Brake Debate

[MrRiden]

There is a raging debate on another BMW list about Stainless Steel Brake hoses. Just wondering who else here uses them and have you had any issues, particularly with the braiding breaking at the fitting?
rich

[Justin B.]

I have had stainless lines on my '95 RT for almost 5 years with no problems.  I have the ones from Moto Bins.

[Semper Gumby]

I have stainless on everything.  It's hand made to order by Aeroquip in Decatur GA.  No problems.  The only bike I don't have them on is the CBR600F which is completly stock.

[Melena]

I have the stainless steel brake line on my bike.  The PO had put it on just before I bought it.  I've had no trouble.  

Hmmm.  Maybe I should check it well this winter when I'm  going over everything else.

[nhmaf]

When I bought my 82 Ls a few years ao, it still had the original factory rubber brake lines on it.
While they still sorta worked, they were clearly showing their age and starting to crack.  Shortly thereafter
I discovered that the brake fluid turned to goo and decided it was time to clean out the calipers and replace all the cables
and the M/C.  I bought a stainless steel brake line kit from Bob's BMW in Maryland - who apparently has these kits made
by some local vendor.   All the parts fit perfectly and I've had absolutely no complaints the past 2 years.  Braking power
is noticeably improved - these lines do not expand at all like the rubber ones do, so you have that much more force
going straight away to the caliper's piston.   I usually only need 1 finger's worth of pressure to work the brakes under normal
riding, 2-finger's worth when things get a bit more 'spirited'.,

[Bob_Roller]

I installed a set of luftmeister stainless braided lines in 1991, and no problems yet.

It isn't too uncommon to see a line failure at a swaged fitting, it usually is caused by too much swaging, or too much pressure was used during the swaging process.

Ther are go, no-go gauges to check for proper swaging size, my guess is, that if there are issues it is lack of quality control during manufacture.

Also do not use brake lines with aluminum fittings, there have been failures due to corrosion on the fittings, I guess a galvanic cell is set up with the different metals present, and the aluminum is the sacrifical metal in the equation.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I guess you could say I go both ways.

When I rebuilt my brakes on the '79 two years ago, I used all stock parts just because I am anal about BMW part numbers...  
I was also under the impression that new rubber lines would be infinitely better than my originals.


OTOH, when I installed a (R65) disc brake unit on my /2 conversion, I used braided steel, and had it made up, since it was a custom project.
My rationalizations came from 1) there is no original part for the application, and 2) I needed all the braking power I could get to slow down that rig with a R100 engine in it!



So from that last comment, I suppose I favor steel, as well...

[Ed Miller]

I replaced my plugged up original hoses with brand new BMW hoses, so I have no steel braided ones.

My only real concern with steel ones is that the steel be protected by a plastic covering so that it doesn't saw through anything else it comes into contact with.  But if I can make the tire squeal with the stock brakes, I don't see how anything else could be better.  

[thrang]

I've run moto bins braided hose for about ten or twelve years on my beemers and have never had any problems. Unlike the stock hose's which I find tend to go 'soft' after  couple of years making the breaks seem spongy when the hose expands under pressure.