Front Braided Stainless Brake lines - 2 or 3 line kit?

Discussion in '1st & 2nd Generation 1983-1989' started by 4a15, Jun 21, 2013.

  1. 4a15

    4a15 New Member

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    85' VF700F with a streetfighter front end (no fairing - round headlight)

    Next upgrade is braided front brake lines - getting real spongy, can actually feel lines expand! Can't find a kit for the VF700F specifically.

    Questions?

    1) Is there a pro / con of using the 3 line or 2 line kits, or is this just for cool factor / looks?

    2) Is the factory crossover "thingy" in the middle some sort of portioning valve, or just a hollow free flowing tube?

    3) My understanding is a VF1000F kit will fit the VF700F - Is that right?

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  2. 4a15

    4a15 New Member

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    Nevermind. I went ahead and made custom brake lines using hose clamps and clear tubing I found at Home Depot. Kind of neat cause u can see the brake fluid inside. I'm going for a test ride righr now. Will report how it worked as soon as i get back.
     
  3. Lobotomy

    Lobotomy New Member

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    I used Goodridge 3 line kit and no problems hooking them up.
    It's a hollow tube. Don't know about the 1000 kit but the 750
    kit should fit perfectly.
    I would not be doing what your doing with the clear tubing and
    clamps, that tubing will not take the brake pressure for long if
    at all.
     
  4. thx1138

    thx1138 New Member

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    Big cost saving though. That clear PVC tubing is only a couple of bucks a metre.
     
  5. sburns2421

    sburns2421 New Member

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    PVC will bulge and give very spongy performance at the very least, will burst and leave you without brakes at the worst. If manufacturers could get by with using cheap clear tubing, don't you think they would?

    Don't ride the bike until you put proper hydraulic hoses on it.
     
  6. thx1138

    thx1138 New Member

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    I sincerely hope the OP was only joking. At least that is how I took it. If not we have another swingarm thread.
     
  7. tinkerinWstuff

    tinkerinWstuff Administrator Staff Member

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    Brake fluid is extremely corrosive and will eat away at many materials.

    Go to a local hydraulic hose shop and they will build you custom lines to fit that are tested to 3000psi. Same price as the over the counter aftermarket kits.

    Sure hope this was a joke as well.
     
  8. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Would garden hose work if the wire ties were torqued down with a ballpeen?
     
  9. 4a15

    4a15 New Member

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    Nurse was kind enough to let me get on my computer today. Turns out clear tubing won't hold brake line pressure!!!
     
  10. 4a15

    4a15 New Member

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    :nelson:

    Ha, Ha!

    Just for the record, no I did not use cheap vinyl tube for brake lines! (I guess I should have just said "Bump", but this was funnier)

    As for Goodridge, I did not know they made any kits for the VF700F. I thought about having custom hydraulic hose's built, but would they last as long as stainless? Na, I want stainless... used them in a car (old Datsun 240z) so I know what kind of difference they make.

    "Would garden hose work if the wire ties were torqued down with a ballpeen?" WTF?!?!?!
    You never use a ballpeen hammer for that, use the right tool for the job.... that's what "SLEDGY" is for!!!
     
  11. tinkerinWstuff

    tinkerinWstuff Administrator Staff Member

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  12. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    I was hoping the garden hose would work. That way a guy could have many color choices for that custom look.
     
  13. 4a15

    4a15 New Member

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    I thought the same thing about hose... just take my word, dont use the "soaker hose".
     
  14. halo7

    halo7 New Member

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  15. Dukiedook

    Dukiedook New Member

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    I modified my brake lines with soda straws with the kink near the end and my 3 lb sledgie. Do you think I hit the required 85ft-lb torque value?
    Hmmm?
     
  16. Chris71Mach1

    Chris71Mach1 Insider

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    To answer your questions in order:

    1) Absolutely. Omitting that stupid splitter block actually allows fluid to flow down to each caliper from the m/c freely and actually helps stopping power.

    2) Free flowing tube. Crappy design IMO.

    3) No clue, never looked into it. There ARE kits from Galfer for steel braided lines for both the front and back (front is one kit, back is another). The front kit actually converts your front brake system from a 3 line to a 2 line, omitting the splitter and includes a longer banjo bolt to go through the 2 lines into the m/c.
     
  17. ridervfr

    ridervfr Member

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    Thats cheap engineering and garbage, you get a Galifer brake line kit, comes with two braided steel lines along with a longer bango bolt, thats it! I am not a big fan of their copper crush washers, you could get OEM ones if you want. Thats aboot it...Satisfying job and good bang for the buck...

    I have Fast Lines on my bike, they went belly up years ago :rip:
     
  18. ridervfr

    ridervfr Member

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    sorry, your year bike may not have a brake line kit available, you could always get a newer non-tariff beating bike too yah-know :wacko:
     
  19. ridervfr

    ridervfr Member

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    Me needs to think I have to un-subcribe from this hear thread too, the analogy I am thinking of is; its almost like the girl you took home from the bar in a drunken state. You have regrets in the morning...:nelson:

    :flip:
     
  20. Chris71Mach1

    Chris71Mach1 Insider

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    Oh, but there ARE brake line kits available for these bikes! I know this cause I bought them. Luckily, I've not yet installed them so I still have them new in the package, hence I have the part #s to share. I can only hope that this thread would come up in a search if somebody were to look for this stuff in the future.

    Galfer front kit -- steel braided lines, 2 line kit to eliminate the splitter, includes banjo bolts and all necessary hardware, PN FK003D285F
    Galfer rear kit -- steel braided line, includes banjo bolts and all necessary hardware, PN FK003D285R

    I think they come in different colors, but mine are just the base silver, since I'm not lookin for anything overly fancy.
     
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