Quote:
Originally posted by patrick
The brake lines improve actual braking (ie shorter stopping distance) or is it just improved braking feel?
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I don't know if you are still waiting for an answer… It is my belief that braided steel lines will not improve stopping distance by itself; however, I would say that it DOES “improve actual braking” because, “feel” is an important part of braking. The only practical thing that the steel lines do is expand less than OEM lines, so you get less of that “mushy” feeling (not to be confused with “brake fade”-- that’s something else… steel lines won’t get rid of fade… slotted or drilled rotors will fix the fade, but then there are other issues to consider, like warping and faster wear). Once a OEM line expands to its limit, it will transmit the same amount of pressure to the calipers (unless it ruptures, but the same goes for the steel, the only thing would be that they may be less likely to rupture, but then again, when was the last time you heard of brake lines rupturing? I don’t think you have to worry about that too much… just keep them in good condition—fix all leaks)… this expansion is the mushyness you feel. Some people argue that you could be on full pressure sooner if you didn’t have to contend with the mushyness, which may be true, but in every day driving, I can’t see it being significant.
When I switched mine, I had already switched to cross drilled to get rid of the brake fade that occurs when over heated brakes (overheated from lots of use, like on the track, or spirited street racing) outgas from the pads faster than can be dissipated… cross drilling or slotting allows the gasses to be moved away quickly through the holes or into the slots so that the pads don’t float over the rotor on a layer of gas—brakefade! Yuck! Anyways, when I switched to steel lines I didn’t get any better stopping distances from before... but it felt like I got better distances because the brakes seemed like they got more sensitive. The mushyness was gone and I had to get used to the new “feel” of the brakes because “full power” came on will less depressing of the pedals. Personally, I liked it a lot. But the biggest benefit I got was that It looked super cool having those little colored lines peeking out from behind the rotors!
I think it’s a great mod regardless… especially if paired with slotted rotors! The great thing about steel lines is that they are not too difficult to install and they are not that expensive. In my opinion, they are like a rear wing on a FWD car, it may not increase your performance, but it looks and feels good.
