Time (not mileage) maintenance schedule

[B E N]

I've seen calipers, slaves, masters all fail due to brake fluid. Pistons corrode or seals swell up and fail. Just because your old doesn't mean you have a lot of experience or knowledge, the fact you have owned so many vehicles just tells me you either can't take care of them properly or have a throw it away or ditch it at the first sign of trouble mindset. And just because your lazy and don't want to get your hands dirty doesn't mean its the right way to do things.

 

[TheDentonMare]

Hey raise your hand if you have ever in your life owned a vehicle that you had to replace your daily driver calipers because of too long of a change in brake fluid.

Yeah me neither. Shit I don't even know anyone that has ever happened to. Brakes are one of the most reliable things on a vehicle. You could put snot in the the brake lines and that shit would stop (exaggeration).

I'm ******* 41 years old and literally just did a brake flush on a truck for the first time. And that was only because I was helping a buddy who happened to want to change his calipers. I've owned probably 20 vehicles, do tons of my own maintenance. And never had any inkling of any reason whatsoever to need to change the brake fluid. hahahaha Is it easy, yeah it's easy. Will I do it in the future, maybe. But if I do it, probably at my trucks 5 year mark or so. It's because I feel like it, not because I feel it absolutely needs to be done.

The fact is people on a site like this are picky as **** about their truck. Probably moreso than 99% of the population. ( you are on a ******** website just to talk about your truck and how much you love it and love taking care of it, this is you. think on that)

So it's pretty easy to say that some people here do all sorts of maintenance that is not required yet or even is NEVER required (sealed differential). And they do it just because they love to do it.

They love to quote what the manufacturer states for some things, but ignore others. (not changing spark plugs until 100k is a good example here) Or not changing differential fluid AT ALL.

I quoted your post but this is directed to EVERYONE.

Enjoy your friday folks.

You're not wrong - brakes are generally a super robust system designed to last forever even with minimal maintenance. Being a track junkie with road/race cars, you don't screw around - and can certainly tell the difference in a system with fresh fluid vs. fluid that has been abused and near boiling point repeatedly. Water in the system will be problematic and create weird pedal feel, but so will garbage in the lines causing sticking pistons and over time erosion of seals etc.

I'm going to swap my fluid on my 2014 with only 20k miles on the truck, just based on the 6-7 years that fluid has likely been in the lines, not mileage.

 

[txgunsntrucks]

You're not wrong - brakes are generally a super robust system designed to last forever even with minimal maintenance. Being a track junkie with road/race cars, you don't screw around - and can certainly tell the difference in a system with fresh fluid vs. fluid that has been abused and near boiling point repeatedly. Water in the system will be problematic and create weird pedal feel, but so will garbage in the lines causing sticking pistons and over time erosion of seals etc.

I'm going to swap my fluid on my 2014 with only 20k miles on the truck, just based on the 6-7 years that fluid has likely been in the lines, not mileage.

good points. having said that. Who boils their brake fluid outside the guys that drive track? What maybe 3% of drivers?

After 6-7 years, I can see doing that. I don't really think anything over 5 is excessive.

 

[BlueOvalF22]

If you are wearing out pads and such vs not driving that much. I could see a brake fluid change being necessary.

When I was an all in sportbike rider I changed fluid a few times a year.

Once every two years is probably a good idea on a truck.

 

[MRV99]

I will raise my hand. My friend called me because his truck was drifting left when he would brake. Discovered his caliper seized and was completely stuck. It was 5 years of never changing the fluid. He just bought a new caliper so we could swap it out. I have always done 2 year brake fluid changes on my cars/trucks/suv's. When going to the track, I swap it out every year. Plus it gives me some time to do a full inspection of the brakes.