whites".
In addition, mineral oils are chemically not aggressive and does not harm the plastic or paint and varnish bike coating.
Methods of service
There are two ways to maintain hydraulic bike brakes:
Direct pumping
With direct pumping of the hydraulic system, the oil is poured directly into the expansion tank and after clamping the lever is sent down the hydraulic system.
In the process of work, it is necessary to constantly trace the oil level indicator and pour a new portion of the liquid to prevent the tank emptying, while tapping the key or screwdriver over the tank and hydrolynium to drive out the air from the system.
During the passage of fluid, the hose overlaps, after that he drops several times to the limit of the lever and the valve opens. Under the influence of pressure, the air passes into the pipe, holds the brake lever and the valve overlaps.
In the expansion tank, the fluid is hung and it continues until the oil of a homogeneous consistency and without air bubbles appears.
At the end of the operation, brake fluid is added, and the tank closes.
Reverse pumping
- 200 ml syringe is introduced through a short tube on the caliper valve;
- The lever overlaps and air from the caliper and the hydraulic cord is absorbed;
- Caliper's valve overlaps, the hose with a syringe is disconnected, air bubbles are squeezed;
- The syringe is inserted into place and the procedures are repeated until the air purification of hydraulics is completely cleansing;
- The next step is to complete the hydraulic system of the brake fluid.
This method is convenient to pump fluid in brakes, if you cannot squeeze all air from the system with direct pumping. And pumping in the first way requires more time.
Also, in this way the air is reaping from the opposite half of the caliper without its own valve.
Detailed video equipment for maintenance of hydraulic brakes:
Torkemose - this is one of the most important elements bicycle. They can be mechanical - it is when the cable is used to transmit energy from the handle to the braking mechanism, as well as hydraulic, in this variant used brake fluid. ()
Basically, each manufacturer recommends its fluids for hydraulic brakes, produces special mineral oil and does not recommend using something else. Hope recommends using car brake fluid DOT 4 or DOT 5.1.
High requirements are presented to fluids:
1) the liquid should not cause corrosion of metals, as well as destroy the glands and seals;
2) fluids should be resistant to low temperatures, should not be thick and freeze;
3) should also be resistant to high temperatures, should not expand and boil when heated;
4) should be able to chemically associate water that falls into it (water in the hydro brake system does not only cause corrosion, but can also boil when the caliper is heated).
Some of the existing brake fluids:
There are two principles different types Liquids that pour into the brakes are mineral oils (Magura, Shimano) and brake fluid DOT3 / 4/5 (Hals, Hope, formula).
Since ethics of liquids, there are different bases, they can not be mixed or replaced. The brake fluid carries a more aggressive impact on metals and seals, so in the brakes designed for mineral oil "TORROSUHU" cannot be poured!
Automotive brake fluids.
1. Dot3. - Glycolic base
Boiling point - + 205C
<1500
Viscosity stability at + 100 ° C -\u003e 1.5
Ultra-high hygroscopicity, service life - 10-12 months
2. Dot4. - Glycolic base
Boiling point - + 230C (real - about 260)
Stability viscosity at -40s -<1800
Viscosity stability at + 100 ° C -\u003e 1.5
High hygroscopicity, service life - 24 months
3. Dot5 - Silicone base
Boiling point - + 260C (real - up to 300)
Stability viscosity at -40s -<900
Viscosity stability at + 100 ° C -\u003e 1.5
Practically zero hygroscopicity, high lubricants, while the complete absence of anti-corrosion properties; Service life - up to 15 years
4. Dot5.1 - Glycolic base
Boiling point - + 250C (real - about 280)
Stability viscosity at -40s -<900
Viscosity stability at + 100 ° C -\u003e 1.5
Highest fluidity, low hygroscopicity, service life - up to 5 years
The properties of albeit is provided by synthetic additives
Mineral oils for hydraulic brakes:
1. Branded oils Shimano and Magura.
2. Motorex Hydraulic Fluid 75
3. Citroen Hydraulic.
4. Any mineral oil from the auto store with the smallest number of any additives.
