Brake Fluid, Paint & Maintenance
Brake system consumables: what gets replaced every season and what can be seen through the wheel.
Choose brake fluid by its wet boiling point
That is the figure that matters, not the dry boiling point displayed prominently on the bottle. Brake fluid is hygroscopic: it absorbs moisture from the air, and just a few percent water is enough to significantly reduce its temperature resistance. Fluid that has been open for a year in a poorly sealed bottle is no longer up to the specifications printed on it. Buy the quantity you will use, and flush the system before every drive.
Painting your calipers
Caliper paint withstands temperatures at which ordinary paint would blister. The result depends almost entirely on preparation: remove the caliper, strip it, degrease it, and make sure it is completely dry. A coat applied to a greasy caliper will peel off in patches during the first heavy braking session.
