Many moons ago when I was driving a school bus for the local school
district, (the things one does in college for money!), we had a spate of
brake failures on certain Ford chassis buses.
Seems the fault was traced to a connector line between the rear wheel
cylinders(2 on each axle). The new copper lines (FOMOCO part) were work
hardening (if that's the term I want) and cracking right at the flares.
After experiencing two failures on the same wheel cylinders within less
than a month on my bus, the mechanic who maintianed our busses had a
steel line made instead of the OEM replacement copper. Never had another
problem. He then began retro-fitting all the Ford buses under his "care".
After reporting this to the folks upstairs, the state commission made
steel lines mandantory.
Since then, I've avoided copper brake lines.
Rick Morrison
72 MGBGT
74 Midget
On Thu, 10 Dec 1998 12:44:53 EST Ajhsys@aol.com writes:
>In a message dated 12/9/98 4:55:22 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>Lancer7676@aol.com writes:
>
><< Allen--At the risk of being corrected by someone who knows more
>than I do
> about it, everything I have read leads me to steel brake lines, for
>the
>simple
> advantage of strength. I don't know anything about copper/nickel
>alloy.
>That
> may be just as good, but I am replacing mine and going to steel.
>Also--I
> would suggest you get the stainless steel clad flexible lines rather
>than the
> rubber ones. Less expansion means more braking power and longer
>life.
>
> --David >>
>
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
>David,
>
>The advice I've received leans toward copper pipes for longer life. I
>can't
>see that there would be much difference in strength, unless you have
>things
>physically hitting the pipes under the car. There are stainless steel
>pipe
>sets, but they are very expensive. I was worried when I first crawled
>under
>the car and saw all the rust on the steel brake pipes. If you put in
>the
>steel lines, maybe you can treat them with POR15 or Corroless for
>longer life.
>That shouldn't hurt the lines themselves, but getting it on the
>fittings would
>be a problem.
>
>As far as the braided hoses, I am planning on using them. They are
>now
>supposed to be DOT approved. In the past they were not, and were only
>used
>for racing. I will be autocrossing the car so I want the stronger
>hoses.
>
>Allen Hefner
>'77 Midget
>'92 Mitsubishi Expo LRV Sport
>
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