DIY. High Performance Brake Line Install

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,544
Now I didn't know you could buy braided lines as well, and cut to length.
Bloody ****! £3 per meter from ebay! I make that about £15 all in!

I may be talking to Felice, although right now I have no complaints about my brakes at all :)

C
 

Grinzzz

New Member
Messages
925
Dont forget the cost of the connectors - still works out a **** sight cheaper. Also means you can avoid the possibility of the poor workmanship on some even high end kits. Found one with a whole wad of loose braid in the pipe once - it was a good job I checked!
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,544
Dont forget the cost of the connectors - still works out a **** sight cheaper. Also means you can avoid the possibility of the poor workmanship on some even high end kits. Found one with a whole wad of loose braid in the pipe once - it was a good job I checked!

I was including the connectors! £2.50 for 10 from everyone's favourite on line auction.

Still, kits, for $car are only about £50, so I guess £35 labour isn't that bad.

C
 

Grinzzz

New Member
Messages
925
Hmm...I'm a bit cautious when it comes to brakes, theres a lot of rubbish/fake stuff out there. For instance there are a lot of braided lines out there that look like brake line but are actually designed for other purposes. Wouldn't take much for someone to pass off one as the other. I'm sure you can get bargains but personally I prefer not to chance it.

One thing about braided that people should know about. It's not fit and forget and when it fails it doesnt give the warnings that normal rubber does i.e. you cant see the swelling. Rubber is pretty forgiving material; whatever they use in the braided hoses is less so. The braid itself can trap material that then chaffs the underlying hose. Also if theres a slight weep of fluid it can be hidden by the braid. The best braided hose (in my opinion) are ones with a covering over the braid. With those you can also tell if the hose has been stressed.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,544
Hmm...I'm a bit cautious when it comes to brakes, theres a lot of rubbish/fake stuff out there. For instance there are a lot of braided lines out there that look like brake line but are actually designed for other purposes. Wouldn't take much for someone to pass off one as the other. I'm sure you can get bargains but personally I prefer not to chance it.

One thing about braided that people should know about. It's not fit and forget and when it fails it doesnt give the warnings that normal rubber does i.e. you cant see the swelling. Rubber is pretty forgiving material; whatever they use in the braided hoses is less so. The braid itself can trap material that then chaffs the underlying hose. Also if theres a slight weep of fluid it can be hidden by the braid. The best braided hose (in my opinion) are ones with a covering over the braid. With those you can also tell if the hose has been stressed.

All makes sense, Grinzz. I'd almost certainly simply let Felice make a set up as opposed to go to an unknown seller on ebay.

C
 

richard_masa_4200

Junior Member
Messages
195
Because I'm such a nice guy and I have the OEM brake lines in my garage here are some pics and lengths you might be able to use when asking to get new lines made up.

Front Wheels. 635 mm end to end including connectors. Hardline connector to the left. Caliper side connector to the right. Caliper end use the retaining clip and hardline end uses friction to jam it in to the locating tab.

IMG_0970.jpg

Rear Wheels. 570 mm end to end including connectors. Hardline connector to the right with retainining clip fitting and caliper end on the left. This should be changed for a free moving nut as the goodridge line has. The OEM is fixed at both ends.

IMG_0972.jpg

You're welcome.
 
Last edited:
Messages
18
well after a bit of back and forward with Goodridge, i have finally had the first completed (correct) set in, with the correct fittings, they retail the OE front caliper hard pipes. It turns our goodridge really did have the spec of this kit done on the cheap, and really nowhere near the type of fittings that should have been supplied.

this is now sorted, and here is a link to the kit :

http://www.amber-performance.co.uk/product.php?xProd=25052&xSec=6655

cheers
james
 

hodroyd

Member
Messages
14,150
Richard_Masa,
Are you using the Nulon Brake Fluid, i thought that was DOT3, or am I wrong..??
James,
That seems reasonable enough. Are you saying that the front caliper hard pipes come in with the braided hose as a complete front axle kit..??
Cheers
R
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,544
well after a bit of back and forward with Goodridge, i have finally had the first completed (correct) set in, with the correct fittings, they retail the OE front caliper hard pipes. It turns our goodridge really did have the spec of this kit done on the cheap, and really nowhere near the type of fittings that should have been supplied.

this is now sorted, and here is a link to the kit :

http://www.amber-performance.co.uk/product.php?xProd=25052&xSec=6655

cheers
james

James, how soon could you ship these?

C
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,220
Great work James; these will be on the next list... Just got to clear the current list first :)
 

hodroyd

Member
Messages
14,150
Newton,
How are you doing with your list for getting her fully fit again, nearly done..??
Cheers
R
 

richard_masa_4200

Junior Member
Messages
195
Richard_Masa,
Are you using the Nulon Brake Fluid, i thought that was DOT3, or am I wrong..??
James,
That seems reasonable enough. Are you saying that the front caliper hard pipes come in with the braided hose as a complete front axle kit..??
Cheers
R

Rob, Yes I used the Nulon. It is a Super DOT4.

XBF-medium.jpg
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
I fitted a set of Goodridge hoses to my 3200 recently and they are nice, brakes feel good too!!