Brake Flush at 3y/50k

[ftwhite]

Decided to flush my brake system fluid. I have 51,000 miles on the truck, and have owned it for 3 years. Fluid in the reservoir looked fine and was between min and max mark.

I was surprised at how dirty the fluid coming out of the calipers and lines was compared to the reservoir was. I can't say I feel a braking difference after, but I will definitely change the fluid more often next time. 

 

What came out from right rear:

 

What fluid from the reservoir looked like:

[rav3]

Good pics & good observation. A lot of people don't realize that the brake fluid in the calipers gets the most abuse (heat & moisture) Moisture will migrate into the piston area where it's always espoused to the worst environment. The next place is the reservoir, as it's vented thru the rubber seal. A trick I learned years ago in Popular Mechanics mag, is when replacing brake pads, attach a clear PVC hose to the bleeder valve, crack it open & push the piston home. Instead of pushing the old fluid back up into the line & reservoir, you push it out of the caliper. That milky looking fluid has water/moisture in it & will corrode the caliper piston & it's bore, causing sticking brakes that will wear you pads & rotors out. I also suck out the reservoir & add new fluid about every year, just as a preemtive maintenance.

Good job & good share!

[reardiff]

So when you have the brake fluid flush from the dealer does that flush the entire system including the calipars and ABS module?  I just had this done but never really thought about it until now what that really included?

[ftwhite]

Done right, I believe a brake flush is a brake flush. Meaning, you replace the fluid in the reservoir with new fluid, you push or pull that new fluid through the lines, ABS manifold, and calipers; until all you see is new fluid (in color or clarity) coming out the bleeder. 

I suppose a shortcut a shop might take would be to just replace the fluid in the reservoir with new and call it quits. Like rav3 points out, this is good for maintenance, but can't replace flushing the whole system. Unlike most fluids in the truck, the brake fluid doesn't really circulate. The stuff in the reservoir stays there, the stuff in the caliper stays there. 

 

For me, this might now be a yearly task. 

[Black02Silverado]

I have the Motive Power Bleeder.  Works like a champ and makes brake fluid exchange a breeze.  Most don't bother to do a fluid change.  I do it when I replace my brake pads.