Part Guru? Brake Fluid/Brake Parts - 2018 vs 2021 (1 Viewer)

[CO18Cruiser]

Short story, 2018 Cruiser. Put dot4 brake fluid in. Cap says dot3 on the 2018.

Was talking to Slee about their stainless brake lines and we started talking fluid. They checked a 2021 cruiser in the shop and it said dot3/dot4 on the cap.

Question, does anyone happen to know if there were any brake part changes (seals?) between the 2018 and 2021?

Or, did Toyota just validate dot4 compatibility in the later (post 2018) Cruiser model years and the parts are the same?

Thx!

 

[Fisher23]

I would disagree with your statement there, especially in Colorado. Dot3 is better in cold wet climates and Dot4 is better in the hot desert.

Dot3/Dot4 means you have a choice.

 

[goldwater58]

Brake fluid is hygroscopic in nature so it pulls in moisture over time. Brake fluid that has pulled in too much water can boil and create gas in the system under harsh braking conditions. Gas/air in the system leads to a bad day. Not to mention water in the system can corrode things.

DOT 3 is less hygroscopic than DOT 4, but DOT 4 has a higher boiling point. I hear the cruiser is easy on brake fluid so I'm sticking with DOT 3 in my '21. If you race your cruiser, you may want DOT 4

 

[Fisher23]

It's not going to hurt your system, but you'll need to monitor the water content more often.

 

[bloc]

Why did you use Dot4 in the first place?

I haven't heard of anyone having issues running quality Dot3, so I don't see the upside.. given the downside of having to bleed it more often.

To answer your question directly yes there were some part number changes over the years but I have no idea what about them changed.

08/15-11/19 then 01/20-03/21 is just one of the date splits for the master cylinder which is the first thing I checked. That said, when punching the former number into parts systems they sub it with the latter... so they may be interchangeable.. but I'm only really decent at looking up numbers.. I'm no parts guru.

 

[CO18Cruiser]

Appreciate the feedback. Aware of the differences between dot3/dot4 and dot4 pulling in water faster.

@Fisher23 CO is basically high desert/low humidity, we don’t get much moisture here like the PNW and while we do get a few cold snaps, Denver metro is warmer than most folks think during the winter. I still get in several games of golf.

Lol @goldwater58 I’m using Castrol SRF. Upside is with its base it’s less hygroscopic than your average dot4.

As to why dot4, prefer the higher dry/wet boiling temp. Spend a lot of time in the mtns all 4 seasons. We’ve got some serious descents in CO and folks drive fast and stupid quite often, especially out of staters. People cook their brakes regularly. Even downshifting on descents they heat up, especially in a vehicle loaded with people, gear, etc.

Given how cost conscious Toyota is, I’d be surprised if they changed the parts up much. I know there are some folks here that track PNs closely, hence my ?

 

[Adrenaline6]

I changed rotors, pads, and lines and flushed it with Bosch ESI6. It's an extended service life 5.1. It is a DOT3 and DOT4 replacement.

It has the higher wet/dry boiling point (518 dry, 365 wet) along with the low viscosity (visc 670) good for ABS systems.

Works great. Does it absorb water at a faster rate than DOT 3? Maybe. Could not find an actual test on the difference. But being that it has a higher wet boiling point (3.7% water absorption), it deals with that water absorption better than DOT3 does.

 

[bloc]

Has anyone ever boiled the fluid in a 200 that was working properly? I pushed my stock front pads to the point that they were disintegrating and the 5-yr old stock fluid couldn't have cared less.

 

[manofthewoods]

Has anyone ever boiled the fluid in a 200 that was working properly? I pushed my stock front pads to the point that they were disintegrating and the 5-yr old stock fluid couldn't have cared less.

Well...
We buy these beasts in part because they are over engineered; enough to laugh at 3rd world use and neglect.
Many of my dear fellow MUDDERs are hyper conservative about maintaining their beast (including me).
Brake fluid boiling? On a 200? From someone on this site?
Nah.

 

[CO18Cruiser]

I changed rotors, pads, and lines and flushed it with Bosch ESI6. It's an extended service life 5.1. It is a DOT3 and DOT4 replacement.

It has the higher wet/dry boiling point (518 dry, 365 wet) along with the low viscosity (visc 670) good for ABS systems.

Works great. Does it absorb water at a faster rate than DOT 3? Maybe. Could not find an actual test on the difference. But being that it has a higher wet boiling point (3.7% water absorption), it deals with that water absorption better than DOT3 does.

I’m running EBC BSD rotors and Extra Duty+ pads. Swung by Slee today and picked up stainless lines.

Bosch ESI6 is a Dot4 Class 6 fluid. Viscosity is roughly half of SRF, dry/wet boiling temps lower but I do like the lower viscosity and still has decent temps

 

[Docwyte]

SRF? In the 200? Uh... I use that in my 911 that I take to the race track. I don't see the point in using it on the street at all, in any car, let alone the 200. I have the stock Dot3 in my 200 and drive to Vail all the time, I've never come close to fading the brakes or boiling the fluid. I need to flush them soon, I'll probably go with whatever Dot3 or 4 I've got kicking around my garage, so probably Ate Typ200.

 

[CO18Cruiser]

SRF? In the 200? Uh... I use that in my 911 that I take to the race track. I don't see the point in using it on the street at all, in any car, let alone the 200. I have the stock Dot3 in my 200 and drive to Vail all the time, I've never come close to fading the brakes or boiling the fluid. I need to flush them soon, I'll probably go with whatever Dot3 or 4 I've got kicking around my garage, so probably Ate Typ200.

It’s a Dot4… local shop had a deal. I’ve also ran it in my 911s. Never had a bad experience, figured why not. Sometimes belt and suspenders isn’t a bad thing .

IMO, unlike German cars, Toyota/Lexus specs their brakes to 1 panic stop, then you get fade. Up at our cabin in N. ID, deer and elk like to do the double/triple dart at times on tight 2 lane, so you end up doing a few panic stops in very short order. Brakes have faded for me.

So I run EBC BSD rotors, EBC Extra Duty+ pads, installing Slee stainless lines and run a more robust fluid. Short of throwing a Powerbrake Stage 2 or Wildwood BBK on, I don’t think there's anything else to do.

 

[Docwyte]

Considering that SRF is 4-5 times as expensive as every other Dot4 out there, I guess I don't see the point. That'd have to be one heck of a sale to make me put it in the 200....

 

[CO18Cruiser]

Quick update… ended up going with Amsoil combo Dot3/4 fluid. I do see the point about viscosity and lower temps, especially up in the mtns. Has a higher wet/dry temp than a Dot3. Iirc viscosity is 840’ish vs 1300 with SRF. Granted I never had an issue previosuly with SRF in winter mtn temps.

Got the Slee lines installed. Pedal feel is a tad firmer and more linear which I prefer.

SRF was $35 for a liter out the door. Not a bad deal.