This is going on a daily driven vehicle that WILL see track time. Seems like a worth while investment. I alos live in the NE, so i will encounter winter weather. Is corrosion an issue on these??

Thanks

Mike

 

 

I think dirt is the main issue. If you don't cover the braiding (or buy lines that are pre-covered), you tend to collect dirt in there which can eat away at the lines. Advantages, better pedal feel?, but it doesn't increase braking any.

I'm running braided lines only because my brake swaps didn't come with lines and I had to buy something. It was only after I bought the regular ones that I found a good deal on the Neuspeed covered ones. Oh well. To top it off, my car stays filthy now due to these damn water restrictions...

 

Can anyone recommend a place to buy quality lines?

 

Pick a place. Most places who sell goodridge and/or Earls seem to all be the same price, 100-115 a set.

Mike D

 

Anyone know where clear line covers can be purchased from???

 

One con is the possibility that one or more compression fittings refuses to seal again and you have to re-flare the hard brake line.

Happened to me. It was a real pisser.

 

under what conditions does this happen??

 

Pros:
Better safety (debris is less likely to tear or cut into line is an "off")
Less hose expansion under a load (but probably negligable)

Cons:
NOT install and forget (they do need periodic checks for wear and debris)
Are not designed to be there forever.. (a friend I know changed them after every season (safety first!)


Personally.. I like the piece of mind, that the lines have some "armour" around them, in the harsh conditions.

 

I swapped all four of my brake lines and one of the fittings leaked, both with the new SS line and with the original rubber line reinstalled.

Probably there was some rock or grit or something in the fitting when I first installed the SS line and it scratched the flare enough that it wouldn't seal anymore. It only leaked under heavy braking.

I tried fixing it myself, but after 3 tries I was running out of room for error on the stock brake line so I took it to a pro.

 

get stainless lines from brian at fastbrakes for $50 a set. i have them on all 4 corners with 11" kit and no problems with leaks whatsoever.

 

A couple things to point out regarding steel braided brake lines.

1. Not all of them are DOT approved which means they are not tested to meet DOT quality requirements. Any that say "For Off Road Use Only" are not DOT approved. I've heard some stories of non-DOT lines failing during street use. It has something to do with the up and down motions of the suspension and that wears on the lines.

2. DOT lines are more expensive. I went with Neuspeed lines because they are DOT approved and have a vinyl sleeve over them.

3. They never fit as well as stock. You really need to keep your eye on them incase they rub suspension parts. I have areas on mine where I covered them with 3/8" rubber fuel line to prevent abraisions.

4. After installing them, I noticed not one bit of difference over the stock brake lines. go figure. I'm sure they are better than stock, but maybe it's just me that could not feel the difference.

 

What about stainless lines in the winter? I will be getting ones that are covered when I get them, just wanted to be sure because at least this year the car will be driven in the winter.

 

the lines i got from Brian had the "DOT" tags on them. they also had the plastic clear covering over them

 

i have to agree. in track/racing conditions, i'm sure it will help, but i have not done anything more than autox to really test them.

 

back from the dead.


my Goodrich lines just popped today after a panic stop Stomp on the brakes.

looks like dirt got under the braiding over the past 2 years and rubbed the inner hose thin enough for it to rupture inside the braiding so it leaks now and barely hold pressure.

I'm going to install stock lines again.

I would not use SS lines unless they have an outer rubber protective coating preventing dirt/grime from getting under the braiding and rubbing the inner hose right thru over time... this would have been a catastrophic failure if I was at a roadcourse or autox.

even a good visual inspection of the line reveals NO problems with the braiding, but it leaks and its scary! Ive had them on the car for 2 years now, daily driving mostly.

be careful you guys!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

if there's one mod i really regret doing, it's these shitty fitment SS lines.

they've never sealed as well as they should have, the pitch on the female connector was terrible, and fixing the damage they've caused has been a major pain.

going back to stock once i have the time to replace my brake pipe, again...

 

Stoptech sells tested DOT lines with clear cover over the SS braid. I was very pleased with the fitment on the set for my IS300 and they will go on my EVO.

 

The brakes feel harder, but that does not mean you are stopping better. The only real improvement I've noticed is that I can feel the brakes through the pedal better. I mostly notice this when my pads are overheated... I can feel the pads being pushed into the rotors but just not having the bite that they should.

Another reason for SS braided lines is that rubber doesn't do so well when exposed to 1200+F temperatures. I melted my caliper seals and the insulation off of my ABS wires this season, but at least the brake lines were somewhat protected.

 

very good, have them on an itr and 350z and a wrx. Goodridge have a protective cover over the steel braiding

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by niterida &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">very good, have them on an itr and 350z and a wrx. Goodridge have a protective cover over the steel braiding</TD></TR></TABLE>mine were goodridge and they did NOT have a protective covering over the SS braiding.

good for you that yours do though, that makes a world of difference in longevity