user 84205

I was just wondering if anyone that ever put Steel Braided lines on their car, if they ever had to have their Calipers overhauled?

Thanks for the input...

Jason
www.jt-imports.com

GoRacer

iTrader: (2)

I haven't done it on my Mazda but I have Goodrigde ones on my Honda. They have silicone sleeving over the steel braiding though. No caliper problems.

user 84205

Thanks for the info GoRacer..
Appreciated as always...

Jason

R1 POWR

canman,

i've got SS brake lines, and i need to overhaul my rear calipers b/c they seem to stick. not a real big problem, but i don't think that the sticking was caused by changing to the SS brake lines, since they've always been like that as far as i can remember.


R1 POWR

user 84205

Thanks for the help too R1 POWR

Jason
www.jt-imports.com

suprfast

after i put the SS lines on from ricks(nice quality) i had an ABS light. dont have a tester to test it but i do hear a brake rubbing. cant pinpoint which one. DAMN THIS SUCKS. sorry i wasnt any help
kris

user 84205

SUPRFAST,
When you find out, please shoot me a mail..
Info@jt-imports.com

Thanks
Jason
www.jt-imports.com

sbaker25

There is no relationship between the need to rebuild the calipers and the brake lines.

If you use braided lines, even DOT braided lines, inspect them carefully and often. Any fraying whatsoever and they need to be replaced... unless you prefer to be dead. There's nothing quite so interesting as having a brake failure at the end of a 145 mph straight. I don't recommend it to anyone.

user 84205

SBAKER25,
You would be the first person I have ever talked to about this to say it doesnt have any relationship!

NOTHING is wrong with my lines actually. I just have heard bad things about the steel braided lines for the FD here in Japan, and seeing what the experinces in the states are...

Jason
www.jt-imports.com

duboisr

Garfinkle has run ss lines for 4 or 5 years with no problems, he inspects them every tire rotation.Calipers are easy to disassemble clean reassemble.

maxcooper

I can't imagine what the relationship would be between SS brake lines and needing to rebuild the calipers. If anything, it seems like the teflon-lined SS lines would reduce the chances of deteriorating and sending particles to the calipers. I'm open to whatever anyone has to say on the topic (an explanation of the phenomenon), but I just can't imagine a relationship.

-Max

user 84205

I was hearing that the original lines expand and take some of the pressure, and with Steel Braided the lines dont take any of the pressure, so the pressure is put on the calipers now, and raising the rate of failure...


Jason

maxcooper

Maybe for transient pressures that is true, but for doing the same stop you need the same pressure, so it doesn't matter what lines are on there. I could see that it might give pressure spikes and stuff without the give in the lines, but I find it hard to believe that kills the caliper. Anyway, if pressure is killing your calipers, that just means you aren't getting them hot enough! My stock calipers need a rebuild badly -- all the dust seals are deteriorated from heat. They were like that for a quite a while without causing any problems, though. I am not using them anymore, but I looked at them today and they are pretty nasty looking.

-Max

user 84205

Thanks Max...

Nothing is wrong with mine, and also Im not using Steel braided, I was kind of curious of problems, if any would arise..

Jason

DavidR

I have run SS break lines by Goodridge for 3 1/2 years. I have had no problem at all. The SS lines only seem to really help in breaking when you first hit the brakes. The brakes may respond better or it may just be something that I thought to help rationalise the expense.
I'm with MaxCooper in that I don't see how your calipers would fail prematurely due to the SS lines.

sbaker25

I don't quite know how to respond to this. I have no idea who the other people you've talked to about this are. If all these people told you that the type of line you are running has anything to do with the need to overhaul calipers, I'm pretty sure I don't want to know who they are .

There is no relationship. Calipers are not designed with expansion of the rubber lines in mind as a safety net. The fact that the rubber lines expand only means that you have to move the pedal more to achieve the same piston movement. The pressure on the pistons is the same for a given stopping distance.

That being said, the calipers do need to be overhauled from time-to-time at an interval determined by the type of abuse they are subjected to, not the type of line.

Silkworm

Add me to the list of people who say there's zero relation between caliper overhaul and SS lines.

Rising pressure on the caliper is what you want! More pressure, more braking force. If your caliper is leaking, then you must fix the caliper, but the extra force isn't the culprit, faulty maintenance is

PaulC

neuroticinsomniac

rebuilding the front calipers on an FD is no big deal--i tore mine down and had them powdercoated. MY ADVICE TO ANYONE ELSE WHO TRIES THIS: don't lose the 4 small o-rings sandwiched between the caliper halves. (you can't get them from Mazda.)

i would not recommend trying to completely rebuild the rear calipers...they are really complicated. i started to, but ended up giving up and purchasing factory-rebuilt ones.

but then again, you probably don't need a complete rebuild. probably just a little maintenance.

bros0000

Better yet, don't take the two halves apart. I rebuilt mine this weekend, and I don't see any reason why you would want or need to take the two halves apart to do the job. It even says it in the FSM...