Stainless Steel brake lines

[Rasputin]

I have them on my 79SF. I like the fact that you can swivel the ends to whatever angle you need. Hose to fitting angle I mean not the fitting itself. You simply can't beat them for proper fit. You can get the outer coating in a variety of colors too. I got everything at once, all banjoe bolts, crush washers etc with mine. I also special ordered the back line as one piece. It was made to measure and fit very well.

[natemoen]

How much was that back line from them rasputin?

[Rasputin]

Been a while so I do not remember well enough to say. It was somewhere in the neighborhood of 1/3 cost of the three line kit price for the one exta custom made one. IIRC

[natemoen]

Well that's significantly more than the ones from coastguard but I do like the fact that the ends swivel. I have been looking at the ones mikesxs sells but they would end up being a little long just cause he only sells certain lengths. But 25 bucks a line with swivel ends ain't bad...

[Rasputin]

The lines do not actually swivel except to adjust them. You have to put something in each end (banjoe fitting) and pull away from each other. I used a couple of plastic pens. As you pull the fittings will swivel and you can adjust to where you require them. Once you release the pull they no longer turn. Pressure on the lines only seems to make them tighter from what I have seen. The Coastguard lines I have on the 78E barely worked due to the angle of the fittings, but they did go. I have seen other members here that could not make them work. I purchased mine thru www.cyclebrakes.com which was a while ago so the prices were different than what is on the site posted above.

[TECHLINETOM]

I built mine from DOT legal Russel hoses and the proper adapter fittings.

Got 'em all @ Summit.

Figger out what length and angles you want on your 10mm banjo fittings and I will fix you up.

330-630-0240 ask for Tom

I will give you part numbers and I can sell them too.

I feel it's important to use DOT legal hose.

The russel motorcycle hoses ( longer lengths are available) are NOT DOT legal!

Had to use a "t" fitting on the front hoses but it's legal.

Also get the thread pitch on your banjo bolts if you want to change them as there are a few different thread pitches.

I also split the "unitized breaking" into conventional and it made a large improvement.

[jetmechmarty]

www.bremzen.com Has anyone here tried them? They offer brake line kits for our bikes and sintered brake pads.

I'm just wondering if one of you is already the "guinea pig".

[crazy steve]

I built mine from DOT legal Russel hoses and the proper adapter fittings..

I'm with Tom on this, although I've used the Goodridge hoses/fittings (J&P, Kirk, and others; does Summit carry these?) because I like their black covered hoses better. The 'raw' braided hose can be a pain to keep clean and will eat through paint, chrome, etc quickly if it rubs anywhere. The clear covered ones are easier to clean but can discolor.

This way, no hassles with which way the fitting is pointing, is the hose too long/short, etc. I've never had any issues with the AN fittings leaking. DOT and TUV approved (although that wasn't always true). More money, but gives a nicer installation IMHO...

[CatatonicBug]

Remember guys, that in order for a brake line to be truly DOT legal, the ENTIRE LINE, including the fittings, AFTER assembly, MUST be inspected and pressure tested. That means you CANNOT assemble them yourself and still have a DOT-legal brake line. That is why most hydraulic shops won't help you if you tell them the lines are for automotive brakes.

[natemoen]

Remember guys, that in order for a brake line to be truly DOT legal, the ENTIRE LINE, including the fittings, AFTER assembly, MUST be inspected and pressure tested. That means you CANNOT assemble them yourself and still have a DOT-legal brake line. That is why most hydraulic shops won't help you if you tell them the lines are for automotive brakes.

But it does not necessarily have to be.

[cywelchjr]

Remember guys, that in order for a brake line to be truly DOT legal, the ENTIRE LINE, including the fittings, AFTER assembly, MUST be inspected and pressure tested. That means you CANNOT assemble them yourself and still have a DOT-legal brake line. That is why most hydraulic shops won't help you if you tell them the lines are for automotive brakes.

Yet you can buy replacement rubber lines for your car at almost any auto parts shop with no problem. Not sure I understand the whole thing. And there are shops that will make replacement hard lines for you as well. Of course I think there are differences between doing it yourself on your own vehicle and doing someone else's.

[CatatonicBug]

Yet you can buy replacement rubber lines for your car at almost any auto parts shop with no problem. Not sure I understand the whole thing. And there are shops that will make replacement hard lines for you as well. Of course I think there are differences between doing it yourself on your own vehicle and doing someone else's.

AFAIK, the replacement rubber lines are pre-made and tested by a certified manufacturer, not made at the Auto parts store. Because they are for a specific vehicle, they just have a jig they can use to make specific lines.

[natemoen]

From my understanding and reading of the topic from reputable sources and manufacturers, there is NO such thing as a DOT certification for any aftermarket brake systems. The DOT only certifies a system as a whole, not the components of the system. When an aftermarket company claims that its products are DOT certified it is sort of misleading, it only means that the company self certifies (or an outside company)
that it meets the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.

[CatatonicBug]

A little piece of info from where I got my lines:

Our complete selection of STAR-6ZF BRAKE LINES are now available, in both the original style flexible black rubber hose or constructed using an advanced-design, high-performance braided stainless steel hose---an upgrade that will dramatically improve brake system feel and performance, and go a long way to bringing your bike up to modern-day braking standards.

And all of the STAR-6ZF brake lines are designed and custom-fit to exactly replace your original, model-specific brake lines in both appearance, fit, and especially function.

NOTE: our lines are the ONLY fully DOT approved brake lines on the market. Other suppliers of brake lines---including the well-known "brand name" producers of such lines---are using DOT-approved rubber or stainless steel HOSE---as all manufacturers are required to use---but the completed BRAKE LINE ASSEMBLY is not DOT-approved.

To have a completed BRAKE LINE ASSEMBLY be DOT-approved for street use, each individual completed unit must be pressure-tested to 3000psi and pass a series of other tests. Only when EACH INDIVIDUAL UNIT OF PRODUCTION PASSES SUCH TESTS can that individual line get a DOT approval number die-embossed onto the end fittings.

Needless to say, all of our lines are tested, and therefore are approved by both the NHTSA and the DOT for street-legal use.


The Fine Print:

This is why, if you read the advertising claims of brake line manufacturers carefully, you may find the words "DOT-approved" being claimed in regards to the brake HOSE, but never to the completed brake LINE. This is the key difference that all the brake line builders realize, and take great pains to either hide or disguise..........either by stating that the HOSE (rather than the assembled LINE) is DOT-approved, or claiming that they are "approved for off-road use only".

[KA1J]

Go local and take your old lines with you. Cost me $80 local to get exactly what I needed. The ones I got from Coastguard would not fit my MNS and I never got satisfaction from him. I know his lines are supposed to fit the special with issues but I do not want "issues" after paying for something. Just my 2 cents. I did sell the ones from coastguard to Ivan so you might buzz him.

For some time I've been looking around for SS brake lines for my XJ11 & the only place local or internet I've found I can source them is from Chacal on XJbikes. Normally I like supporting him because he's a source of what's usually unobtanimum on XJ bikes. His prices for the SS lines though are high and I'd like to find them at a better price.

Coastguard asked me to supply him with the dimensions and needed components so he is a source but I'll have to remove the lines and then either measure them & hope my description is accurate & sufficient or send them off to him to have fabricated.

If I were to have them made locally, who would I look up to fabricate SS brake lines? Something like Midas or Mineke or a different kind of shop?

Or, anyone know of a site with ready made SS lines for the XJ11 at a decent price?

Thanks!