Stainless steel brake line failures

[prove_it]

I've been doing some internet surfing and have found a few sites that talk about not running stainless steel brake lines on street cars. They claim that the Teflon in the lines can fail and cause a line to suddenly burst. The site I'm linking to also claims that these lines should be replaced every year to prevent failures since the braiding will cover up any possible issues that would normally be caught. Any thoughts on this? I've never heard of this type of failure and thought it would make a good topic.

Link:
NSX- brake line failure topic

 

[citymunky]

If they were so bad, we wouldn't use them in aircraft.

 

[iceman69510]

They are less flexible than rubber, and if the inside tube gets damaged, they can fail without external cracking or other wear being noted. It you work on your brakes alot and stress them, this can happen. If you do rally or something and they experience a lot of movement, the chances probably increase.

Every year? I wouldn't. More often than a rubber hose? Maybe a reasonable idea.

 

[citymunky]

I work on aircraft where Stainless steel braided Teflon hoses are operatied at 3000 PSI, and they don't fail. So I have a hard time seeing brake lines failing.

 

[jepherz]

The non-teflon covered ones also catch dirt in the stainless weaves which helps wear on the rubber line underneath as well.

 

[iceman69510]

Quoting citymunky:
I work on aircraft where Stainless steel braided Teflon hoses are operatied at 3000 PSI, and they don't fail. So I have a hard time seeing brake lines failing.



We're not talking just pressure here. What is the aircraft duty cycle and replacement schedule?

 

[citymunky]

Teflon are replaced if they start to rub holes in the steel.
Any type of rubber hose is replaced at 8 years. (Reason being, most rubber hose are used in fuel systems. Jet fuel eats away at the rubber)

 

[raptorWagon]

Quoting citymunky:
I work on aircraft where Stainless steel braided Teflon hoses are operatied at 3000 PSI, and they don't fail. So I have a hard time seeing brake lines failing.



I've seen the end result after one of our F/A-18 Super Hornets came in for a landing too heavy and too fast, she blew both brake lines on the main mounts and a tire. Enough Stress and it can happen.

 

[citymunky]

Quoting raptorreed:

I've seen the end result after one of our F/A-18 Super Hornets came in for a landing too heavy and too fast, she blew both brake lines on the main mounts and a tire.




F18's brake lines are made from Titanium tubing, not Stainless steel braided Teflon hoses.

Also that sounds like the Anti-Skid control valve problem. If you loss brake pressure how did the pilot lock up the tires, causing a "bulleye", which in turn cause the tire to blew?

 

I've been using the same set of SS braided brake lines for over 4 years with no issues. However, I did have an SS braided clutch line blow on me. The metal braiding rubbed away against an intercooler pipe exposing the rubber line beneath.

I'm going to start inspecting my brake lines for wear every time I rotate my tires.

 

[citymunky]

Thats really the only bad thing about ss hoses. My clutch line started to do the same thing. I wrapped the line with anti chaff tape.

 

[prove_it]

What about placing long lenths of rubber over the lines to prevent rubbing and reduce movement to some degree? Would this allow a longer life span? Or are there any other options besides stainless steel lines and rubber lines? I need to replace a few lines and the cost of the lines would be the same to go stainless. Debating what is best at this point for a daily driver.