Fading explained briefly

We talk about “ fading ” for various products in our online shop

You've probably asked yourself what that is?

To fully understand the cause, you should know that brake fluid is hygroscopic. This means it absorbs water from the air and dissolves it completely. This causes the water content in the brake fluid to increase. After a fresh change, the water content is approx. 0.05%. If the water content is between 2.5% and a maximum of 3%, the brake fluid should definitely be replaced.

Now we know that brake fluid binds water. Now we have to imagine what happens when we challenge our brakes on the race track. The brake does not have a circulating system, so the brake fluid does not have long to cool down. The constant heating of the brake disc during frequent braking processes also heats up the brake caliper and the brake fluid in it. With constant stress, the temperature will eventually rise to such a level that the water content begins to boil. This causes air to enter the brake circuit.

The air cannot be compressed and a soft pedal is created, which is known in motorsport as fading. The braking effect is lost, usually without notice. An impact is often the expensive consequence.

How can you prevent fading?

There are various ways to minimize fading:

- Install a brake ventilation set on the vehicle. This reduces peak temperatures. The total heat load is reduced by approx. 40% with UNS . (We will link our sets at the bottom)

- Changing the brake fluid regularly, especially when used on race tracks.

- Use of DOT 5.1 brake fluids. However, you should note that not all older vehicles can tolerate this fluid. Damage to seals and hoses can occur! If necessary, replace the seals and hoses!

Why DOT 5.1 instead of DOT 4?

The boiling temperature of a DOT 5.1 brake fluid is approx. 260° and is therefore 30° higher than the standard DOT 4 fluid (230°).

We hope you enjoyed the blog post. You are welcome to check out our other blogs. We look forward to seeing you!