stainless brake lines.....steve or nisstech Help...

Why, do the OE ones look bad? They ussually last aprox 20 years.

No. Not enough you could ever -measure-. People claim they "feel better" etc, I've never experienced this when I've installed them on someone's car. Then again I had no vested interest in them either!

Waste of money IMHO. If they aren't DOT approved lines, they can be

-dangerous- to use on a street car. We won't sell these "race lines" because of the liability. Seen them fail prematurely because they were designed to use on a race car with very limited wheel travel and low miles per year. I mean really, how many miles a year do most race cars see? And most race tracks don't have pot holes etc.

Hi Steve, I just have what I consider to be pedal travel that is SLIGHTLY excessive, and since I am going to do the rotors and pads, just wondered if maybe I should do them (brake lines, the ones from the caliper to the main hardline) too. I am debating on whether to put calipers on the front too.......with that many miles on the clock, I just didn't know what I should do along with the rotors and pads, ( I am going to bleed all the old brake fluid out and replace it with fresh too, that is why I was thinking calipers, it never fails that the bleeders snap off from non use and then I end up replacing the cal;ipers anyway) what do you think? I just want to do this one time, while I have it apart, I am planning on springs and struts in the near future too, should I wait to do the brakes when I do that? In other words I just want to tear it down one time, not do it bit by bit... Thanks for your help, John PS drove a 99 Z-28 Chevy yesterday, low miles, in good shape, damn it makes me appreciate my Maxima, no my Maxima is not as quick, but the build quality is heads and tails better than the chevy. Little things like the turn signal stalk, it feels cheap in the chevy.... I'd like to have one of those LT1 cars, they are QUICK! but the sacrifice in build quality is just not worth it, at least to me.....(Dream car: 99 Maxima, RWD, with an LT1 engine,

Any car no matter how old can benefit from stainless steel brakelines. Make sure they are DOT approved. As for reducing pedal travel, I've had a set of SS brakelines on my 98 Max SE, same as your car . . . just about. It wasn't so much pedal travel that was reduced, but more of pedal firmness and feel that was enhanced. Definitely worth it as I could modulate brake pressure with much better precision.

HTH

CD

I seriously doubt you'd be able to tell the difference if you didn't know they were there.

That is what I was talking about really, just a better "feel" on the brakes. I can get a set for all 4 corners for what the local parts house (read.... AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts etc.) for what for factory replacements, actually LESS than factory replacements, so I was wondering if they were worth replacing.....seems you have answered that with your statement. I believe while I am going thru the trouble to replace all that stuff, and bleed the brakes, it's probably worth getting a higher grade part, over factory, especially since they are LESS money! Thanks again,

So really you were just looking for someone who shared your opinion?

I'm sure you'll feel the difference -after- you've spent the money for this "upgrade". :-/

So if they're DOT approved, they're OK then? Or are you saying that braided hoses in general fail sooner than the other kind?

Brake upgrades that make sense to me (in order): DOT 5.1 fluid (to reduce boiling-fluid fade). Slotted rotors (to reduce pad-smoking, and fade from gas buildup). Aftermarket pads (if there is any need).

If they help, it would be convenient to install the brake hoses when changing the fluid. But if they don't help...

What's your take on brake upgrades?

Should be. They will have plastic or metal "guides" that support the braided hose where it attaches to the fixed ends.

They seem to fail sooner from what I've seen. Factory hoses last aprox 20 years from my experience. Do NOT use raybestos hoses. Heard reports of failures in a -VERY- short periods of time, some as short as 2-3 weeks.

Same you yours, although I think I'd move better pads above slotting the rotors. Many times what people feel as "spongy" brakes (and why they think the braided hoses fixed this) is old water saturated fluid. They install new/better fluid at the same time as the hoses and think the hoses are what did it.

Steve, What is that comment for? They cost less, and I do not see how they can hurt, I checked the prices on factory replacements and they are higher, I plan to keep the car a long while and no I'm not looking for someone who shares my opinion, I am looking FOR opinions.....yours happened to be different from the other guy, and he's had a positive experience with them, so I am going to give them some consideration. Fair enough? I have not ordered them yet. Just getting opinions on them.

I also THINK that the ones on my car feel soft to the touch, (if I squeeze it) is that the way they are supposed to feel? Let me know.. I have some experience with physics, working in a physical/dimensional calibration lab at Lockheed Martin, as a Sr.calibration tech for 10 years. (Metrology) (and you, being a racing mechanic, I am sure you have expertise in this area too) and one thing we both know for sure is that liquid will not compress, therefore if it has a place to go, like to expand its container, (in this case the container being the soft line to the caliper), do you not think it would expand it, IF POSSIBLE? Seems to me that it would, correct me if I'm wrong, but if the lines FEEL soft, would they not respond to pressure by expanding? Tell me also, what does the center of the factory flexible line consist of? Do the stainless lines have the same "center" but just wrapped in stainless for looks, as opposed to wrapped in rubber? or does the stainless steel actually act to resist expansion better. I have never cut either one in half so I have no idea how they are constructed. Please enlighten me. Thanks John

Thanks. I have no experience with upgrading brakes. I was guessing the slotted rotors would reduce the chance of smoking the pads more than any other upgrade. Just a guess though.

From what I've seen DOT5 fluid is not to be used on street cars, it is a different formulation that won't hurt paint but absorbs a lot of water. Best use os for show cars.

If you're talking about silicone fluid, I hate that stuff, makes the pedal spongy and from what I've seen boils easier that regular fluid. They do have "racing fluid" (ATE makes some, it's blue..) that boils higher but does absorb water even faster than normal fluid.

If you aren't boiling the regular fluid, there is -no reason- to use anything else. I think the single most important thing to brake performance on the newer cars is the choice of brake pads and change the fluid at least every 2 years or so.

The whole drilling/slotting rotors for "gas buildup" was true with the pads used MANY years ago. The new pads don't have this problem yet people want to believe this is still true to rationalize their drilled/slotted rotors.

DOT 5.1 is different from DOT 5.