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MG MGB Technical - Stainless steel front brake lines

Can anyone provide a (US) source besides Moss for stainless steel front brake lines for an mgb roadster? My old rubber ones have perished and I think I'll replace them with something more long-lived.
Andy Taylor

VB and LBCarCO (www.lbcarco.com). LBCarCo uses the Moss part number (and same supplier?) but at a decent discount.

Rick
Rick Stevens

Why not buy them from England? You can get them at a steep discount and shipping takes about 4-5 days. Remember to subtract the VAT charges from the cost!
I bought mine off Ebay for less than half the price of Moss, and yes they were new.
Jeff Schlemmer

Jeff,
Good idea; who'd you get them from?
Thanks
Andy Taylor

While Moss & Vicky Brit get alot of our business, don't leave out Kale Auto: http://www.kalecoauto.com/

They have some really trick cross-drilled brake lines for performance you wouldn't believe (or survive)!

Also a good supply of round tuits and 710 caps.

Have a good Friday.
John Z

I bought mine from a random auction, but I know that the MGOC sells them for $32 Sterling. I belive the brand is Goodrich, so search the internet and you'll find them cheap!

Jeff Schlemmer

John:

I owe you an apology! I thought your above post was a mistake and you meant to say "cross drilled rotors". I then checked out the site and saw the words "cross drilled brake lines" I assumed that it was a type also and had a bit of a laught. Then I read further and saw that they were for real, there is such a thing as cross drilled brake lines! Made of rubber no less! I am not sure why, but I feel no urge to rush out and buy a set!

Pete
Pete

Personally I think I'll invest in a set of Brass Balls for my next race meeting....
Andrew McGee

Check with your local Hot-Rod shops. There are companies that make new flex lines in stainless and they will know of them.
Sandy Sanders

Be careful with aftermarket SS lines not specifically made and cataloged as a direct MGB replacement part - at least here in NZ, such brake lines are not legal for on-road use.

Personally, I ordered the Goodrich's from a UK MGB supplier, and couldn't be happier with 'em.
Curtis Walker

i purchased a set from Summit. got 2 front & the rear plus the needed adapters to convert to AN fittings. i contacted Russell SS Lines directly and their tech dept gave the the part #'s of the needed parts. $90 + or -
extremely pleased with their quality and fit.
you can order from the #'s on Russell's web site onthe length needed. should you decide on this course, contact me amd i will try to provide the lengths and fitting #'s. didn't feel this was an area to take a chance on less expensive items of unk. quality.
kelly stevenson

so, what's wrong with stock brake lines? They last for a long time and are relatively cheap. Stainless steel lines do what? Stop the soft feel? If you properly bleed your brakes and lines, they won't feel soft. Stainless steel brake lines still have rubber inside. Once that rubber fails (stainless or otherwise) your line will start leaking.

Admit it -- you're a car addict - what can you do to improve it?? How about needle bearing rocker arms instead of bushings?

I'm sure somebody will start marketing them any day now and also sure that somebody will buy them.

Do you have double platinum plugs? They will last 100,000 miles. I'll bet if you bought them you would still consider changing them every 10k miles. Without lead in gas, a cheap set of non-platinum plugs will go 20k plus.

We should be discussing what is the best car wax.

Barry



Barry Parkinson

Getting too cold here for brass balls. I might have a need for a round tuit, tho.
Tom

Andy,

considering Stainless Steel break lines, you should investigate upon details. Using AISI 304 material would not make sense, AISI 316 is better, but there will be corrosion still, although it is not just visuable. SS materials corrode with blach stain, eating into the surface. The prob is, that you will not see the corrosion until the line is leaking. for this reason car industry normally does not use SS for the lines but Monell or Cunifer where you can check the condition of the material by inspecting it's surface.
As both alloys also do not rust away like steel, polishing is not a hard job although no 'chrome like' finish can be reached.

Try to find out some further informartion on google and make your choice, but do not use normal Stainless Steel for brakelines!!!

Ralph


Ralph

Barry:

You are right that many of us succumb to the "Car Jewelry" addiction. However, I do not feel that the SS Brake lines fall under that category. The change in brake pedal feel is very distinct and in a good way if you like a pedal that does not include a "soft compressible feel" while braking. I think the body of knowledge or experience is out on this board to put the SS lines under the heading of Improvements to the machine".

I would not actually go so far as to say the lines improve braking since I have no way of testing. Also, do not assume that the lines will last any longer. It is the firm pedal while braking that makes me apreciate the SS lines.

Pete
Pete

I recently noticed that my front brake hoses have some blisters where they join the fittings on each end. This has happened to both front brakes. I am glad I noticed it because my 1963 MGB only has single circuit brakes.

I thought I would reactivate this thread to see if there are any recent experiences with the Goodrich brake hoses.
Ian
Ian Buckley

Andy,try "Classic Tube" in Lancaster,N.Y 1-800-882-3711 ,they will custom bend to OEM specs.Great work. Hope this helps,Rich Osterhout
rich osterhout

I used to run stainless steel brake lines but no longer do so on street cars. I once suffered sudden brake failure when the rear hose gave way. The cause was the steel mesh chaffing away the inner rubber hose until it finally sprung a leak. I was very fortunate that it happened while backing out of a driveway, as I was traveling 80+ MPH on the freeway only moments before! The hoses were about 5 years old.

The problem with stainless hoses is that you cannot see the condition of the rubber beneath. On a race car this isn't a problem because the hoses are changed regularly anyway. The stainless hoses do have a slightly harder feel, but I agree with Barry that a properly bled system will be almost indistinguishable between the two. I use only high quality rubber hoses, so cheaper ones may have more give, I'm not really sure.

The other problem I had with stainless was with the Goodrich version as sold by Moss and others. They are simply too short! Turning the wheels to full lock results in a very sharp bend at the ends of the hoses. I've gradually returned my cars to rubber hoses over the past few years and do not plan to go stainless ever again.
Steve S

Steve, thanks for the comments. In the meantime I have bought the Goodridge from the UK. I have not fitted them yet and I will now give it some more thought. Does anyone know of a source for quality hoses?
Ian Buckley

Buckles
I recently purchased a set of Goodrich hoses for our Elan to replace the old set of probably 20 years
The new set are fantastic quality, as well as being braided they also have a clear coating over the outside to protect and support the braiding, and their outside diameter is probably only about 3/4 the size of the old ones (also Goodrich) -- Never had a problem with the old ones just replacing because of old age
Got mine off ebay UK - they cost $120 for the set of four landed here
Cheers Willy
William Revit

Willy

Thanks for that encouragement, but there is good news and bad news.
The good news is that mine have the plastic outer covering and as you say are smaller in OD that originals. The quality does look excellent. (Looks are not everything)
The bad news is that mine only cost 38 quid which I think is about 60 AUD from MG Service Heathrow!!
I have booked the ferry and accommodation for your national Meeting next Easter. Might see you then?
Buckles
Ian Buckley

In the past I've had hoses with a plastic 'wire' wrapped round them in a spiral, and this seems to ease the radius at the fittings as well as largely prevent impact abrasion. I wouldn't be happy with anything that prevented clear visibility of the surface cracking that develops in the rubber, and indicates time to change.
PaulH Solihull

Paul, yes that is my concern too. I do notice with these hoses that there is a plastic 'funnel' like fitting as the hose leaves the fitting, presumably designed to ease the radius as you say.
I wonder where and by whom are the other available hoses made. Also how old are the hoses on sale. The Goodridge hoses I have were made in March 2010.
Ian/Buckles
Ian Buckley

This thread was discussed between 13/09/2006 and 01/08/2011

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