thats a very good point about opening the bleeders when new pad replacement. thanks

 

2004 SD..never have..52,000 miles.

 

I have never done it. but now I gona. Manual say DOT3 is it ok to use DOT 5.1? I dont think ther is DOT 3 in my .neighborhood.

 

Dot 3, 4 and 5.1 are interchangeable. Make sure not to get dot 5 it is a diffrent type of fluid.

 

I NEVER flushed brake fluid in my life and have yet to have any problems with anything due to moisture in the system. And we are talking 2million+ miles

 

I live in a humid environment(southern louisiana). I can feel the pedal get mushy on my 04 after 9-12 months .
I just take a syringe and suck out the fluid in the resi and then top off and then bleed each caliper.
This can be done with the wheels on the truck.
I usually see flakes of crap and dirty fluid at the caliper every time.
Seriously folks, this takes a few minutes and only a few bucks to ensure optimal braking performance so why not?
Another tip is that since the power steering booster assists the brakes , once a year i flush the power steering fluid (is actually trans fluid on my 6.0 not power steering fluid!) and my brakes always bite hard.

 

Ok brake fluid change done :-) I not sure but I think my brake got better the petal is higer and stiffer. The old fluid was very dark. So now it´s just the coolant,steering and transmission left.

 

Definitely a good idea to flush every two years or so. I'll be flushing my 2005 SD this week. You'll be surprised at how nasty and dark the fluid gets after a few years. I flushed the brakes in a 1994 Cobra before a track day and it made a HUGE difference in performance.

 

Besides boiling point, I have heard that moisture in the fluid can lead to shortened brake component life, such a failing calipers. I try for every 2-3 years.

 

And when it boils from use, air is induced into what was once a pure liquid system and that is bad news. Fluid will not compress. Air will. Air in the system will let the brake petal get spongy or worse go to the floor. When that happens, brakes do not function. I am no expert like some of these Ford owners but I have seen the above happen at road races and heard the same explanation every time.

FYI... Brake fluid is also a paint remover.