[Closed] Brake improvisation, am i going to die

I run mine on this;
[img] [/img]

You'll be fine*

*May not be true.

Go to Halfords and buy the LHM mineral oil.

Under NO circumstances put brake fluid or engine/gearcase/olive/sunflower oils in with the mineral fluid.

You may not die, but your brake seals will, just not overnight.

If you are near Wokingham, call by and I will give you 50ml of LHM if you can bring a suitable container.

PaulD

of course not when depserate i often top up my forks with olive oil and lube my chain with brake fluid 😯
Troll surely ?

Mineral oil is not made from vegetables is but one of the problems you will face. Viscosity is not the same and I have no idea about miscibility and neither do you
best case scenario rubbish brakes worst case scenario no brakes and fubbared seals

Currently the brake lever is pulling too far and having removed the cover the oil level is to low. just planning on going for a night ride, and can't get to a shop to get any proper oil, just wondering if i can bodge something over night then flush the system tomorrow with the correct stuff.

yes brake with your feet and fix your brakes tomorrow

nothing will work that I am aware of - petrol station may have some mineral oil as they use it in some Citroen cars - green stuff are they all the same? - LHM fluid iirc but cannot be certain it is the same stuff

Shimano brakes use Mineral oil. Vegetable oil and LHM are both examples of mineral oil. At a push, vegetable oil will work fine. I've used it in Magura HS33 brakes (also take mineral oil). Would I use it in my posh new XTR brakes? Probably not unless it was a real emergency.

there is a clue in the name mineral oil that lets you know it is not a vegetable based oil but rather a mineral based oil.
They are not the same

Mineral oil is distilled from crude like petrol, isn't it?

I have seen people put all sorts in brakes, it has worked short term quite well but the brakes have always had issues later.

there is a clue in the name mineral oil that lets you know it is not a vegetable based oil but rather a mineral based oil.
They are not the same

They're not the same but they do share some properties. I suspect that organic oils are much more heterogenous so they may have other chemical components that could potentially do the brakes harm. But I'd sooner put vegetable oil in my Shimano brakes than DOT 5.1, that's for sure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fluid

Could you take some fluid out if the other lever as a temporary fix? I really wouldn't mix other non mineral oils. It may knacker your seals into the bargain.

i have just dumped the night ride, just have to go out tomorrow for longer, see if i can get hold of some brake fluid. Out of interest do halfords stock it as i can't find it on their website, is it certain shops only etc.

edit

[url= http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_204265_langId_-1_categoryId_255218 ]lhm+[/url]
This the stuff?

LHM will work but you're better off going to a motorbike shop and getting some mineral oil brake fluid. Or even a local bike shop!

caustic soda does the same damage to paintwork as brake fluid so its probably the same stuff !!Try it and let us know ! Just remember to wear eye protection when topping up !! 😉

get mineral oil like he says

yes if i had to pick between veg oil and dot I would pick veg oil too but the right choice is to use neither as they are both wrong.

the choice is determined by what i can get, might not be able to get to bike shop for a couple of weeks, as on holiday over the weekend, i work a couple hundred metres from a halfords, there are no lbs's near work, so whilst i would rather use the LBS sometimes it isn't possible, in which case i need to know what will and will not work.

I've seen mineral oil in Tesco before. I doubt it's the same stuff that's in your brakes, but they do sell 'mineral oil'. In the car stuff section, with all the other oils. Very cheap too...

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_525681_langId_-1_categoryId_165608

If they do not have the Mineral Oil Brake Fluid, this is acceptable for use in Shimano and Magura cycle brakes:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_204265_langId_-1_categoryId_255218#tab1

But...it is more viscous than Magura Blood and Shimano 'Tango' so may not work well in very cold conditions.

PaulD