[TR] brake lines

Michael Porter mdporter at dfn.com
Tue Sep 17 17:59:40 MDT 2013


On 9/17/2013 5:30 PM, ADRIAN DIX-DYER wrote:
> I may be a little late with my contribution. But here goes:
>
> Here in the UK we are still able to use copper brake piping which I believe
> is illegal in the US.
> I personally agree with the US stance on this subject, it is just too soft
> and will corrode easily. As an MOT (UK annual roadworthy test) tester I
> have seen many crushed pipes and very green corroded ones.
>
> I always use the cupro nickle tube, branded Kunifer in UK, and always make
> up my own using a Snap-On flaring kit and a mini pipe bender. It is the
> only way I know of getting the fit and look just right.
>
> As for stainless steel piping I think this is overkill and as an aside too
> hard to flare with most kits available.
>
> Or are you reffering to the use of stainless flexi hoses? these are a good
> idea as they help prevent a spongy pedal and are very durable. But they
> stand out like a sore thumb and are hardly original, not for me
> unfortunately.
>
>
> I often wonder why all car manufacturers never fitted cuporo nickle brake
> pipes instead of steel when the car was new. It would save a lot of
> dangerous cars on the road a few years down the line.
>
>

I don't recommend using braided stainless for all lines.  The braided 
stuff has just a bit of diameter change under pressure. It's not really 
noticeable for very short runs, such as replacing the rubber hoses, but 
for full runs throughout, the difference in the pedal is noticeable (had 
an associate who used to run FV, and he thought braided lines throughout 
might be an improvement, until the pedal went to the floor the first 
time under hard pedal pressure). Further, the braided line _must_ be 
clipped exceedingly well with rubber-coated clips.  Otherwise, the small 
fibers tend to abrade and wear through with vibration.  Trust me--saw a 
lot of this in buses where the customer specified such tubing. And once 
the braiding goes, all that's left is the Teflon liner.  And with system 
pressures as high as in brakes, the result is the equivalent of an 
aortic aneurysm.  The shame is that there are advanced materials 
fabric-reinforced synthetic rubber hoses that are even stronger than 
braided stainless/Teflon hoses, and much more abrasion-resistant, but 
they must be custom-made, and are therefore rather expensive.

As for not using Cu-Ni-Fe tubing, it's just a matter of production 
costs.  Mild steel is cheap, forms well and generally lasts through the 
warranty period.  That's just the way manufacturing is today--if it 
doesn't cost the manufacturer anything out of warranty reserve, then it 
doesn't get changed.


Cheers.

-- 


Michael Porter
Roswell, NM


Never let anyone drive you crazy when you know it's within walking distance....


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