SS Brake hoses

[hoshy]

I need to replace my front brake hoses as one is stratring to crack a little. is it worth paying 40squids for SS set or should I wack on the standard ones.

The ones I'm looking at come in a set of four, I assume I can just use to two for the front? I have a 318i, drums on back.

[orangecurry]

the idea of braided flexible brake hoses is so that when you brake hard, the brake fluid goes to the brake and because the flexible brake hose is confined by the steel braid, it cannot expand (as rubber tends to when pressured) so you get better pressure = better braking.....

however, if you only do some of the hoses, any other hoses in the system will bulge a bit more and so you will
a) get no increase in braking performance
b) be much more likely to burst one of the other flexibles!

so IMHO don't bother!
(even if you do all the hoses, lets face it it's not a race car so the result will be small )

[bennyp]

i put ss lines on my motorcycle ( the whole system ) and i did not notice any difference. waste of time IMO but look ok.

[E30Adam]

I also upgrades to a full SS kit on my E30 and noticed no performance difference.

Worth it for their longevity though. At least they won't corrode!

[Brianmoooore]

A recent change to regulations( not quite sure if it's construction and use or whatever they're called nowadays, but it applies to cars submitted for SVA approval), requires SS lines on road cars to have an external sheath to prevent chaffing.
Could cause MOT/insurance/plod problems if you don't use this type.

[Jos]

Worth it for their longevity though. At least they won't corrode!

Recommended that they are changed at most every 4 years due to the chafing problem mentioned in Brianmoooore's post. Although it shouldn't be an issue if yours have the outer sheathing over the braid.

[astondg]

I have only front SS lines on my 323i, I plan to get the rears done too but I haven't been able to yet. I wanted to get them all done at the same time but people were telling me not to bother because all the braking is at the front and I didn't know any better.

The fronts made a very slight difference to the initial feel of my pedal, just slightly firmer. But after the difference was small enough that after that initial bit (the first cm or two of pedal travel) I can't notice any difference.

There is twice as much brake line at the rear though so I imagine doing the whole lot would give a bit more improvement.

Aston

[hoshy]

thanks guys. reckon I'll just get the standard stuff then and an easy bleed kit


I noticed elsewhere a discussion about relocating the servo. has anybody done this? or have any info about it?

I'm not planning on it in the near future, or even at all but it's an interesting idea.

[Brianmoooore]

I'm the one who has has literaly moved the servo - sideways by about 25mm. Used a longer pullrod from a five series, and some welding / drilling.
Others have fitted remote servos, some kind of hydraulic powered setup from another BM model, but the latest solution seems to be to use a smaller diameter servo from a VW Golf Mk2, ( IIRC).

[hoshy]

and what sort of success do people have?

[Brianmoooore]

In my case, 100%. No different from standard.
I imagine the Golf sevo results in a slightly heavier pedal, and the remote servo should be OK if correctly sized. No experience of the hydraulic setup.