Comparing stainless steel braided brake lines vs. oem rubber ones

Discussion in '1st & 2nd Generation 1983-1989' started by woody77, Aug 6, 2011.

  1. woody77

    woody77 New Member

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    My second 86 VFR (75K miles) that I'm swapping parts from has stainless braided brake lines for the front brakes.

    In squeezing the brake handle, the early movement has a very similar feel to my main bike (25K miles), and then the feel gets very, very solid in comparison. My main bike has never been confidence inspiring when braking hard. No feedback, and the back end feels very light. The reworked forks (Lindemann) helped considerably, but the back still feels like it wants to pitch up vs. the bike squatting down onto it's suspension. Probably just the dynamics of a higher CoG bike and heavily front-biased brakes..?

    Anyway, I'm planning on swapping the lines over to my main bike (and the rubber ones back to the second bike), as I'm assuming most of the better feedback from the brake level is due to the lines (vs. air as I've bled the brakes well).

    My brakes on the main bike are EBC HH sintered pads (the copper-colored ones). I assume these are not highly compressible, and most of the compressible feeling in the brakes IS due to the 26yo rubber lines expanding under pressure.

    This all sound about right?
     
  2. Singer732

    Singer732 New Member

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    Your right on target. The stock lines expand a fair amount under pressure. The braided lines expand slightly at first until the braid tightens up and then they are rock solid. Just as a consideration, you might think twice about using those 26yo brake lines. At the very least you should inspect them very thoroughly. Age could account for some of the soft feel in the old lines as well.:cool::cool::cool::cool:
     
  3. hazzmatt

    hazzmatt New Member

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    ..good theory, but don't overlook the mechanical parts too. Stuck/sticky caliper slide pins can give you the same sensation through the brake lever. If the piston in the caliper has to travel further and retract further to compensate for a caliper that is not floating properly it can make the brake feel spongy.
     
  4. woody77

    woody77 New Member

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    Good points, guys, I'll tear into my brakes and give them a good inspection before I swap anything around. I'm not certain exactly when the other bike was swapped over to stainless lines, but they look fairly old (and are unjacketed, with a plastic spiral wrapped around them in places to protect other surfaces from abrasion.
     
  5. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    Hazzmatt has it right; there is no comparison between the braking ability of steel-braded lines and old, squishy, expandable OEM lines.

    You'll need to recalibrate your lever force cuz while OEM lines are like squeezing a balloon, steel lines are like squeezing a brick, which is better.

    In 1997, after an AMA race, " I SQUEEZED MIGUEL'S BRAKE LEVER !!," so i know what it's 'sposed to feel like. Hard. And firm.
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2011
  6. kennybobby

    kennybobby New Member

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    i can think of no special properties or use for the stainless braid except to act as a beauty piece and protect the inner plastic (PTFE) tubing from abrasion. The difference in braking is due to the much higher radial stiffness of the semi-rigid plastic tubing over that of the elastic rubber hose.

    And plain stainless is out of date now-- the new look is a clear or colored plastic coating over the stainless braid in order to keep it from getting spooge in the braid, match your paint job and look cool.

    i suppose they do have a special transfer property--transfer money from your pocket to theirs.

    Seems like lots of bikes run steel tubing for most of the path with short sections of the rubber hose at each end where flexibility is required for suspension travel.
     
  7. Singer732

    Singer732 New Member

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    Wow dude, Somebody urinate in your Wheaties?
    :cool::cool::cool::cool:
     
  8. Spike

    Spike New Member

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    This writting style sounds familiar...

    woody - most agree that braided lines are a big improvement in braking feel, and perhaps power, but usually at least feel. Especially if the rubber lines are 26 years old!

     
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