When it comes to improving your OEM braking system, the whole goal is to improve pedal feel, increase clamping force, and decrease thermals. Many of us long to upgrade our entire braking system with a high-quality big brake from a company like Brembo or Rolloface, but those kits are too expensive for many enthusiasts, so upgrading components of the stock braking system is the only choice. You may have heard about steel braided brake lines at some point. We’re going to explain what they are and why you need them.
The Purpose of Brake Lines
In case you didn’t know, the job of the brake line to carry brake fluid from the master cylinder down to the caliper. There is always fluid in this system, but when you press the brake pedal pressure increases and forces the caliper to squeeze the pads toward each other, ultimately biting onto the rotor, causing friction, and slowing the vehicle down. As you may know, brake systems are quite high pressure, as stopping a vehicle isn’t exactly an easy task. As such, brake lines are typically made of metal for the longer sections and high-pressure rubber hosing for the sections that need to allow movement. The metal lines are just fine, but the rubber lines have quite a few disadvantages.
Why OEM Rubber Brake Lines Suck
Although high-pressure rubber line can hold up to the pressure required to stop a vehicle, it flexes a lot. As rubber ages, it becomes weaker. When you press down on the pedal, the rubber lines expand which effectively pushes less fluid to the caliper. This also means it’s harder to feel what your brakes are doing through the pedal since as changes in pressure can be dampened by the rubber line expanding and retracting. Ultimately, this results in less driver confidence, and that’s never good.
You might be thinking, why not just replace the rubber lines with hard steel lines? Hard steel lines can be found in most of the braking system, so why even bother with rubber? Well, as your suspension cycles up and down, a hard steel line wouldn’t be able to move adequately. It would end up binding, bending, and ultimately breaking. This is why flexible rubber lines are used near the wheels, as suspension movement requires a flexible line. This is where steel braided lines come in.
Braided Brake Line Advantages
The idea behind replacing your rubber brake lines with steel braided lines is simple: retain the flexibility of the OEM rubber line, but increase the strength of the line which will ultimately reduce how much the line expands and contracts. With less line bulging, pedal feel is greatly improved, as is overall braking performance. For those of you who love off-roading, steel braided lines are much less likely to puncture from a rock or other type of object.
Summary
To put it simply, steel braided brake improve pedal feel, improve how quickly your brakes respond, and provide better modulation. Not only is a performance benefit, helping you brake harder and faster, but it’s also a safety benefit. For anyone looking to upgrade their braking system without going to a full-blown big brake kit, upgrading to stainless steel braided lines is a great option.
If you have any questions about stainless steel braided brake lines or would like to purchase parts for your car, please do not hesitate to contact us. We can be reached by phone at 1.480.966.3040 or via email at sales@vividracing.com.
