I believe that the components must be specially designed for the silicone
stuff.  You can't put it in any car that recommends DOT4, even a brand new
one.   I don't know which cars might require the silicone but just stick
with a high quality DOT4.  The Ford HD stuff is the best buy out there, it's
about 1/3 as much as the fancy ones and works about 95% as well.

-Craig

> -----Original Message-----
>
>  Does anyone know if DOT 5 silicone can be used
> if you are using all new stock brake hydraulics and hoses? Or do the
> rubber
> components have to be a special type (silicone-based, perhaps)? This
> shouldn't be an issue, really since, as Todd brings up, there are
> glycol-based fluids available that match or out-perform DOT 5, so there
> isn't much incentive to make the switch. I think the silicone stuff is
> non-hydrophilic which means parts might last longer, but you'd want to
> change the fluid every couple years anyway, due to the inevitable
> accumulation of micro-particulate due to normal wear of internal parts.
>
> Coby Smolens
> Valley Wagonworks
> VW Bus and Vanagon Specialists
> "Intimately acquainted with VW Vans since 1959"
>
>