different brake line materials what do you use?

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volaredon

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and don't say "pre bent". most of what I work on, there is no such option. I wind up making and flaring alot of my own lines. I do enough that I bought a Mastercool (brand) hydraulic crimper. I have taken a liking to the (usually "army green") coated steel line, since that came out. I have heard alot of talk about that "nicopp" line that bends so easy and flares easier/ I just bought my 1st roll of it since I am "out" here at home. usually 1 roll (25 feet) will do a whole truck or car, with maybe a few feet left over. (unless its one of the newer cars that need 2 lines run all the way front to back)
Doing lines front to back right now, on one of my own, replacing all the lines... front to back, and left to right from the master on out. (96 Dakota 4wd) as I had to put a master cylinder onto it/ and as I had my wife up in the truck pumping the pedal, while I bled the brakes/ I watched the line that goes front to back, blow.... right behind the nut where the front to back line, threads into the rear hose. it was absolutely bone dry when I put the truck up in the air.... like I said I actually saw it pop.

so I decided to try this Nicopp line, and so far I don't know if I like it or not. The easy-ness to work the line... straightening the roll and bending the line without my bender (both happen to be at work when I need them here, typical) and I can tell the flaring tool doesn't have to work as hard as with regular steel line. but, it pinches easily too which I do not like. means it will crush easy, if something kicks up from the road. or being a 4wd, something on the way to the campsite or fishing hole.... how likely is this soft tube to puncture?
I know that regular copper line has never been approved for use for brake line material.... what makes this stuff "OK" then?
 
I don’t know either. Someone else was talking about this stuff a year ago and no one could offer up any engineering info. But I bought some for my truck I was working on at the time. As far as I’m concerned it’s junk. As you said too soft and pinched way too easy. Had to go to 3 parts stores to get all I needed in steel. They said this is going to be the new stuff. Ya cheaper for them.
 
Actually I believe it costs more. Nickel gives it integrity and copper gives it bend ability. Also it will not rust like steel brake line.
 
25 years ago, I went to a parts store and bought regular steel brake lines for my 69 Barracuda. I don't remember the exact length I needed, but I bought several 4 or 5 foot sections, and an assortment of other lengths down to only a few inches. I also bought several unions. I carefully bent all the lines myself with a tube bender. I was lucky. At the very end a 6" piece fit perfect, so no flares were necessary. I think I wound up using 3 unions. The brakes have worked great for 25 years. I had some naysayers warn me about using unions, but what do you think every single connection in your brake lines and hoses are? If you have a decent flare tool, buy a roll of steel tubing and some fittings. Let us all know how many times you do a PERFECT flare, and then realize you forgot to slip a fitting on the tube first. ASK ME HOW I KNOW ABOUT THAT!
 
Last set I had to custom make for a 1960 el camino I used a brake line kit that was i think a coil of 3/16" tubing was listed as terne coated steel whatever the heck that is. Got it from Cheezy Whitney. Worked just fine.
 
I have used both steel & ni-copp line. They both work fine, but use the "Gravel Gaurd" or spring wrap, whatever you want to call it. Like MoparLeo said.
 
They make lines for almost anything in stainless. Green coated if I am repairing a truck or front to back. No-copp for under hood or for tight repairs or bends. Every product has its place. Deciding on where to use what is the mechanics job there is no one perfect product to cover all. Nothing is better then Stainless pre bent with stone guard
 
I looked around, didn't see anything in pre bent anything for a 96 Dakota. I have been bending and flaring my own since before there was stainless pre bent for anything. Yeah I have used the straight sections with unions.
When I went to the parts store yesterday for the materials I asked for 3/16 line fittings, I asked if they had a multi pack, and the barely English speaking clerk said no, they come individually, and proceeds to bring me out a pile of compression fittings Idiot. And not what I asked for. I hate when I have to deal with her. The rest of the people there will say c'mon back and I'll show you what I have, not this mexican ish person. She never lets customers back there yet knows the least of anyone who works there.
Finally got someone else and was able to go back in the aisle where they hang and found packs of flare nuts and had to say "see, you do have what I want in packs of more than 1".
I got the wheel cylinders Changed, (bleeders snapped) new lines on the rear end and the new front to back one flares and connected at the front, with the roll of line hanging from the trans cross member and called it a night. Back to it after work today.
 
The one caveat using s/s lines is that they are more difficult to get a good seal. Flare needs to be clean and really get it tight. Cupro-nickel is safe. been used on millions of cars for many years.
 
I like the green coated steel for everything up through 5/16. I'll use the NiCop for 3/8 & 1/2- much easier to get tight bends where needed and good flares on the larger sizes without kinking or splitting the flare.
 
AND NOW YET ANOTHER annoying story from the old days. Sometime in the mid-late 70's a then friend bought a ?? Ford Ranchero, about a 67 I think. SINGLE master cylinder. he lived on the "Baldy mountain road" which came down from his place around a steep decending hill and corner, to a straight down an impressive hill and then leveled to a pretty straight sometimes "humpy" county road, 35mph, to a "dead end TEE" at Boyer. Across the road at the "tee" was an fence and narrow bumpy access road alongside some power lines

Anyhow he came blasting down the hill one day, (speeding) roared up to the stop sign at the "tee" and mashed the brakes---"sorta like steppin on a plumb" says C.W. McCall.

.............And roared right across the street and through the fence and down the acess road, where the 4 speed and parking brake eventually got 'er stopped.

The trouble? LOLOL. He had just bought this thing only had it for a couple weeks. When he got it home he found out that the brake tube had been damaged near the crossmember, and SOMEONE HAD SPLICED IT with fuel hose and clamps!!!!
 
I love the ni-copp tubing. On the other hand, if im restoring a car and it needs all new lines I just order up a set pre-bent.
I keep several rolls of ni-copp, zinc plated steel, copper plated steel and coated steel line on hand. Yeah the material used depends on the job at hand. ni-copp is the most expensive option. I also keep rolls of the tubing armor on hand. Makes the home made lines look OEM.
 
I've never seen the rolls of armor around. Anywhere.
And in this case useless zone wanted $64 for 25 ft but a pack of 100 ft is $104 which is 4 25 ft rolls in one package, and brings the cost per ft down to the same as what green coated line costs. I do enough such jobs, it won't go to waste. Otherwise I wouldn't have bought this expensive of line just for this truck
Starting to show its age underneath, it definitely won't live long enough to get the advantage of using the "good stuff" otherwise.
 
67Dart273 said:
AND NOW YET ANOTHER annoying story from the old days. Sometime in the mid-late 70's a then friend bought a ?? Ford Ranchero, about a 67 I think. SINGLE master cylinder. he lived on the "Baldy mountain road" which came down from his place around a steep decending hill and corner, to a straight down an impressive hill and then leveled to a pretty straight sometimes "humpy" county road, 35mph, to a "dead end TEE" at Boyer. Across the road at the "tee" was an fence and narrow bumpy access road alongside some power lines

Anyhow he came blasting down the hill one day, (speeding) roared up to the stop sign at the "tee" and mashed the brakes---"sorta like steppin on a plumb" says C.W. McCall.

.............And roared right across the street and through the fence and down the acess road, where the 4 speed and parking brake eventually got 'er stopped.

The trouble? LOLOL. He had just bought this thing only had it for a couple weeks. When he got it home he found out that the brake tube had been damaged near the crossmember, and SOMEONE HAD SPLICED IT with fuel hose and clamps!!!!
Click to expand...

that dumb- assery is ok for a laugh as long as no one was hurt LOL!
 
67Dart273 said:
AND NOW YET ANOTHER annoying story from the old days. Sometime in the mid-late 70's a then friend bought a ?? Ford Ranchero, about a 67 I think. SINGLE master cylinder. he lived on the "Baldy mountain road" which came down from his place around a steep decending hill and corner, to a straight down an impressive hill and then leveled to a pretty straight sometimes "humpy" county road, 35mph, to a "dead end TEE" at Boyer. Across the road at the "tee" was an fence and narrow bumpy access road alongside some power lines

Anyhow he came blasting down the hill one day, (speeding) roared up to the stop sign at the "tee" and mashed the brakes---"sorta like steppin on a plumb" says C.W. McCall.

.............And roared right across the street and through the fence and down the acess road, where the 4 speed and parking brake eventually got 'er stopped.

The trouble? LOLOL. He had just bought this thing only had it for a couple weeks. When he got it home he found out that the brake tube had been damaged near the crossmember, and SOMEONE HAD SPLICED IT with fuel hose and clamps!!!!
Click to expand...
HS! I would have PAID to see the look on his face when it happened!
:rofl:
 
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