Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > From the horse's mouth: Brembo Systems & DOT5 Fluid

[998Addict]

Guys

This question has plagued me for some time, and in particular, recently, so I decided to do some digging. Here's what I found:

Yoyodyne Post
Skidlids found a post from the old DSC Message Board (November 2001) that referenced a Yoyodyne URL (no longer active) saying that DOT5 fluid was incompatible with Brembo systems as it caused seal swelling and seizure.

Call to John Hackett
Spoke to JH himself, and whilst on the telephone, he called Brembo in the UK for me. JH passed on the message that DOT5 fluid was fine.

Call to Brembo Italy
Perplexed by this discrepancy, I tried to contact Brembo in Italy.
From what I learned by watching an Open University programme on Italian in at 2:30am sometime 1978, I gleaned that Brembo were on holiday until some later point in August.

Call to Yoyodyne
I spoke to Yoyodyne in the US. They confirmed that they believed the information stated in 2001 was correct, and stood by it. They referenced Brembo California as the source.

Call to Brembo California
Spoke to Raphael, who is in technical services for motorcycles. Here goes:
1. All Brembo braking systems fitted to Ducati motorcycles up to (not including) the latest 4-pad systems are INCOMPATIBLE with DOT5 fluid.
2. The new generation of braking systems fitted to Ducati motorcycles INCLUDING the latest 4-pad systems are compatible with DOT3, DOT4 or DOT5 fluids.
3. DOT4 provides poorer performance that DOT5 in all areas (except paint corrosion, of course) so Brembo always recommend DOT4 over DOT5 for performance, particularly in racetrack applications
4. DOT5 fluid tends to be much more difficult to bleed than DOT4, as micro-bubbles form more easily in the former
5. If you have the braking systems outlined in 2 above, and have DOT5 fluid installed, then it is OK to flush the system fully with DOT4 and use that

I hope this is as much use to you as it was to me.

Thanks to all who helped in researching this one.

[Felix]

Sorry, but don't understand your point number 3.

[998Addict]

From memory, I think Raphael cited performance at temperature and compressibility.

The point I (and he) was making was that Brembo would only recommend DOT5 if non-corrosion of paint was your highest priority.

[nelly]

There is an element of confusion setting in I think??
Generally Dot 5 is a "race specific" fluid that is intended to be replaced regularly and because of the silicon base(?) it is indeed incompatible with the majority of seal materials used on road bikes, not just Brembo.
The "Dot 5" that we see a lot of is in fact graded as Dot 5.1
This is a better performing fluid than Dot 4 but remains compatible with the majority of seal materials used in our brake systems. It will still remove your paint though!!

[skidlids]

My earlier post today on this subject came from http://www.tawvehicle.com/technotes.htm

[skidlids]

or have a read thru some of the topics on here http://www.cd-rom.org/faqs.cfm#q5

[998Addict]

Guys

Don't shoot the messenger!

[skidlids]

Shoot him No, just run him over. Accusing me of using a out of date URL

[Sticky]

I use cooking oil. Withstands high temperatures and doesn't absorb water.

Sticky,

.... and it great for Donuts