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RE: copper brake pipes

To: british-cars@autox.team.net
Subject: RE: copper brake pipes
From: hlputnam@students.wisc.edu (Bill and Heather Putnam)
Date: Wed, 25 Jan 1995 22:39:14 -0600
Agustin de la Calle writes:
>
>The advantage of copper pipes:
>The manufacturers claim that they are rust free. 
>Why should they be illegal? 
>Gus
>
>
>On Wed, 25 Jan 1995 bender@guid2.dnet.ge.com wrote:
>
>> I'm not sure, but I think copper brake pipes may be illegal in some
>> states...

This is a question I have, as my 39 MG TB has its original copper 
brake lines.  One disadvantage of copper from a materials standpoint
is that it fatigues much more readily than the steel lines commonly
used.  I have heard that the copper used for brake lines is "special" 
and has had some care taken to ensure that it will function in this
application, but I am still a bit uneasy about replacing the original
copper (which, after 56 years, is likely a bit fatigued and aged)
with new copper lines.  I have still not found a good answer to how
safe this new copper brake line material is, although I do believe
it is a far cry from the hardware store copper water pipe.  Any
metallurgists, materials science types or manufacturing engineers
out there?

Bill Putnam



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