Brake Fluid?

[DesH]

The brakes on my Nipper work pretty well but it requires almost full travel on the brake handle befroe anything happens and the park brake is useless! I suspect therefore that my brakes need a good bleed and some fresh fluid, was just wondering what sort of fluid would be best to use? Is DOT 4 or 5 automotive fluid suitable or is there a specific aviatioin fluid I should use?

I see the fluid Nipple is in a bloody awkward place but should be able to get to it with the bottom panel removed.

Cheers

Des

[G-NIPR]

Brake fluid????
What is this substance of which you speak?!?
I still have the good old Slingsby cable actuated calipers. They work well enough and are dead easy to adjust.
But I have heard the hydraulic brakes are pretty damn good.

Paul.
G-NIPR.

[DesH]

You need to move with the times Paul!!

Nah, mine came with them already fitted and with a firm grip of the lever the brakes hold the engine running up to over 2000 RPM so they are pretty good but they deffo need bleeding, just not sure what fluid to use!

Just noticed also that FE will be 50 in Sept! Wil have to give her a wash and polish to celebrate!

[MATT COOK]

We have used some cut down clevland brakes pads on my origional brake calipers. It stops it well and also holds over 2000 rpm.

rgds
Matt

[Pat Blenkinsopp]

Des,
I should think that Dot 4 or 5 would be fine. My brkes are Magura bicyle hydraulic
brakes and I use the propriety brand available from any decent bike shop or direct from their web site.
If proerly bled and set up they work brilliantly and mine will hold asxi on full throttle on tarmac., Thats
2700 static. I have however installed some new homemade brake discs hacked and filed from 1.2 mm
4130 a/s spec steel. I have found in the past that the standard Nipper discs warp if given a bit
of abuse.
Let me know how you get on.
Regards,
Pat ASXI

[Neil Spooner]

Hi Des,

The brakes on yours as I understand it are mountain bike brakes.....use whatever the bike guys use, but I doubt it is the same as car fluid which I doubt is compatible. Please post some photos of your brake system to help identify what you have.

Neil

[DesH]

Thanks for that Neil, I'm hoping to get down on Saturday to have a look so will take some pictures then and post them up. Will stick to just changing the tyres for now in that case until I can be sure what fluid to use.

Regards

Des

[DesH]

Alas didnt make it to the Nipper at the weekend due to the missus coming back from Stirling with a nice dose of the Flu (non swine variety I hope!) to pass to me just in time for the weekend.

Anyway, I've been advised by the previous owner that the calipers are made by Schott but I can find no referance on the internet, the brake lever is of an unknown variety. They have been using military spec hydraulic fluid (OM15) in the system previously.

Given that spares could be a bit of a b*gger to find, does anyone have ideas for an upgraded system ? I see Raymond Cuypers sells an upgrade kit but it looks pretty pricey given the current exachange rate when most others seem to be getting on fine with a hydraulic mountain bike system, is there much modification required to make a mountain bike system fit ?

Also, any ideas on beefier discs ? The standard ones look like they will be the weak point if the calipers are imporved ?

Regards

Des

[DesH]

Correction to the above, the calipers on my aircraft are made by Sachs not Schott, reckon they are from a moped but trawling the net to see if I can find out more about them. I'll post the details once I find them as another braking option.