98_XJ Sport

What type of brake fluid do you recommend. I am going to change all u-joints, front rotors and pads in the next few days and im going to bleed my brake lines and fill with new fluid. Dot3, 4 or 5 ?

Cherokee89sport

I believe Chrysler reccomends DOT 3

E-Rok

you can use DOT4 for DOT3 systems, but you cant use DOT3 for DOT4 systems.

DOT4 has a higher boiling point, so I would go with that over DOT3

doubt you will be doing alot of high speed hard braking so it wont matter much either way.

Bustedknuckle

^ This. So long as it's DOT 4, any name brand is fine.

Firestorm500

DOT 3 as original. Works fine.

Cherokee89sport

Basically Dot 3 or 4
or for the extremes dot 5.1
BUT DON'T GET DOT 5, its synthetic and if you use it, when you hit the brake the car will go faster!

haha jk
but don't use dot 5 its evil!

Lyon

Whatever you do, DON"T use motor oil

E-Rok

you have heard of someone actually using motor oil?

razor02097

The owners manual says to use dot3. Much of the brake fluid I see say approved for use in dot3 and dot4 systems. That is likely what you will find everywhere.

Lyon

Unfortunately, some were born with less brain cells than others. Working for a dealerships and a few independant auto shops you see all kinds of things.

AudioFreq

We pissed in the MC once to get home.. You know; Back when no one gaf what type of fluid did what.
Then had the little brother under there doing the tough part when we got home...lmao.
As to 2019...I am wondering if we can use DOT 5 or 6 now?

ijeeep

DOT 5 is Silicone based. Dot 3 an DOT 4 are Glycol based. Mix the two types and you will get jelly.

Advantages of DOT 3 and 4 are they don't caviatate in ABS systems and they're cheap. Disadvantage is they are hygroscopic and will absorb moister right out of the air so they need changing from time to time unless you like rusting inside your brake parts..

Advantages of DOT 5 are it's race car high boiling point and it is not hygroscopic and lasts indefinitely. Disadvantage is it will cavitate in ABS systems and it's expensive.

If you go from silicone based to glycol based brake fluid or vice versa the brake system will need a couple though flushes with Isopropyl alcohol to completely remove all traces of the former brake fluid otherwise gel formation is a risk.

Jeepwalker

If it says use Dot 3 ...use that (or whatever it states on the brake cap or manual).

You may notice some cans of DOT4 say "Synthetic" on them ...which is really misleading and throws people off. That had me confused too. Read up on it. There's plenty out there which states that all brake fluid is essentially 'synthetic' ..and some of those cans of Dot4 are a very similar base as the Dot3 and they aren't silicone-based ...which is what most people think of when the term 'synthetic' is thrown around. So, don't be thrown off by the 'synthetic' term on the Dot4 labeling. It's like dot3 with a little higher boiling point.

downs

DOT5 is a silicone based brake fluid. You CAN NOT USE IT IN OUR BRAKE SYSTEMS. DOT 3 and 4 are Glycol based. The two types don't mix. You can use 3 or 4 most of the on the shelf stuff is DOT3/4 just make sure you read the label.

Jpoe0108

I have an extra liter or so of ATE TYP 200 DOT4, this helps. Thanks! I intend to flush the system with my mityvac when I do front hub assemblies