Braided brake hoses

[hoggie]

Are braided hoses worth the money in terms of an upgrade from standard hoses.Do they improve braking performance??Or are they mutton dressed as lamb.

[bdx]

bmw £70 approx for two flexibles, whereas a set of 6 braided £60-70.

[spic]

If your a hard breaker then there worth the lolly

[Brianmoooore]

The difference between new rubber hoses and braided ones is probably minimal, but between the average E30's hoses and braided ones will be considerably more, and as bdx has pointed out, the braided ones are cheaper.

[Jonsku]

You can buy the brake hoses also from other suppliers than BMW... If you want to spend extra money for braided hoses then go for them, but you won't get any enhancement over standard brake hoses (if they're in good condition).

[Brianmoooore]

You can buy the brake hoses also from other suppliers than BMW...

You can, and I have, but don't expect them to last like the genuine article.

[aeberbach]

Coincidentally I just changed my 6 today - replaced them with standard OEM Ate rubbers. No way is a stainless sheath going to make a scrap of difference to braking performance! "Rubber" sounds weak but this is serious rubber.

[Saga]

As someone who has used them for years, they do make a difference to braking performance - sorry to burst your bubble aeberbach!

Essentially, aside from being cheaper, the advantage is greater fade resistance and firmer pedal feel (varies according to the vehicle's braking system of course). There is no other dramatic advantage however. They don't increase braking power, and won't make a patently inadequate braking system which is cooking its fluid something chronic capable of fade-free operation on track.

[aeberbach]

Mmm, OK, but I'm going to file that one with $9000 speaker cables. It's the same basic material inside the stainless braid and if it's loose enough to remain flexible it's not tight enough to stop the rubber from expanding under pressure (which it doesn't anyway. Really, stick a micrometer on the hose and pump the pedal).

[AussieM20]

I fitted HEL Braided hoses to mine, Gave an instant reduction in pedal travel due to a reduction in flex in standard hoses absorbing fluid volume. Don't knock it until you try them.

A common improvement in E36 M3's is braided clutch slave cyl hose to prevent clutch drag, i even think that it may have been a genuine modification.

Regards
Greg

[harry_p]

remember that probably 99% of people who fit braided hoses will be doing so to replace 20 year old rubber ones, so it's not suprising that there's an improvement.

i needed to replace the hoses on my m3 in a hurry and bought new rubber ones as i couldnt wait for braided ones. i do a lot of fast road driving and the odd trackday and the brakes feel great. don't assume that braided hoses will suddenly transform your cars abilities unless your old hoses were knackered

[hoggie]

My existing hoses are in good condition,I just wanted to see if the braided hoses made a difference in performance.I might use the £70 on something else cheers guys

[Jonsku]

You can buy the brake hoses also from other suppliers than BMW...

You can, and I have, but don't expect them to last like the genuine article.

Yap, but they do last long enough for such an old car as E30's.

I've Goodride braided brake hoses and selfmade braided clutch hose in my cabrio. Haven't noticed any difference in braking performance, though they surely look cooler

[Brianmoooore]

Yap, but they do last long enough for such an old car as E30's.

What's that supposed to mean! My collection of E30's has lasted twenty years, and I fully intend most of them to be around in another twenty, courtesy of BMW Mobile Tradition.