Toughness of braided brake lines

Break lines does not sound confidence-inspiring.

Braided lines are great but there's uncertainty about the condition of the underlying rubber, making prophylactic replacement important. The protective braiding should slow deterioration of the rubber but whether or not to a relevant degree I do not know. You also do not want to kink braided lines.
 
I change the brake lines in ours every 80-100k even if they are stainless steel braided.

There is simply no way to determine the integrity of the inside.
 
Break lines does not sound confidence-inspiring.

Braided lines are great but there's uncertainty about the condition of the underlying rubber, making prophylactic replacement important. The protective braiding should slow deterioration of the rubber but whether or not to a relevant degree I do not know. You also do not want to kink braided lines.
There are not made out of rubber, but PTFE instead which is more durable, but less flexible than rubber.
 
So why would one get braided brake lines? Because they look cool?
It's a car guy thing, the same as people putting on aftermarket alloy wheels, different struts/shocks, anti-roll bars, cat back exhausts, you name it. In all candor I've never noticed stainless steel lines giving me a stiffer or more responsive brake pedal, but I put them on my cars anyway. But yes, they do look cool. 😎

Scott

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It's a car guy thing, the same as people putting on aftermarket alloy wheels, different struts/shocks, anti-roll bars, cat back exhausts, you name it. In all candor I've never noticed stainless steel lines giving me a stiffer or more responsive brake pedal, but I put them on my cars anyway. But yes, they do look cool. 😎

Scott

View attachment 227455
I remember when guys put on shackles on the rear leaf springs to look "cool".

At 70 (71 in a few days) I am fine with my truck looking stock. It's a F250 PSD and that's says something on its own.

But for example I would consider a finned aluminum differential cover if it provided a drain plug and better cooling. But not just to look "cool".
 
I was thinking it might be reasonable to replace the flex brake lines at say 150K or half way through the expected life of the vehicle. Some wait until they fail or replace when they replace the caliper. But half way through might be a reasonable maintenance interval also. From a $$ perspective, they probably won't last the full 300K miles, but it you put one new hoses half way through at 150K it's the same cost as waiting until they fail or you replace a caliper at say 200K miles.
 
I refuse to run stainless lines. You discovered what no one wants to talk about because the marketing hype tells you they're superior.

I had an Earl's/Summit line blow a pinhole just sitting still standing on the pedal. Several other off-road friends also had problems (granted, these were all Earl's lines)

Rubber lines are incredibly resilient.
The braided stainless steel is just a covering. It's not 100% SS as fluid would leak out the mesh weave of the braid. They do have an inner core of some leak-proof material. The SS cover adds some strength but mostly abrasion resistance.
 
It's a car guy thing, the same as people putting on aftermarket alloy wheels, different struts/shocks, anti-roll bars, cat back exhausts, you name it. In all candor I've never noticed stainless steel lines giving me a stiffer or more responsive brake pedal, but I put them on my cars anyway. But yes, they do look cool. 😎

Scott

View attachment 227455
A perfect photo to show how clean Scott keep's his cars ;).

I too used braided lines on my more sport focused vehicles, especially the motorcycles. I would justify the added cost and "cool" factor by convincing myself they expanded less and created a more direct braking feel. Guess this is like a butt dyno analogy. Stopped worrying about swapping them them in when the bare braid would actually saw through mounting grommets and brackets (this was before the more common addition of outer tubing protection today) from motion and vibration. On my teutonic machines, I find a better direct feel using a Tyrolsport brass caliper pin bushing and ditching the OE rubber bushings, but thats another hill.

Also to the OP, how often are you changing/flushing brake fluid? If you overheat your brakes that often, your SS brake lines are the least of your worries. That fluid must be like water.
 
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Also to the OP, how often are you changing/flushing brake fluid? If you overheat your brakes that often, your SS brake lines are the least of your worries. That fluid must be like water.

I use racing brake fluid, Motul RBF 600. I change it every 2 years and I never had the slightest issue with it, regardless how hot my car's brakes get.
 
There are not made out of rubber, but PTFE instead which is more durable, but less flexible than rubber.
Are they all made from PTFE? If so they should not deteriorate due to aging. But you still can't inspect the internals and other damage may occur over time. I have used braided lines. I would use them or a track car.
 
Rubber lines are incredibly resilient.
Of course, they are more than just rubber. They are rubber, but reinforced with materials such as steel or a synthetic material that resists stretch, and thusly expansion due to pressure.
 
Teflon inner hose, covered in a braided stainless steel sheath for protection. The Teflon is prone to kinking. Do NOT hang a caliper by the hose. Rubber fabric hoses are less delicate. Hanging is no problem.
 
I use racing brake fluid, Motul RBF 600. I change it every 2 years and I never had the slightest issue with it, regardless how hot my car's brakes get.
Uh, ok. Going off of what you stated in post #12, continuously overheating brakes sounds akin to racing condition service. This level of use lowers the boiling point of brake fluid rapidly and only way to regain it is to replace the fluid. I'd do a lot more often than every 2 years, but you do you.
 
Here is an update.

I emailed both Goodridge and the Goodridge G-Tech Centre that had made my custom lines.

They both replied that the lines can withstand that flexibility and both the hose itself and the connection of the banjo fitting would be fine.
 
On my teutonic machines, I find a better direct feel using a Tyrolsport brass caliper pin bushing and ditching the OE rubber bushings, but thats another hill.

What's the upkeep on those for a street vehicle? Was always tempted but worried about frequent servicing
 
By the way, with the braided lines there was 100% even wear of the pads both in the same caliper and comparing one front caliper with the other. If I remember right, with ordinary lines I had never experienced perfectly even wear. Of course if a stricture has formed that will be obvious during the next brake pads change.
... or you're just getting better at doing brake jobs. :) There shouldn't be any wear difference between braided and non-.
 
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