is it really worth it to add braided lines on your car? do they make a difference at all or is it just baerly noticeable?
I found that the braided line kit from summit was cheaper than buying each of the rubber ones from the autoparts store. thats why I went with the braided stainless. it seems to be firm, but I also completely redid the system and added front disc brakes and a power booster.
The braided stainless brake lines are not appropriate for long-term use on any vehicle. I've looked at the DOT standards that they're tested against and those do not test for long-term wear and especially fatigue. Rubber has great inherant properties ifor fatigue. The tests done don't qualify the lines for regular use. BTW - I've got a bachelors in ME and spent some time in mechanical testing. If you inspect them regularly and change them every year then it's an acceptable thing to do. If you expect to put them in and leave them for five or ten years then it's a potential failure. I've got them on a non-Buick and I can say that the pedal feel is excellant. Never have had a firmer pedal and if there are any brake problems I know right away. Those lines are replaced every Spring.
now how low of a quality do the dot standards for approval? can we get some clarification? the earls brand from summit are dot approved. (though with the right amount of $ i could prolly dot approve a steak.
It's really not a question of "quality" it's that the tests needed for DOT certification don't demonstrate that a hose will last 10 years and 100,000 miles. Or 5 years and 10,000 miles. The problem is the hose construciton. Most have a Teflon tube on the inside wrapped with a stainless steel mesh. Teflon will "creep" or "cold flow" and pull back from the fittings. Stainless steel is more brittle than regular steel and as such is more prone to cracking. With the twisting and bouncing it can fail. The bottom line problem is that the tests don't evaluate the useful life. They pressurize the hoses and pull the ends and other tests that verify that it'll work when new. There's one test where the hose is spun around to see if the fittings last. For that test they don't pressure test it afterwards. If the hose doesn't come loose, it's "good." There should be tests where the hose is pressure cycled, like 10,000 cycles, at high and low temps. This should have other tests interspersed include vibration, bending and twisting of the hose. Consider also that they're cheaper and automakers don't use them.
Sure. If they're OEM that's another issue. My point is that being "DOT certified" doesn't mean that the lines are as good as the originals. Or even half as good. Wandering into some speculation here but I don't think that motorcycles are used for as many miles, over the temp range or twist as much as car lines. None on the roads here today.
