Posted by Stainless Steel Brake Lines
Brake Lines FAQ’s
Stainless brake lines are a must for any track driven car and make a great upgrade on street cars as well. Brake lines should be replaced every few years anyway and braided stainless lines offer an additional layer of protection.
To make good decisions about whether to pursue this kind of brake work, it’s important to understand how braided brake lines differ from the standard factory brake lines in your car and how they work. Brake lines are one of the most important parts of a brake system. Most vehicles use a hydraulic brake system. The brake lines of a vehicle have to carry that fluid from the master cylinder to the caliper, and they have to do it quickly! When your brake lines are not in good shape, braking power may be reduced, or the brakes may even fail in some situations.
What are OEM hoses made from?
Typically, OEM hoses contain a compliant polymeric inner hose to transmit brake fluid pressure from the brake tubes to the caliper. While the polymeric tube itself does a good job of withstanding attack from the brake fluid, it must be protected from the outside world and is consequently wrapped with a thick, rubber coating. Hollow fasteners at one or both ends of the hose provide a direct flow path and a leak-free connection system.
So how are Stainless Steel lines different?
Stainless Steel lines are similar to OEM hoses in function, but differ greatly in execution. Unlike OEM hoses, SS lines incorporate a low-compliance Teflon inner hose. In addition, instead of covering the Teflon with over-molded rubber a woven braid of Stainless Steel strands is placed over the hose for protection. As with an OEM hose, the ends are terminated with hollow fasteners to allow for the leak-free passage of brake fluid.
Advantages of Braided Brake Lines
Lots of drivers of high performance vehicles like steel braided brake lines for a couple of reasons.
1. Rubber brake lines deteriorate from the outside and inside. The external rubber can become stiff, crack, or get damaged by debris. The stainless braiding and Teflon inner coating help protect the outside of the line from debris.
2. In a braking situation, brake lines bulge under pressure. Less bulge is better than more, because it helps to retain the integrity of the line. With a stronger material the braided line will not expand or swell under extreme braking conditions. That is why stainless brake lines provide a firmer positive pedal feel under hard braking by greatly reducing the expansion that can be found in stock rubber lines.
3. The internal of old stock rubber lines can become constricted over time even if the exterior looks normal. With a blockage or restriction you can have serious braking issues that often go mis-diagnosed as warped rotors, stuck calipers or bad ball joints. Make sure you don’t overlook your brake lines!
So What’s Next?
If you do any sort of spirited or performance driving, stainless steel lines are a must have! The increased pedal feel makes braking more accurate and consistent, while giving you a newfound trust in the braking system. Stainless steel brake lines make the perfect upgrade if you need to replace worn factory lines, or you are just looking for a firmer pedal feel. Depending on your location there are a lot of brands you can chose from: Goodridge, HEL, Stoptech, ECS Tuning, Sparta Evolution and so on. Only make sure you take the complete kit for your vehicle as for some cars the lines are 4 while there are 6 for others. Just don’t wait too long!
Notes
It’s good to know that braided brake lines can have a firmer pedal feel because they do not expand or swell under extreme braking conditions. I recently decided to start getting into performance driving as a hobby and have been looking for the best mods for my car. I will make sure to find a good brake service near me so that I can replace the brake lines with braided lines and experience the benefits of firm braking.