Brake hose replacement - observations

[The Critic]

While replacing the struts and shocks on my father's 92 Previa, I noticed that the upper front brake hoses (there are both upper and lower flex brake hoses on each corner) had begun to split, starting from the crimped connection. Clearly, this was a sign that the flex hoses were in urgent need of replacement.

Due to the age of the vehicle, I ordered replacement brake hoses for the front and rear, but was only able to replace the front hoses today. I replaced the front hoses and bled the front brakes only, using the two-person method. When I replaced the struts/shocks last month, I had manually bled each corner 10-15 times, so all of the fluid in the system should be clean - and the rears should be free of any air bubbles.

After the job was completed, I noticed two changes in the brake system's behavior:

1) Less pedal effort is required - as braking power seems to have noticeably improved. Now, the amount of pedal effort required to stop is significantly less, as the braking power is linear with the travel of the pedal. Prior to the front brake hose replacement, the brake pedal was rock hard, but a higher-than-expected amount of pedal effort was needed for the car to stop.

2) The brake pedal is still firm - but is only about 80% as firm as it used to be. I guess I am OK with this since the brakes now work better than before, but I wonder what could have caused this. I used Centric-branded brake hoses, fwiw.

Any thoughts on this matter? I find the outcome of this repair to be quite strange.

Thanks!

 

[SteveSRT8]

The hoses you installed are probably ballooning a bit with usage.

Happens with rubbery flexible hoses, one of the best reasons to go with the stainless wrapped hoses that contain the pressure. Of course this is assuming all work was carefully performed and properly executed.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
The hoses you installed are probably ballooning a bit with usage.

Happens with rubbery flexible hoses, one of the best reasons to go with the stainless wrapped hoses that contain the pressure. Of course this is assuming all work was carefully performed and properly executed.


+1 on the stainless braided lines! They provide amazing brake feel and feedback.
Just make sure to get the ones with a plastic covering over the braid if you live in the salt belt, the sand and salt get into the braid on unprotected ones and can do a job on the teflon liner.

A little air still in the system maybe?

 

[cat843]

I think there is some air still in the system. The new brake hoses are braided rubber host not just plain rubber. Or a little bit of subjective.

The SS ones are absurdly expensive the last time I looked.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: cat843
I think there is some air still in the system. The new brake hoses are braided rubber host not just plain rubber. Or a little bit of subjective.

The SS ones are absurdly expensive the last time I looked.


+1 air in the system or the pads need to be bedded.

 

[sciphi]

Or, the new lines are holding the pressure better, so less pressure is necessary to have the same stopping power.

 

[andyd]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Or, the new lines are holding the pressure better, so less pressure is necessary to have the same stopping power.
+1. The one person methods, the airlock on the bleeder, or a gravity bleed, seem to give me a harder pedal, than the 2 person method.

 

[ChrisW]

Originally Posted By: andyd
Originally Posted By: sciphi
Or, the new lines are holding the pressure better, so less pressure is necessary to have the same stopping power.
+1. The one person methods, the airlock on the bleeder, or a gravity bleed, seem to give me a harder pedal, than the 2 person method.


I love the gravity method [once I'm sure that all air is out of the system], however, it is so darn slow on my '09 Mazda6 where as other vehicles I've done it on (Hondas and toyotas) it's not that bad.