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Stainless steel brake lines |
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72SST401 
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Joined: May/28/2012 Location: Palestine TX Status: Offline Points: 220 |
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 Topic: Stainless steel brake linesPosted: Sep/25/2019 at 9:41am |
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Looking for opinions on SS brake lines vs OEM style, same on fuel lines. Don't care to spend the extra money if it's not worth it!
Thanks, Gary
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Heavy 488
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Joined: Apr/27/2019 Location: In the Status: Offline Points: 3557 |
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Posted: Sep/25/2019 at 9:56am |
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On a part time driven vehicle that goes into winter hibernation, I wouldn't bother.
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Rogue343
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Joined: Feb/16/2011 Location: Norwalk, OH Status: Offline Points: 1004 |
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Posted: Sep/25/2019 at 10:17am |
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Gary, depends on what your doing with the car. If it's just a driver, probably not. If it's a concours show car then I would say yes. Put SS lines on my Rogue when I restored it. Was fortunate, though. Sent all my brake and fuel lines to Fine Lines to have them made since they did not have them for my car in their catalog. They contacted me and offered to make all the lines for the cost of the material only if they could keep my original lines for patterns so I got off pretty cheap compared to having to pay for everything. I've seen some posts where people have had issues with the SS lines leaking at the fittings, but I used a little liquid teflon at all the fittings, as suggested by Fine Lines, and never had an issue with any leaks. |
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1967 Rambler Rogue 'X' code 343 4 speed
1966 Rambler American 440 4 door Factory 290 (now 360) 4 speed VIN 100003 |
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akimmet
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Joined: Aug/02/2012 Location: Republic OH Status: Offline Points: 428 |
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Posted: Sep/25/2019 at 10:34am |
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Stainless is usually harder than what the fitting is made of, and the tube can sometimes ruin tube seat cones. Since stainless tubing generally requires more torque to completely seal, There is also a greater likelihood of the tube nut seizing to the fitting. Stainless tube by far is far more difficult to bend and flare, however this wont be a big deal if you have a hydraulic flaring tool or go the pre-made route. While Stainless tubing isn't necessarily as bad as I'm describing it, these issues are something to be aware of. It is more along the lines of I always hear folks discussing the benefits, without pointing out some of the difficulties involved.
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Trader
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Joined: May/15/2018 Location: Ontario Status: Offline Points: 6909 |
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Posted: Sep/25/2019 at 10:59am |
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I'd have to say it's worth it.
If making my own it would be out of copper-nickel. Lasts as long as SS and very easy to work with, bend and double flare. Fuel line especially now with ethanol in the fuel tend to corrode from inside out and also introduce corrosion products into the fuel system, causing other problems. That's if the car sits for more then a 4 to 6 weeks, the time it takes for gasoline and ethanol/water to start to separate. My opinion, I've always hated working on rusted old steel lines! |
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green70AMX
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Joined: Sep/21/2016 Location: Suffolk, Va Status: Offline Points: 326 |
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Posted: Sep/25/2019 at 12:06pm |
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I went with the steel lines and sprayed them with KBS clear coat to keep them from rusting like the original ones.
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green70AMX
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billd
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Forum Administrator Joined: Jun/27/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 30894 |
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Posted: Sep/25/2019 at 12:22pm |
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Brake lines typically rust from the INSIDE out due to lack of maintenance. To this day the brake engineers and manufacturers still recommend an every two year flush and new fluid.
Stainless still is often harder to seal - takes more torque at the fitting, can mess with the softer seats. I've had struggles with them and I've done brakes for over 40 years - I won't use stainless any more. I use copper/nickel - with the one and only drawback being the color isn't right if you want a concourse look - then you could spray it. But it's a dream to work with. I say stainless is only for those who don't like to do maintenance, drive the car in Iowa on slimy salted roads, that sort of thing. Steel lines will last for 40 years with care. I have had lines last longer - flush the system, new fluid every couple of years - or go with the modern fluid that doesn't have such an affinity for moisture. Sitting is HARD on cars, especially brake systems. You lose the residual pressure in the drum brake hydraulics and differences in atmospheric pressure, temperature changes and so on and you get moisture entering at the ends -the cylinders. I had a heck of a time getting the stainless lines to fit my 70 and to seal - and I swore - never again. My 73 has ALL new lines I made with copper/nickel. My Eagle - some are original, some are new. When I flush fluid through the fluid comes out clean, no traces of rust. |
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BrotherBamc
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Joined: Jan/22/2009 Location: Lewiston Status: Offline Points: 2248 |
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Posted: Sep/25/2019 at 12:30pm |
Are you referring to stainless steel braided lines..?? I am going through this right now with my front brakes. Long story.. Short version.. This is what I came up with from Speedway.. Since my calipers are Kelsey Hayes, I needed the proper fitting to stick a -3 AN line on and since I have limited space because of drop plates on my spindles, I had to use one with a 90* end. Caliper fittings... https://www.speedwaymotors.com/7-16-Inch-20-3-AN-Male-Brake-Adapter-Connector-Fitting,32495.html Fittings for hard lines... https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Steel-Straight-3-8-24-IFF-to-3-AN-Male-Adapter-Fitting,32433.html Clips for above fittings. Originals might fit but I am not sure, so I ordered a set of 4. Cheap insurance if the originals don't fit or work. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/AFCO-40260-Brake-Fitting-Clips-Set-of-4,41373.html?OriginalQuery=10640260 Braided stainless steel brake line from Earls... https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Earls-63011716ERL-16-In-3-AN-Fem-Straight-90-Degree-Speed-Flex-Line,144810.html Total cost was 101.00 and that included shipping and my local state taxes. I'll let you know how it works out next week. |
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purple72Gremlin
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Posted: Sep/25/2019 at 12:54pm |
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I wouldnt bother with stainless....but thats me
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Heavy 488
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Posted: Sep/25/2019 at 1:03pm |
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I used stainless on an an 8 year DD. The only place the originals were still shiny as new was where the manufacturers part number tag was attached. The rest was solid crust.
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72SST401 wrote: