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Buell Forum » Old School Buell » S2 Thunderbolt » Archive through September 16, 2018 » Rear brake fluid requirement.... « Previous Next »

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K12pilot
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 06:56 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

OK, so here is the dilemma.
I have a few S2's laying around with different information on them, and in the manual also.

The 95 that I rebuilt over the winter has been sitting on my table for 3 months waiting for me to put on the rear brake system & shift gear. Finally I had time to get to my garage this week to get it done.

There is kind of an obvious answer to the question but I just want to figure out the Buell riddle..

So riddle me this...

I have 3 S2's....

The 95 I am working on..

Original Brembo rear master
PM rear caliper being installed
Rezzi cap sais DOT4. Silver sticker on the frame says DOT 5 my first thought would be DOT 5, as I would guess the sticker would override the cap.

The 2 other bikes have NO sticker 95 & a 96 both rezzi caps say DOT 4

All front rezzi say DOT 5

Manual says DOT 5 in F&R, we all know there are many errors in the manuals over the years.

Soooo. WHAT SAY YOU???

Thanks
Ride Safe
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Kmbuell
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 07:18 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Cap got changed, DOT 5!
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K12pilot
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 07:45 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Not sure about that Kevin.
3 different bikes have the same cap (


The sticker is the same type silver sticker as the other stickers on the frame

(Message edited by k12pilot on August 05, 2018)
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Jolly
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 08:57 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

My 95 that I have here at home (other 95 is at airport hangar) is the same, front reservoir cap says DOT 5 rear reservoir cap (Brembo) says DOT 4 but I have the sticker on the frame that says DOT 5.

Why?
What if sticker was missing or scruffed, and I (or a previous owner) just followed the cap? 5 and 4 are NOT compatible so this is a setup for disaster!

Is there a difference between early and late 95 production and yet another difference between 96?

Is it as simple as HD likes DOT 5, front MC is from a sportster and the Europeans like DOT 4, (Brembo), but they didn’t want a bike with 5 in front and 4 in rear (big liability there for mistakes) so they just filled rear with 5 to match?

Again, what if sticker was missing, any differences in early/late 95/ and 96?
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Kc_zombie
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 09:15 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I think the answer is relative and the question should be what's in it now?

You cannot mix dot 4 (glycol) with dot 5 (silicone), so don't guess. If you fully flush the system, or even better rebuild it, you may start with whatever you like.

If you must guess then know that Dot 4 and dot 5.1 (notice the .1) are both glycol based and are therefore compatible. So they can be mixed, you should still completely flush the system, IMHO.






I have been running DOT 4, and have not switched to the higher boiling point of 5.1, since my girly riding style does not test the boiling point of the fluid or limits of my braking system.

Good luck!
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Jolly
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 09:18 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Yes yes and exactly, and same here!!

What’s in it now? Why did BUELL/HD do that?

Erik knows better, HD doesn’t or doesn’t care...

And were all production schedules of the S2 the same?
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K12pilot
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 09:33 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

No idea what was in it prior to the year down in November
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Kc_zombie
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 09:57 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Flush it and start over, best guess would be Dot 4 for the S2. I do know that Dot 4 tastes different than dot 5. Don't ask me how I know that, LOL.
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Tigermann
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 09:59 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Chris,

If its any help - my completely original '96 S2T has the DOT 5 sticker for the rear brembo
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1313
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 12:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

DOT 5 was used for S2's (as well as RS, RSS, and S1, S3, M2 until the switch was made to DOT 4 - was that 2000 MY?).

For an S2, an unmodified reservoir cap had molded on letters stating DOT 4, but a proper modified Buell reservoir cap had the top surface machined flush so there was no longer any brake fluid reference. There was a sticker added to the frame downtube that specified DOT 5.

Here's a 1996 brake fluid warning label:

96 JPN DOT 5

Oops, that's the Japanese one (but notice how DOT 5 is shown exactly) and it's a front label...

Here's a 1996 rear brake fluid warning label for a US bike:

96 USA DOT 5


But, of course, since the S2's you are working on are over 20 years old they may no longer be in production configuration...
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K12pilot
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 12:32 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Brankin,

I kind of remember the modified razz cap.

DOT 5 it is than.

Thanks guys
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Ratbuell
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 02:23 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I'd think another important factor would be, what are the seals you used in the rebuild, rated for?

Y'know...since they're actually IN the fluid...
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Jolly
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 04:57 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Read section “B” from the Brembo tech page

http://cyclebrakes.com/html/brembo_tech_info.html

All Brembo products use natural rubber which is NOT compatible with Dot 5...... so right from the beginning (Brembo rear master) HD use of DOT 5..... it’s already a problem.........

(Message edited by Jolly on August 05, 2018)
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Lynrd
Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 11:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The Japanese label actually reads "We don't care how they do it in Milwaukee"
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