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Thread: Stainless Steel Brake Lines - Comparison, good bad and ugly

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
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    Frederick, MD
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    '87 e30, '02 e39 Dinan

    Stainless Steel Brake Lines - Comparison, good bad and ugly

    NOTE: All, I made this a few years ago and will be repairing the links that are missing, I have used Bimmerworld lines on two vehicles over the last few years and have not had an issue. Only real thing is i think the lines they sent weren't actually for an e30. Mods please move to the appropriate section as I search for where this should go. MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION RESEARCH AND SHARE YOUR OPINION BELOW.


    The reason i went through the research two years was to determine what the best brake line was and which one i should buy. The more i digged the more confused i got. In the end i figured i would share with everyone what you get with each one and some pros and cons. IIRC The dot requirement was garbage, and technically if its not OEM you cant use it.





    Key Factors:


    Length and type of crimping
    End material type and coating
    Strain relief between crimped connection and hose
    Rubber between fitting and hose to improve crimped fitting.




    DOT CODE
    http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-201...sec571-106.pdf


    Bimmerworld offers 2 kits
    1 w/out heat shielding ~$120
    1 w/ heat shielding ~$140

    http://www.bimmerworld.com/ssearch.h...20Lines&page=1

    BimmerWorld-V3-BMW-stainless-teflon-brake-lines-6-piece-kit.jpg
    E30BrakeLineKitLarge.JPG

    GOODRIDGE
    VAC does sell them for ~150+s$h
    P# goodridge GS31001


    https://store.vacmotorsports.com/g-s...idge-p875.aspx
    http://www.amazon.com/Goodridge-Stai...t+by+Goodridge










    Rogue Engineering
    stainless steel brake lines ~$125+s&h
    http://www.rogueengineering.com/rogu...RE-BKLINE.html
    GPS sells them for ~110
    http://www.gutenparts.com/gps-bmw-e3...-line-set.html












    ECS Tuning ~89.95+s&h
    http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E30-325...ines/ES252829/



    Bavarian Auto ~125+s&h

    https://www.bavauto.com/bmw-925

    bhk4000_rep01_13.jpg



    UUC ~119+s&h
    http://store.uucmotorwerks.com/stain...dels-p296.aspx















    Ireland Engineering ~95+s&h
    http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/E30-...sshosedot.html



    Blunt Tech ~99.95+s&h
    http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=196916







    Apex Braking ~68








    it appers APEX braking has quite a few failures but the reason they are failing are interesting due to a poor crimping style. Also it seems some companies dont fully teflon the lines. Something i also notice is they cover the crimps with "heat shrink".
    Last edited by euro2fast4u; 01-18-2018 at 04:12 PM.
    Capital Driving Club Car # 102
    How to turbo your car:
    Step one. Install ecu and learn to tune and or have it tuned.
    Step two. Install injectors and retune.
    Step three. Install turbo parts and bits. get it running with out leaks. DO NOT DRIVE IT. Idling should be ok
    Step four. Retune car
    Step five enjoy

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Lol, what's up with that packaging on the GPS ones? "Ya Mon!"

    Good work by the way.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    My Cars
    1999 BMW M3 Coupe
    Turner sells rebranded Stoptech lines. They have the DOT approved label (which means basically nothing by the way), strain relief ends, and are holding up fine on my car.
    1999 M3/2/5 - Titanium Silver - Track/Weekend Toy


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
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    My Cars
    '87 e30, '02 e39 Dinan
    no idea on the "ya mon".

    TostitoBandito any pictures of them you would like to share? and pricing?
    Capital Driving Club Car # 102
    How to turbo your car:
    Step one. Install ecu and learn to tune and or have it tuned.
    Step two. Install injectors and retune.
    Step three. Install turbo parts and bits. get it running with out leaks. DO NOT DRIVE IT. Idling should be ok
    Step four. Retune car
    Step five enjoy

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Seattle, WA
    Posts
    1,433
    My Cars
    1999 BMW M3 Coupe
    Pictures are here:

    https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-3...proved/?pdk=Aw

    $125 for the 6 hose E36 M3 set.
    1999 M3/2/5 - Titanium Silver - Track/Weekend Toy


  6. #6
    MDR629 is offline Just Go Faster BMW CCA Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Philly
    Posts
    169
    My Cars
    E36 M3, E61 535, E66 760
    Good compilation.

    One thing you're missing is plastic coating on the outside of the lines or not. I have the Bimmerworld lines on my M3 for probably 5+ years and they've held up great and I would recommend them. I track them and change brake pads all the time, the plastic coating is pulling out of the end fittings, but that's cosmetic. On my WRX, I have the Goodridge lines which do not have a plastic coating. They've held up great for 10 years, but the uncoated stainless braiding destroys anything it contacts. So when it rubbed against the painted inner wheel well on my WRX, it stripped the paint and that area is rusting. I will never again buy uncoated stainless lines for that reason. Something else to consider.
    Interests include: Any VIN beginning with "WBS", any engine code with a "7" as the second digit, any Individual car, and all things Touring.
    http://www.bavarianspecialties.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Location
    New York
    Posts
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    My Cars
    2004 BMW 745li
    Brake Line Repair - what else should be done? Can anyone help?
    the BMW dealership says there are like 12+ sections of brake lines.
    Apparently, these various sections have to be ordered from Germany and take 2 weeks to get?
    Which brakelines, if not all, should be replaced while this work is being done?

    Also, an independent mechanic said his guy has to heat up and flare / bend some of the brake lines?

    Anyway, how do we do it and what else should be done? Someone said

    Drop the subframe and replace:



    Brake lines and flare ends

    new subframe, and subframe brushings(15 min)

    rear differential,

    rear trailing arm bushings

    rear wheels bearings.

    Distribution block

    Replace the line to the master cylinder to the t/junction



    Anyone else have any thoughts?
    Am i getting ripped off as the job is coming in at $1,800 at the BMW "stealership" of Tenafly NJ.
    Also, what of the 12+ sections are they replacing?
    But if they are going to charge me to drop the subframe, what else should i do while the subframe is dropped as i love my early 2000s Benzel Butt 745li and want to fully restore it.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Rochester, Michigan
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    E36 M3
    Brake line /= Brake hose

    Brake line: hard ~3mm ID tube that is bent and installed in the vehicle very early on. Changing these usually requires significant disassembly to get to them or lots of patience to fish them through. Unless your likes are rusted, bent, or weak there is no need to change the hard lines. This is what the dealer is quoting you I suspect.

    Brake hose: the rubber small sections at each corner, should be 2 per rear wheel and 1 per front, total 6 pieces. These are the kits listed and referenced above.


    In my subjective unscientific uncorrelated butt-dyno I find the OEM rubber hoses to provide better feel than the stainless braided hoses I have used (UUC, Goodridge so far). All the factors listed above are "important", but if you look at their specs they refer to failure limits. Having supplied parts/systems to BMW (I work for a supplier) in the past I know their requirements focus also on the workable regime of operations, not just the limits. IN THOSE REGIMES the OEM brake hoses, from the limited data I was able to "source", they expand less under load then the steel braided generic ones. This, IMO, provides significantly better brake pedal feel.

    Also, after an aftermarket line busted during install (friends car) I have trouble trusting them.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
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    hiss by my window
    Quote Originally Posted by TostitoBandito View Post
    Turner sells rebranded Stoptech lines. They have the DOT approved label (which means basically nothing by the way), strain relief ends, and are holding up fine on my car.
    Not so. I suggest some reading on SAE J1401.
    DOT approved crimping and hose are important.
    Many, dare I say most, of these shiny parts w/o DOT are poseur pieces and shouldn't be on the road or track.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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