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Re: Braided Stainless Brake Hoses

To: parkanz1@msu.edu
Subject: Re: Braided Stainless Brake Hoses
From: WSpohn4@aol.com
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2002 18:17:37 EDT
In a message dated 9/13/02 2:42:30 PM Pacific Daylight Time, parkanz1@msu.edu 
writes:


> I've not been (back) on this group for long and have searched the archives 
> for "Aeroquip" and found none of what you allude to.  Having grown up in 
> Van Wert, OH and seeing Aeroquip hoses on a great number of cars, I'd be 
> interested in hearing what those reasons are.
> 

Hi, Paul.
It may be that the discussion was on one of the other (many) car groups I 
follow when I have time, so my apologies if that is the case.

To briefly recap, the Aeroquip steel braided outer/Teflon inner style of 
brake hoses are excellent for some things. They do not expand much at all 
under heavy braking, and give a very firm pedal - I use them in both my race 
cars for that reason.

They are not DOT approved, however, and if you were ever in an accident, that 
fact WOULD be used against you even if it had nothing to do with the accident 
(believe me, I'm a lawyer, and I'd have to do the same, or risk being 
negligent myself). It could conceivably result in disentitlement from 
coverage!

But the real reason I wouldn't use them is that street cars are much more 
poorly maintained than race cars. The inner Teflon liner moves a tiny bit 
when the suspension goes up and down. This rubs the inside of the braided 
steel sheath and slowly wears the liner, until it starts to leak and fails. 

I have had this happen on my race car, when I was bleeding it in the pits - a 
small pinhole that shot a ribbon of brake fluid 6 feet, and would have 
resulted in brake failure in a race (if we didn't run dual masters). There is 
no way to tell looking at the outside of the hose if it is about to fail, so 
the only safe thing to do is replace them every few seasons. I guarantee that 
won't happen on street cars.

That, briefly, is why you shouldn't use non DOT approved hoses on the street.

Bill 

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