HARD LINE OR BRAIDED lines?

[65-fastback]

Does it make a difference?

i have braided line in (currently out;-) ) my car now and re-doing my brake system.
To me, the braided ones are easier to mount and install.

I hate doing the hard line routing and making the ends (flares)

BUT, am I losing pressure this way?

Who knows, or has the experience with it?



thanks!

[Schwartz Performance]

Are you talking about from the master cylinder? No problem if so. The braided ones do not cause the system to lose pressure.

-Dale

[Ron Sutton]

If you plumb an entire car with braided line, you will experience a more spongy pedal. The teflon hose inside the braided line is plenty safe to run for the whole car, but does expand slightly. With 4 sections around 18" or so (6') ... that expansion is manageable, even necessary. When you add another 20'+ ... it becomes more noticeable.

if you're just cruising the car, it may not be an issue for you. If you plan to track the car or compete in autocross, my suggestion would be do the right thing & hard plumb everything you can, except the flex hose at the calipers.

[Apogee]

Hard lines are preferable, but like Ron pointed out, it's really just a matter of how much bounce you'll have in the pedal. Though braided stainless hoses are much less compliant than rubber hoses, they're still more compliant than a 3/16" or 1/4" hard line. The more compliance, the more bounce in the pedal under load, although there's really no impact on pressure since that's a function of the pedal ratio, booster and MC bore size. The higher the operating pressures of the given system, the more significant the difference in compliance will be between hard lines and brake hoses.

Tobin
KORE3

[a67]

Consider the cunifer (copper-nickel) hardline material. From what I've been reading it is much easier to work with then steel hardline material. It bends easier, flares easier, and is just easier all around to work with. This Winter I'm going to install all new lines on a car and that is what I'm going to use.

Couple years ago I replaced some lines on this car with the polymer coated steel line material. Never using that again. The polymer is too slippery which makes it difficult to flare (can't clamp it). And it slips in the bending tool.

Bob.

[65-fastback]

Oké thanks guys

I Will use the hard (copper style) lines.

Only braided from my MC to distr block and front and back on the calipers.

[bergers59]

how do you feel about the Copper-Nickel alloy Ron? I have it on one of my vehicles and it says its dot approved, but is it track tested?

[Nothingface5384]

Consider the cunifer (copper-nickel) hardline material. From what I've been reading it is much easier to work with then steel hardline material. It bends easier, flares easier, and is just easier all around to work with. This Winter I'm going to install all new lines on a car and that is what I'm going to use.

Couple years ago I replaced some lines on this car with the polymer coated steel line material. Never using that again. The polymer is too slippery which makes it difficult to flare (can't clamp it). And it slips in the bending tool.

Bob.

Also called nicopp
It also has better work fatigue vs steel or SS

[Gratefuldiver]

You can go the extra step and protect it with SS gravel guard, or the spring looking wrap.

[Ron Sutton]

how do you feel about the Copper-Nickel alloy Ron? I have it on one of my vehicles and it says its dot approved, but is it track tested?

I don't have any experience with it, but it sounds like the cat's meow. We always ran stainless steel lines, which are a pain to double flare. I looked at the metallurgy of the NiCop & like it, so the next car we build will feature NiCop.

[Twentyover]

Stuff is known as Cunifer in my other automotive hobby (MG's) Cu=chemical symbol for copper, Ni=nickle, Fe=ferrous. Stuff is in production use on a couple of European cars.

http://www.cunifer.com/

[MonzaRacer]

Some stock Volvos had it under hood. If you see it in jy its turns green. That's the copper. I know of several guys who scuff with scotchbrite and clear it after bending.