“Contaminated brake fluid is one of the top reasons for hydraulic control unit failure in today’s brake systems. It’s critical to remove old fluid from the reservoir and clean the reservoir itself before adding fresh fluid. This keeps contamination from spreading to sensitive areas,” Kennedy said. “A flush takes what’s already in the master cylinder reservoir – including any sediment or solid particulates – and pushes it through the hydraulic control unit before going out of the calipers and wheel cylinders. Inlet solenoid screens will trap particles that haven’t been removed, and if a wheel circuit is plugged, it will usually need to be replaced.”
As technicians know, it’s expensive to replace hydraulic brake components, and repairs can be easily avoided by just making a quick visual check for sediment and solid deposits. Technicians may also want to consider using test strips and electronic moisture testers. If test strips are used, they should be kept tightly sealed to maintain accuracy.
Electronic testers are more expensive, but also more accurate.
Preventative maintenance goes a long way in keeping today’s complex braking systems fully operational, says Kennedy.
For more maintenance tips and information,
visit www.bendixbrakes.com.
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