silicone hydraulic fluid, why not DOT5 silicone? Options

[worn]

We run silicone brake fluid in our LBCs (Little British Cars) and this is widely accepted among that crowd. This week I am putting new front wheel cylinders in the 47 Dodge P.U. truck cause we don't run it enough and they pitted.

So why not use the silicone fluid in a 914? Yes, there is a slight compression you can feel in the pedal, but in my TR6 you can hardly feel it. I now have enough toys so that routine maintenance is a pretty big chore. Keeping up with batteries and tires is bad enough. Yes, I know that you should bleed out the old fluid, but frankly I doubt that would have helped me with the truck. The problem was the lack of movement of the seals over the cylinder. My time flies!

So - what do you think?

Thanks,
Warren

[arne]

Since DOT5 doesn't absorb moisture like DOT3/4, it won't hold moisture in suspension either. If moisture does get in the system, the water (being heavier) will slowly pool at the lowest point, and can cause rust or corrosion there. I was taught that if I used DOT5 in my off road ATVs that I needed to completely disassemble and flush if I ever got one really wet, say when fording a river or deep creek.