Quick question re: braided brake hose

[Guest bastaad525]

Hey I was reading up on another site, and saw a mention that the stainles braided brake lines for the Z actually eliminate the little S shaped hardline that attaches directly to the caliper, and instead have a banjo fitting that attaches directly to the caliper. Is that so? I was looking at ordering the set of four from MSA, and wondering if these ones are like that or if they still need the S shaped piece.

 

It doesn't LOOK like the MSA ones eliminate that piece, just looking at the picture in their online catalog.

 

Where can I get stainless lines with those banjo fittings?

[JMortensen]

There are some that you can get with a normal brake flare fitting on one end, and the female end which attaches to the hard line on the other end. That would be how to get rid of the S line. Banjo fittings don't have double flares in them, they use copper crush washers to seal. The caliper already has the double flare fitting in it, so I think it would take some figuring out of the banjo bolt to get everything to seal. Not worth it when you can just get a regular double flared line with a male end on one end.

[zcarnut]

It can be done, but Jon is right, it requires some forethought. I use a banjo fitting on the caliper end of my SS brake lines with my Toyota calipers but it required some machine shop work to create a smooth enough surface around the opening so the copper washer would seal. Normally this is a “as cast†surface and there is no guaranty that it will seal.

 

The inner flare piece is easily removed by threading a sheet metal screw into it and then pulling it out.

[Guest bastaad525]

Okay so, are there braided lines that come with the proper threaded ends (I guess female on one and and male on the other)? Do the MSA ones come like this?

 

Anthing I could use to get rid of those S shaped hardlines would be great, one less thing to worry about ya know? Last time when I was changing the calipers, being as careful as I could be and still one of them cracked.

[JMortensen]

MSA is going to sell stock stuff I'm sure. But you can measure the length of the lines and then order from any number of places that sell you whatever you need and make to your specs after you order.

[tube80z]

Okay so, are there braided lines that come with the proper threaded ends (I guess female on one and and male on the other)? Do the MSA ones come like this?

 

What you're looking for are adapters. Earls and most others make them that thread into the caliper and allow you to hook a AN line to it. Or you can go the custom route and have hoses with the ends already installed. The adapters are expensive and most of the cost of this conversion.

 

I've never damaged one of the hardlines on the caliper by taking them off. So I'm not sure why that is an issue. And how often do you do that on a street care anyway. On my race car, where these things are often taken apart, I use an adapter and a AN line.

 

Cary

[pjo046]

Yes, MSA's lines are meant to connect to the hard brake line, not directly to the caliper. I know cause I bought a set for my last Z. So I would buy from somewhere else. All you need to know is how long the lines need to be.

[Guest bastaad525]

I damaged mine when I was replacing the calipers... I had a REAL hard time getting one of them off... was practically welded into place, and even though I had the proper flared nut wrench, it just stripped it. I ended up having to get it off with vice grips. I set them just tight enough to get a good grip, and I'm not sure at what point the line cracked, but all I know is when I put everything back together I had a leak.

 

You have a good point... I'm not really planning on doing that too many more times in the near future but still, I'd rather plan for ALL possibilities, and go for the braided lines that just attach directly to the caliper and just get rid of those S lines altogether... one less thing to worry about.