[Blacksrt]

Does anyone know what the flexible brake lines running to the calipers on the SRT-8's are made of? Are they rubber or Stainless Steel? I had a race driver from Skip Barber tell me these are some of the best brakes they have seen. She said she pushed the car hard for four hours around a track and they didn't fade. Sounds like they may already have SS lines, but if not I may add them. I live in a high traffic area with lots of bad drivers, makes for a lot of emergency stops. You can increase your braking distance, but then someone cuts you off. Which means another emergency stop. I suspect the brake boosters are pretty powerful to feed these massive calipers. Higher line pressure will soon take its toll on rubber lines. Which may cause them to stretch over time.



Adam

 

[marlinspike]

Stoptech basically told me that Stainless lines do little for a car that already has decent brakes (not in reference to an SRT8, but in general).

 

[vvv90]

Does anyone know what the flexible brake lines running to the calipers on the SRT-8's are made of? Are they rubber or Stainless Steel? I had a race driver from Skip Barber tell me these are some of the best brakes they have seen. She said she pushed the car hard for four hours around a track and they didn't fade. Sounds like they may already have SS lines, but if not I may add them. I live in a high traffic area with lots of bad drivers, makes for a lot of emergency stops. You can increase your braking distance, but then someone cuts you off. Which means another emergency stop. I suspect the brake boosters are pretty powerful to feed these massive calipers. Higher line pressure will soon take its toll on rubber lines. Which may cause them to stretch over time.



Adam

I'll have to check, but I'm sure they're just rubber.....Yes, over time they will probably get soft and flexible, but you'll probably only notice it on the track.

SS lines DO NOTHING for the daily driver in panic stop situations. They're only good at the track when some fade sets in due to the heating of the fluid, but even then so long as it's clean and free of any air you probably won't notice.

 

[marlinspike]

SS lines can weaken over time too, which is why that many SS lines are not DOT approved (since they use SS they used sub standard rubber within the SS so unless you replaced them every year you were taking a chance). Good rubber lines can last a long time. The ones on my 20 year old car are original and they show no bulging under pressure or anything like that.
Richard

 

[vvv90]

SS lines can weaken over time too, which is why that many SS lines are not DOT approved (since they use SS they used sub standard rubber within the SS so unless you replaced them every year you were taking a chance). Good rubber lines can last a long time. The ones on my 20 year old car are original and they show no bulging under pressure or anything like that.
Richard

1.) There are plenty of DOT approved braided brake lines available....

2.) Sure they can weaken, but you saying "Sub-standard rubber" has nothing to do with the technology and everything to do with the crappy vendor you buy them from.

3.) Replace them every year???? Are you high???? What kind of brake lines are you talkin about???? Brake lines made out of recycled McDonald's straws? :crazy:

4.) The buldging or excess expansion under pressure is more due to heat which you would not see unless you got behind your wheel while hot lapping your car.


In actuality you want some expansion as it's been explained to me or else "the feel" will be too sensitive. Expansion cannot be completely eliminated but what you want to do if you continually race your car is keep the expansion rate relative to all driving conditions.


But like I said before.....you won't see ANY performance difference whatsoever on a daily driver with SS or rubber lines.

 

[marlinspike]

VVV, I should have said "which is why it used to be that many SS lines are not DOT approved." 5 years ago or so, it was hard to find DOT approved lines, it seems that it has become common now though, youre right. As far as every year on the non-DOT approved ones, well that's what the racers do with them, and they tell me not to would be a safety hazard even on a road car. I'm not trying to say that SS lines are worse, but that one shouldn't assume they are better just because they are SS. I.E. don't buy cheap SS lines to replace good rubber lines.

 

[vvv90]

well that's what the racers do with them, and they tell me not to would be a safety hazard even on a road car.

Well I'll have to take your word for it because I haven't heard of racers swapping them out every season, maybe I just haven't been paying attention.

I'm not trying to say that SS lines are worse, but that one shouldn't assume they are better just because they are SS. I.E. don't buy cheap SS lines to replace good rubber lines.

Agreed.