brake pipes?

[cerberatony]

question on brake pipes or flexi pipes.
question is are stainless steel flexi pipes acceptable on iva, i read it as long as they are appropriate materials its ok. also is stainless flexi material suitable to run front to back as again in iva it says appropriate materials not, needs to be copper or brass materials only

[Red16]

My car passed IVA with all the brake lines and fuel lines being stainless steel braided hose, no issues at all unless they're dangerously routed or insecurely mounted.

[mirach]

we run stainless braided hoses on all our cars from front to rear, as previously mentioned, as long as they are correctly routed and mounted there shouldn't be any problem,

[Russ Bost]

I can make up anything you want in stainless steel braid with pvc covering clear or coloured & all stainless ends, guaranteed for life. Take a look at any lengths any unions

ETA

See weblink via my profile.

Edited by Big Al. on Saturday 15th September 11:55

[Steve_D]

Note that unsleeved braided needs to be carefully routed. The IVA inspector will not like cable looms etc rubbing or cable tied along with the braided lines.

Steve

[JohnMcL]

Even though braided stuff is as good as it is, surely it must expand in use more than a solid line resulting in lost motion and softer pedal. Does anyone have definitive info?

[Russ Bost]

JohnMcL said:

Even though braided stuff is as good as it is, surely it must expand in use more than a solid line resulting in lost motion and softer pedal. Does anyone have definitive info?

Under lab conditions, just possibly, tho' I think you'd need some very, very accurate equipment to record such an expansion. The HEL brakeline I manufacture all my lines from has passed Aussie Design Rules which as just one of their requirements has a (IIRC) 24 hour "whip test" where the line is subjected to 18,000psi & allowed to whip restrained from just one end for 24 hours!!!!!If it can pass a test like that I'd be staggered if you could find much in the way of expansion under a mere 800psi from your master cylinder!!
However compare that to the difference between a rubber/nylon standard brake hose when compared to stainless braided & I think you'd see a marked difference in wall expansion under pressure.

[PaulKemp]

I don't understand why you would buy expensive braided for the chassis runs.
OK for where it needs to be flexible but not for the static hidden applications, standard copper or Kunifer is perfect for that
OK show cars may want braided under the bonnet and around the rear axle

[cerberatony]

it was more of a case that my mate made them up for me seen as he had a large supply going cheap, then some one else said they werent iva friendly so i thought i would ask.

[PhillipM]

JohnMcL said:

Even though braided stuff is as good as it is, surely it must expand in use more than a solid line resulting in lost motion and softer pedal. Does anyone have definitive info?

I've swapped a few rally cars that had full braided over to solid and only braided where needed when the owners have been trying to find why the brakes were always slightly spongy - it does seem to affect pedal feedback, but then you are talking a fair length of line in a full car!