On Apr 16, 7:59*am, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
On Apr 15, 10:55 pm, "bumper" wrote:

Paul,

As Gary Evans mentioned, there are basically two brake fluids used in
gliders...

Well, pretty much. But:

When I was cobbling together a brake for my HP-18 a few years ago, I
found it really convenient to use a Yamaha TZ250 master cylinder (left
over from my misspent youth) with a Cleveland wheel and brake. The
motorcycle parts like the DOT 3 fluid, and the Cleveland stuff likes
the 5056.

I ended up using a silicone-based brake fluid, similar to what they
now sell as DOT 5 (also left over from the roadracing days) that
worked fine with both ends of the system. It also had enough color
that I could see it through the walls of the 1/8" OD Nylaflow tubing
that connected the two.

The whole system worked great, never leaked, and was trouble-free. And
since the master cylinder is diaphragm-vented as motorcycle brakes so
tend, it didn't drip at all when I turned the fuselage upside-down.

Thanks, Bob K.

That's a good solution except for my extreme (and possibly mistaken)
paranoia when 'silicone' and composites are allowed close proximity.