Braided Brake Lines

[Plumbob 66 1 Cars]

I just wanted to throw this one out here and see what people think...

 

What would the advantage be for me to use braided brake lines all the way through rather than making some up out of cupro nickel and just using short braided flexi's. i.e standard setup? Obviously the speed of running flexi lines right through rather than making up solid lines, but what else? Surely they can't give better "feel" than solid pipe?

 

Do many people do this or is it just a few guys with track cars etc?

 

Thanks in advance

[welshpug 1,646]

zero advantage, more expense.

 

zero extra faff to make solid lines, takes just as long to clip down and fix a flexi pipe as it does a solid line.

[dcc 855]

Braided lines have a plastic line, and I can't help but imagine that it has a small amount of give to it, meaning it must feel like the pedal is a bit spongy compared to a copper line.

[Plumbob 66 1 Cars]

Cheers lads. It's got to be a tad quicker than buying a roll of copper, straightening it, cutting and creating the "ends". Also I'd have to factor in having to buy the tool (a decent quality one) to makes the "ends".

 

However if neither of you can see any distinct advantage then I'll stick to plan A and get some cupro nickel on a roll.... And a brake pipe flange tool. I quite like the idea of buying one of those pre made kits but they only seem to be standard copper. Are these ok? Obviously I understand I'll have to bend them to shape still.

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

On my last 205 I bought the automec kit it was easy to install. The pipe isn't as malleable as a roll from halfords. The advantage is that all the ends are flared.

 

On my current 205 I bought a roll and a decent flaring tool and remade from the front to the compensators. Didn't take too long, a day, strangely satisfying also.

 

Afaik both are cheaper than braided.

[Plumbob 66 1 Cars]

Automec! That's the one I was thinking of! Whatever I buy I want it to look neat. When I got this current 205 they were "wavey" and looked horrible.

[alync406 4]

If running the lines inside the car I would choose braided lines, I think it looks neater. If running underneath the car I would use copper lines. I find it can be difficult enough to get copper lines in exactly the shape you want them so under the car it is ok but not inside the car where they are on show and you see them all the time.

[Biggles 65]

Copper is softer and easier to bend than Cunifer but has a lower burst pressure (~8000psi vs ~16000psi). That said, do you really need the burst pressure of cunifer when your working pressure is of the order of ~4000psi ? I've always used cunifer inside the car (take the time and it can look really neat) with short flexibles as flexibles are by definition flexible so have to affect the 'feel'. A certain F.Alonso apparently insists on flexibles throughout as he feels the slighly 'spongy' feel gives him more control. Will mere mortals like us be able to tell the difference ? Who knows but braking is ALL about confidence. I like lots of cunifer and not much aeroquip and I don't think I've ever been out-braked so am I likely to change ?....

[Plumbob 66 1 Cars]

Why did you have to go and mention Fernando? If you say Webber uses flexibles throughout too then I'm doing it! Haha. No seriously I'm now set on using "proper" lines and replicating the OEM setup.

[Plumbob 66 1 Cars]

Just ordered a copper nickel set from Automec. Decided it would be the best option all round.