Are stainless steel brake lines better than the rubber version?

[Rob77]

One problem with them is you cannot inspect them for condition as easily as rubber hoses, and for that reason some countries would fail a car with them for the annual roadworthiness check ( the MoT in the UK)

You're saying SS braided hose is banned in some countries? Which ones?

 

[fredfloggle]

The rubber hoses are braded anyway, so I can't really see there would be any difference.
I have a lorry with a 3 tonne hiab on it and all the hoses on there are rubber.

With brading under the skive . 3 tonne hiab or a brake pipe - actually the brake line needs to be stronger for a given pressure to resist expansion (for a given pressure ) . Stainless braid is designed to hold a " firmer" pedal with less travel for the same ultimate braking force - so long as it is not just an outer cover .

 

[fredfloggle]

I would have thought that braiding would certainly prevent the pipes from any expansion, if all brake hoses are braided then that would answer one of my questions, the mind boggles at the complexity that would be required to fit stainless hydraulic piping on a HIAB

John

The systems are quite different - the hiab is dynamic - an expansion of lines isn't felt (within reason) , with a braking system such expansion is felt in a "soft" pedal and longer travel . On the Hiab , then the load may be seen to bounce a bit as a result of this (and dissolved air and the compression of fluid (yes it does exist)) .

 

[fredfloggle]

As I've said I did notice a far more direct feel with the SS lines. My thought would be that any line would expand to some degree but that the SS ones just expand a little less.

yep .

 

[willy]

personally I don't feel much difference after fitting braided hoses, its a tad firmer when you are braking to the limit but in every day driving I'm pretty easy on the brakes, so it won't benefit much.

 

[Rob77]

Exactly. But what would you expect? The calipers and disks are the same

 

[andrewcliffe]

You're saying SS braided hose is banned in some countries? Which ones?

For road use, yes. I think it may be Australia, but it wouldn't surpise me if there are others. I may be mistaken, or Australia may have changed their minds, but I know some countries prohibit ss brake lines on road cars.

 

[Rob77]

10 Seconds googling threw up this site:

http://www.brakequip.com.au/index.php?show=braided

They are making and selling braided hose in Australia and advertise it as street legal for there.

Edit: I looked a bit further and found some forum entries (mainly from NZ) on the subject, from a few years back. There was an issue at that time on acceptability but it seemed to concern home made items and a lack of certification for crimped fittings and so on. I couldn't find anywhere that has an issue with purpose made systems today.

 

[esox]

I wouldn`t of thought a set of braided hoses on a car would make much difference to the braking efficiency or pedal `feel`;the ammount of flexible hose (between body and hub) is only a small proportion when you take into account all of the brake pipework in a car system.

Bikes on the other hand have all of the [rubber] hoses replaced with braided so has the potential for a greater effect.
And as mentioned previously,some bikers think the shiney hose with a myriad different-coloured anodised fittings is a good look....

 

[glojo]

They are making and selling braided hose in Australia and advertise it as street legal for there..

I'd love to hear from Scott on this issue because the very fact it is advertised as street legal draws attention to the point raised by Andrew.

Thanks for the link

Regards
John

 

[fredfloggle]

I'd love to hear from Scott on this issue because the very fact it is advertised as street legal draws attention to the point raised by Andrew.

Thanks for the link

Regards
John

I seem to remember that there is also something in the UK that stops a sleeve being applied to flexible lines as they can obscure the view of a tester - with "proper" braided lines then the braid is part of the structural strength of the line rather than just a decoration -

In practice it would be quite difficult to feel much difference on modern vehicles with ABS and other systems between the pedal and the cylinder - more likely any improvement felt is due to changing gungy old fluid for new .