[Shop-talk] Ford Explorer Brake Line Repair

[John Miller]

On 8/6/2012 7:46 AM, Ronnie Day wrote:
> OE parts are always a good bet, but can usually be bought much cheaper from
> sources other than a dealer. That said, braided stainless replacements are
> usually even better for performance and longevity.

The standard line on braided stainless hoses (which are really a teflon 
tube inside the braid) is that they don't 'bulge' as much as rubber 
hoses (which have a pile of reinforcing cord inside the rubber...)

That may be true, but (a) unless wrapped in some kind of protective 
covering, dirt and other abrasive crud can work its way through the 
braid down to the teflon and chew it up and (b) the teflon is sensitive 
to kinking, once it's kinked it's permanently weakened.  For this and 
other reasons 'traditional' field-assembled -3 AN Teflon hose and 
fittings are not DOT-approved, and manufactured assemblies have to 
provide enough strain-relief around the ends to prevent the hose from 
kinking.

For the most part, they're not really worth the hassle on a daily-driver 
IMO.

> few people, even in this group go to the trouble of flushing the brakes on
> their cars every couple of years. I don't flush brake systems as often as I
> should. If that's not done problems are virtually guaranteed, while if it
> is at least the hardware in the system will have a very long service life.

A very valid point.  I don't think regular flushing (which at least as 
of the last time I looked was still a 2-year service item on the BMW 
service list, and I think most other Germans as well...) will do much 
for hose life, but it'll definitely help everything else, as well as 
giving you a reason to get in there and look at the condition of all the 
stuff.

I don't do it rigidly per the 2-year schedule, I do it when I change 
pads and/or rotors, which usually works out to just a little more than 
that.

John.