Braided brake lines a pain to install?? Worth it for a DD??

[CanuckQx4]

I basically just want to know if this will upgrade my brake feel and performance enough to be noticed. Its only like $75 shipped for this kit and there local. Would the quality and fitment be bang on??

Is this job a hard one on our trucks??

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Stainless-Steel-Brak ... 1c164fa6a3

[CanuckQx4]

and would there be any diffefencd in the brake lines between the 2wd and 4wd models?

mines 2wheel drive

[m0nkeyprince]

Theres no difference to my knowledge, as the 4 wheel drive has the front axles, but it has same brakes. However, you might have a more responsive pedal feel as the rubber brake lines tend to expand a little, also the steel braided ones would probably last the life of your vehicle without bursting or cracking. For installing, i think you just remove the old brake lines (watch out for brake fluid that comes out, as it eats through your paint) and then relpace them with the braided ones. bleed the system with a nice dot 4 brake fluid.

[CanuckQx4]

is the apex brand I linked to reputable??
last thing I want is a brake failure

[Chuck Tribolet]

You will need a flare nut wrench of the right size. Don't go cheap here. Craftsman is OK, Snap-On better (beefier and less likely to open up).

I did them about '77 on my '72 240Z. It took a couple of hours, IIRC. Have plenty of brakefluid and an assistant available. Now's a good time for a
brake fluid flush.

FSM specs DOT 3, and that should be fine for a DD unless you are towing a mondo trailer through the mountains. And there can be some incompatibilities
between DOT 3 and DOT4. I don't remember the details, but it came up on Corvette Forum, and I bought DOT 3 to flush the 'vette.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air) and the more moisture it absorbs the lower the boiling point. Boiling the brake fluid is
REALLY scary. It happened to me when I did the Bondurant school in one of their 240-Zs. Fortunately, the turn it happened on, while REALLY fast,
had a long runoff down the drag strip. But the pedal just went to the floor. No damage except to my undies. If you tow in the mountains, or do
driving that requires lots of serious braking, you need to change the fluid once a year, preferably at the end of the rainy season. I know some of the
Corvette track days require evidence that it has been changed in the last couple of months.

[Chuck Tribolet]

I was rooting around in my tool box looking for some thing to fix the sprinkler system when I ran across two 10mm/12mm flare nut wrenches, one Craftsman, one Snap-On. Here's picture with both, Snap-On on top. Note how much more metal there is around the nut in the Snap-On. Note: things may have changed. I bought the Snap-On about 1974, the Craftsman came with the big roll cab in about 1984. (Good tools are forever.)

[m0nkeyprince]

http://www.amazon.com/Goodridge-Stainle ... B000IJ6N3G

i didnt know goodridge made brake lines for the r50, and they are cheap too

[CanuckQx4]

would the quality be the same as the one i linked?? I cant buy from amazon since im in canada, but the one i linked will ship to me.

Id just like a quality product

[CanuckQx4]

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Stainless-Steel-Brak ... 1c164fa6a3

[m0nkeyprince]

hmm i might just get that one too, looks like good quality, you want it to meet DOT which they do, AND they come with new washers and bolts cuz old ones will leak.

and i looked it up, they are an actual company http://apexbrakes.com/ssl.asp

so i think you will be a-okay going with these

[m0nkeyprince]

hmm its a set of 4 lines, im pretty sure we only need 3, 2 in the front and 1 connecting the the back as the rear ones are steel pipes, anyone correct me if im wrong?

[CanuckQx4]

I think that may just be a typo based on mass ebay auctions

but I wanna make sure there a true stainless line, they mention a coating over the stainless ( I kinda wanted the braided metal look) would they just be black or something?? and it says stainless reinforced teflon....

"Replacing the rubber flex hoses with our stainless steel reinforced Teflon hoses eliminates this expansion, giving you a firm positive feel of your cars braking system. This set of lines is fully covered with PVC thus give it extra protection, no other brand on the market give you this extra protection. "

[CanuckQx4]

even on there site its listed as a 4 vehicle set of lines to.... hmmmm

XB1202 QX4 4 1997 2003

[m0nkeyprince]

im sure theyll be clear, the teflon is on the inside, then covered with woven SS then covered with the clear coating, they say its PVC. hey you probably have disc brakes on the rear right? you might need 4 lines. im not sure, but if you can spend the extra 20, i think itll be worth getting the goodridge as a big majority who convert to SS use them

[CanuckQx4]

No I have rear drums

I can get the goodridge lines, but they would be $150 instead of the $65 these apex would cost, and the apex lines are local to me so I would get them QUICK

I emailed them on the ammount of pieces and for a pic poossibly

[m0nkeyprince]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Goodridg ... ccessories

these are the 2+ inch extended lines for those with lifts, im thinking of these cuz i might get lifted springs in the future

[CanuckQx4]

my trucks lowerred so no entended lines for me

Im just going to wait for them to answer my question, and if it is the correct 3 line kit. Im just going to go with the Apex

Supposedly after reading alot of the srt forums there is no difference in build quality or performance between the apex and goodridge or any stainless lines

[m0nkeyprince]

Still thinking about it? did they reply yet? i ordered1 the 23009 goodridge lines, but they were back ordered , now i have to wait 1-2 weeks

[CanuckQx4]

ya I just read there reply 2 min ago, the kit I linked is an error

They dont even sell the complete kit, the one I linked is the front ONLY

I also bought a goodridge kit on ebay for $118 shipped ( canada) but didnt see anything about delays

Hope not, glad I went with the goodridge I guess, hope it helps braking a bit

We should make an install thread or something, Ill do my qx4, you do your pathy, see if theres any diffs along the way with lots of pics for anyone else that wants to do it

[CanuckQx4]

and isnt the 23009 kit the regular length?? thought you wanted extended

[m0nkeyprince]

i got a qx4 too :P hi 5 haha guess we can help each other on the install then
yea, but i read somewhere that having extended brake lines without a lift can wear the brake hose down, and im not gona be lifting it anytime soon. When i was putting my rebuilt cv axle back on today, i saw the stock length has alot of slack anyways so its all good. Only problem im anticipating bout the install is where the rubber hose part of rear brake line is, i cant seem to find it when i was under the car, guess ill have to cross that bridge when i come to it. good luck on your order though, i know i cant wait to have mine in, specially when i got my new brake fluid, bleeder, everything all waiting to be installed.

[Chuck Tribolet]

The rubber hose part of the rear brake line is by the differential, IIRC. Just trace the steel line from the brakes, and you'll get to a Tee
fitting.

Chuck