Used wrong brake fluid

blackbirdxx

:evil: Could kick myself.

Got my new bike ready for my commute next week.
Noticed that the back brake had air in the system so decided to bleed it.
Went to halfords as it's just around the corner and asked the spotty :shock: shop assistent what fluid to use.
He said dot fluid is out and to use a mineral brake fluid as its a lot better. Well i done it. Changed fluid in the back brake and it went all well.
Fantastic brake feel and ready to go.
Today I locked it over again and the back brake lever was solid .
Well after some research on the net I learned never to mix dot fluid with mineral oil brake fluid and that my brakes Quad QHD-4 Axis just dont like the staff and the seals will swell up.
So after a strip down this afternoon I hope to be able to order a new seal kit tomorrow.

nicklouse

send the bill to Halfords. dont forget to give the brakes a good flush out.

Vivid

Another negative feedback for Halfords :shock:

Shame the employee had to resort to lieing to sell the product, especially when it could have had serious consequences. You should visit the store to give them a piece of your mind!

nicklouse

Vivid
I would say that the "highly trained" member of staff only knew on one type of brake. and what it used.

blackbirdxx
for reference here is the manual.

http://www.quadbrakes.com/down/QHD-4.pdf

blackbirdxx

Well thanks a lot guys for your help .
I phoned a raleigh dealer and he got no parts in stock.
So I took a gamble and flushed the system with dot fluid and cleaned it all with it.
Brake is back together now and filled with new fluid but can't get it working now. Phoned the dealer and I will take the bike in on saturday to get it bleed.

Halfords? Well I phoned and spoke to the manager and explained what happened. He only said if I have any proof about what has been said he will foot the bill. Yeah I always got a recorder on me for evidence, course :x .

Lesson learned, first read what it says in your manual and then never ever ever go to f....... halfords.

justresting

which halfords ?

Vivid

Names and Shame.

Its worth noting that not all Halfords stores provide poor service.

blackbirdxx

:evil: :evil: Halfords winchester road southampton :evil: :evil: !!!!!!

Brake still not working but lever is free now :P .
Pumped half a ltr of fluid into it to flush and tried to bleed but it aint having it. So I have to go to a dealer on saturday and wait and see if he can do it. :roll:

redvee

The oik in Halfords was getting car brakes confused with MTB brakes, cars use DOT fluid bikes use DOT & Mineral.

marchant

I'm not overly familiar with hydraulic MTB disc brakes, but I'm surprised the manufacturers don't put specify which fluid they recommend on the reservoir.

blackbirdxx

Well after sending mails to Quad and Raleigh itself I got a result.
Raleigh is sending me a new seal kit out free of charge !!!!!!!!
I spend 2 days on the phone to shops and got no result whatsoever, nobody had the parts or could get them. Even the big bike shop with chains all over the uk, Evans, where I bought the bike, couldn't bother returning my call with n awnser.
But Raleigh? I am impressed.

duron1

redvee wrote:

The oik in Halfords was getting car brakes confused with MTB brakes, cars use DOT fluid bikes use DOT & Mineral.

I am a Halfords cycle meachnic and I can tell you the differences between the two fuilds and the other dot fluids, not all dot fluids can be mixed, DOT 5 is completley different from DOT 3,4, 5.1. Also, some cars, mainly some Citroen's actually use Mineral fluid for their brakes and hydraulic adjustable sus.