Braided SS brake lines - yes or no?

[aj88cab]

I am about to start some major suspension and brake maintenance on the Carrera. One item that I seem to be getting alot of mixed opinions about (imagine that among P-car owners!) is whether or not to use the braided SS brake lines.

For the most part the "no's" are saying that because they flex the SS will breakdown, and that there is not that much difference in performance compaired to rubber hoses.

I plan on doing 4-5 autox's and hopefully a couple of DE's during the year. I do generally have the wheels off regularly checking and maintaining things (and always before a driving event).

What are your opinions and experiences.

Thanks
Andrew

[Driver8]

Andrew,

I just replaced my stock rubber brake lines with braided SS ones. The SS lines should be checked regularly just like any brake line, and replaced every two years (the reason for this I'm told is because you can not see if there is any damage to the brake line under the braided SS). I feel a slight improvement in brake pedal feel and stiffness.

[Bill Verburg]

IFF you regularly inspect them yes, otherwise no. I use them on my car and feel that they are worth it. But they do need to be inspected regularly.

[304065]

What is the replacement schedule for the SS lines?

[CHILI]

I went with OEM rubber ones, too. I think the SS lines look good and probably do give a little better feel (very little, but maybe), but like others have said you can't see if they are collapsing like our arteries are currently doing sitting at these computers!

I've read every two years to replace them, too. Too often for this kid. Besides how could you even tell if they were collapsing inside? I guess if a wheel refused to stop or your car pulled, but that's about it. All in all, for a street car, I didn't think the gains were worth the money and additional time for replacing/inspecting.

[chrisp]

Same dilemma on my end but I went with rubber.

If you poll a wide variety of people it's overwhelmingly toward braided.

If you factor out the people who get them because they are cool you are left with a very evenly split group of responses.

There are surely not worse. In my case I only needed rear lines and $30 worth of rubber was way better than $70 in braided even if the braided included new fronts as well.

I think DOT cert has some value. Not for my own peace of mind but for any potentially liability. I could easily see some lawyer washing his clients hands of a brake related accident because there's a non-OEM and non-DOT lines on the car.

[Scooter]

Doesn't someone make rubber lines with SS outer cover? This would be the best of both worlds.

[Randy Webb]

No, not best. The problem is you cannot check them thru the braid.

I went for new rubber from PAG. Is there anything more important than the brakes?

[Bill Verburg]

There are also armor coated rubber ones for the truely caitios types.

[chrisp]

I don't regularly hit road debris or off-road while needing to ensure that my brakes are working. They are probably great for race cars because of the resitance to cutting.

[rzepko6194]

I'd stick with stock rubber lines. I would only use braided lines in an open wheeled race car, since they are more prone to being hit by debris.

[aj88cab]

Thanks for the good info guys. Looks like ChrisP was right.....opinions split right down the middle.

Our host doesn't help much, I'll be doing all 4 corners, and I notice there is no real difference in cost between rubber and SS(DOT).

A few years back I put a set on the 914 and the difference was very noticable. No doubt the old rubber line were past their prime though.

Finally, I hate to admit it, but the "looks cool" factor might push it over the edge to SS. OK, there, I said it!

Thanks again
Andrew

[vash]

looks cool? i cant even see my brand new rubber ones. unless i park on a mirror. and then my nasty ass frozen shocks that need to be replaced will show. uuukkk! my vote is for rubber. has anyone ever grabbed a rubber line while someone steps on the pedal? i cant get my girlfriend to help anymore, the eye rolling just isnt worth it. i did it on my sportbike and i dont feel a thing. someone try it!

[chrisp]

Put a caliper on there!

[jazzbass]

Another vote for rubber. I don't have a pit crew to constantly inspect my brake lines, and I don't want the hassle of replacing every two years. I got other Porsche-realted things to blow my money on.

I'm with the crowd that thinks that there is probably little difference to be felt by the average person comparing two completely fresh systems - one with rubber lines and the other w/ SS.

[Wayne 962]

There are a lot of myths on this topic:

- Myth: Stainless steel lines improve performance. The thoughts are that the stainless sheath is going to constrain the line and keep it from expanding under pressure. In reality, the sheath is not very strong, and probably doesn't constrain the line very much at all. Also - the lines don't expand much under pressure, unless they are old and are about to rupture.

The stainless steel lines that I have seen are all made of some type of rubber, but have a stainless sheath around them. I like the stainless lines because I think that this stainless sheath protects the line from road debris that may fly up and puncture/damage the line. I say this, even though I can't recall ever seeing a rubber line sliced in half by a rock or other debris.

The only downside that I know of with the stainless lines is that the stainless sheath covers the rubber line, making it difficult (impossible) to tell if the underlying rubber is cracked, bulging, or just plain worn out. The stainless sheath hides this important visible information from you when you're inspecting lines.

It is also important to note that both rubber and stainless steel lines don't really show any tell-tale signs when they are becoming constricted inside.

Hope this helps,

Wayne

[Zeke]

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
There are a lot of myths on this topic:

The stainless steel lines that I have seen are all made of some type of rubber, but have a stainless sheath around them.

Wayne

My race car had SS lines with Teflon lining from Troutman. They were not DOT.

[blackbird225]

I have Stainless from PP and they work great. Do you really need to inspect brake lines to check if they have become constricted? IMHO, if you even guess it might be a problem with your lines, replace em. Someone else said, what else is more important?
I have Stainless flexibles, a new M\C, 4 rebuilt calipers, new intermediate steel lines, and new rotors with Super Blue pumping through the veins- all from PP! And it all works great. I also put stainless on my Sportbike ( goodridge ). They had that clear vinyl coating to protect the stainelss. I never felt any performance increase. Supposedly, Kevlar lines expanded the least. I never had the opportunity to check. Sold my R1 to get a 70T!

my $.02

Michael

[Bill Verburg]

- Myth: Stainless steel lines improve performance. The thoughts are that the stainless sheath is going to constrain the line and keep it from expanding under pressure. In reality, the sheath is not very strong, and probably doesn't constrain the line very much at all. Also - the lines don't expand much under pressure, unless they are old and are about to rupture.

Not true, they do provide a palpable improvement. The ss sheath is only there to provide ballistic and abrasion resistace to the teflon core which has neither by itself. The teflon is the part that is inflexible due to pressure expansion and does not deteriorate w/ age or heat exposure. It is however easily damaged if it is used w/ too small a radius, and also to abrasive damage from particles that get between the ss sheath and inner teflon core.

[jpachard]

Porsche specs all the new RSR's with rubber lines. I'll stick with what the factory uses....I have already heard of one individual who had a SS one fail at a bad time too.

James