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You don't have to do it but considering a brake fluid flush is something that should be done annually it is just good measure.
I know this is an old post, but is this true?! I've never flushed brake lines just to flush them. My truck is 14 years old with 140K miles on it and has never had the brake lines flushed.
I know this is an old post, but is this true?! I've never flushed brake lines just to flush them. My truck is 14 years old with 140K miles on it and has never had the brake lines flushed.
You should, but it depends on where you live. Brake fluid attracts moisture and if you live where it's humid, you might want to fluid it every 1-2 years. If you live in a dry desert, you might be able to go longer.
It's one of those things that nobody ever changes, but you really should.
I live where its humid and every 2 years I flush my brake fluid and the pedal response inproves each time I do it. There is less sponginess.
Looks like I had better schedule a brake line flush and replace BF. I wonder if the anti lock brake system in my Subaru and old Buick will make this more complex than just regular power brakes.
I just do it anyway. Since I'm already messing with brake fluid and dirty might as well do the whole system. Brake fluid breaks down and the inside of the lines rust from moisture.
Looks like I had better schedule a brake line flush and replace BF. I wonder if the anti lock brake system in my Subaru and old Buick will make this more complex than just regular power brakes.
I've done it plenty of times on modern cars with ABS. I've done full brake fluid bleeds, and single point caliper replacement. Bled like normal and never had a problem.
Just make sure you never let the master cylinder reseviour run dry and you shouldn't have an issue.
All vehicles built since 1967 have dual brake systems.
Most vehicles have one front, one rear on the split. This is for a more controlled emergency stop. Try stopping a vehicle with just the front or just the rear brakes. The brake proportioning valve is 70% front/30% rear. It's the reason that front brakes are replaced twice as much as rear brakes.
And for the know it alls. I own a Honda Civic. The Repair manual, section 9 Brakes page 2 "The circuits are arranged so that you always have one front and one rear brake for a more controlled emergency stop. [the right front and left rear are in one cicuit; the left front and the right rear are in the second circuit].
Its the opposite on a VW beetle. Two sets of rears to a set of fronts. Most vehicles with abs no longer have a proportioning valve in the traditional sense.
You should, but it depends on where you live. Brake fluid attracts moisture and if you live where it's humid, you might want to fluid it every 1-2 years. If you live in a dry desert, you might be able to go longer.
It's one of those things that nobody ever changes, but you really should.
I live where its humid and every 2 years I flush my brake fluid and the pedal response inproves each time I do it. There is less sponginess.
Brake fluid doesn't attract moisture. Moisture enters the system from leaking seals, hoses, lines. Moisture is more common from old brake fluid that boils and creates vapor from the boiling. The trapped moisture/vapor inside the system will rust the lines on the inside and decrease braking. Brake fluid breaks down just like any other fluid it doesn't last the life of the vehicle. People who never experienced trouble or never bleed the system are just lucky or like dancing with the devil
I can't comment on the civic brake system running on line to the front and another to the rear from the same point on the master. I've worked on a number of civic and other Hondas and have never seen this but car companies do a lot of weird and in this case stupid things.
That being said. 99.9% of cars out there do not require you to open up both systems. If you replace a front brake caliper all you really should need to do is bleed that line.
If you've replace a large section of line you really should bleed both fronts or both rears respectively.
Most if not all fwd cars have crossed brake systems, it has nothing to do with brake porportioning. It doesn't mean if you lock the brakes on a Caliber, you'll get a left front, right rear lock up. Basically fwd cars have crossed systems because they are front wheel drive. The front brakes still have most of the braking force, it's for better control. It might not be as common with the advanced abs and traction control of the day, without that, or crossed systems, they would stop like a truck with no rear brakes.
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