For car enthusiasts and owners of classic cars, modern classics or convertibles, there are basically only two seasons – but always plenty to do. The best time is of course spring and summer, when driving fun is at its peak. When the sun is shining and the temperatures are pleasantly warm, trips and meetings are attended. In the wet and cold autumn/winter season, when bad weather and low temperatures dominate, the beloved jewel in the garage receives special care and attention. This is the ideal time to carry out necessary repairs or maintenance work in the vehicle.
To ensure that your vehicle gets spring off to a flying start, there’s nothing better than having it well-prepared and equipped with the right accessories. This will make sure your vehicle starts reliably after the winter break and its paintwork shines in the sun.
With Trotec, your car will always be the star of the show!
- Powerful battery chargers with trickle charge function so that the car starts reliably after the winter break.
- Cordless high-pressure cleaners, eccentric polishing machines and vacuum cleaners to remove dirt from vehicles and restore the shine to dull paintwork.
- Portable battery compressors for checking tyre pressure and preventing damage to the vehicle during winter storage.
- Practical tools such as cordless impact drivers and LED work lights for carrying out repairs even when there is no power supply.
- Measuring devices such as thermal imaging cameras, infrared thermometers and videoscopes for diagnostics and troubleshooting.
Our blog series Car accessories for a perfect start to the season showcases Trotec’s robust, durable and versatile power tools – the affordable solution to all your automotive questions and challenges in maintenance, care and repair.
Part 7: Brake fluid test – start the spring with full braking power
If you maintain and care for your car yourself, you should always check the brake fluid in spring. This is important for the road safety of the vehicle, but also increases the service life of the brakes. Checking the brake fluid quality is easy and can be done without a trip to the workshop using the BW05 brake fluid tester in a pen-shaped design.
Why is it important to check the brake fluid quality regularly?
Many people mistakenly believe that simply checking the level of brake fluid is enough. However, the quality of the brake fluid is just as crucial because it plays a critical role in relation to the braking distance.
Here’s what you need to know: Brake fluid is a hygroscopic fluid that gradually absorbs water over time. This property results in a decrease in its boiling point. If the brake fluid contains an excessive amount of water, it can noticeably affect the overall braking performance.
According to vehicle experts from TÜV Rheinland, the boiling point of brake fluid should ideally be around 280°C. However, if the water content in the brake fluid increases by only 2-3%, the boiling point can drop to approximately 180°C. “The brake fluid should be changed at the latest when it reaches this point as boiling brake fluid can result in a complete brake failure”, explains Steffen Mißbach from TÜV Rheinland.
Regular testing of brake fluid and timely replacement is crucial to ensure the brake system functions correctly and maximum braking performance is available in an emergency. Spring is a good time to test the fluid as the winter months are often wetter, increasing the risk of water absorption in the brake fluid.
A useful tip is to combine the annual brake fluid check with the springtime tyre change. By doing so, you can ensure that you start the spring season with maximum safety.
Performing a brake fluid test with the BW05 from Trotec is very straightforward
The BW05 brake fluid tester from Trotec makes it easy to test the three main types of brake fluid: DOT3, DOT4, and DOT5
- Open the brake fluid reservoir in your vehicle’s engine compartment
- Remove the protective cap from the gauge and immerse the measuring tip of the BW05 in the brake fluid.
- Press the measurement button. The device uses three colour LEDs, which are based on the three-stage spectrum of a traffic light, to signal the water content in just a few seconds (see diagram): Green means you are free to go as the water content is below 1.5%.
Sounds simple? Well, it is! The BW05 brake fluid tester from Trotec is a must-have tool for any garage. This handy measuring device is currently available at a special spring price of only £ 7.95 (reduced from £ 17.95 RRP) in the Trotec online shop.
The BW05 brake fluid tester is an essential tool for getting spring off to a safe start
- Suitable for cars, motorcycles and trucks
- Checks the water concentration in brake fluids of types DOT3, DOT4 and DOT5.1 in a matter of seconds
- Self-explanatory LED status display based on the traffic light principle
- Easy to use
- No expert knowledge required
- Compact pen-shaped design with a pocket clip
- Low battery indicator
- Automatic switch-off
