On 08:56 PM 09/02/02 -0400, George Freeman said... >Okay, okay, my stock rubber brake lines are aging and you've convinced me >it's time to replace. You mentioned Earl's Performance, but are there any >others recommended or is Earl's hands down the way to go? Also, what kind >of cost am I looking at and are there any gotchas in removing the original >lines (like broken ends, cracks in the lines, etc.)? > > > >George >'89 DX-Hybrid-D16Z6, 123k miles >"Seats, Suspension, Engine, MSD, next=dyno" >
(* snip *) I've been going with lines made by Earl's only because the place where I order/buy them from only stocks their lines. I have friends that have used SS lines made by Goodridge who have said that they were very happy with them.. What you need to check is the inner core of the lines to make sure they are not a rubber line with a SS sleeve. The inner core/line should be Teflon and don't let the skinny diameter of the line fool you either. And the lines should be a single solid piece. I have actually seen an SS line made by "I-have-no-clue" that came in two pieces where you connected them together in the middle (kind of like attaching two garden hoses). I was told that this was made this way so that you could make your own custom lengths by mixing and matching other lines made by them. Whatever... Give me the single solid line, please... Earl lines tend to be around $100 (USD) for a pair (so about $200 to do all four wheels). Others will be in the same price range. For around $20-$30 more, you can get the D.O.T. approved lines by Earl. Removing the old lines is very straight forward. I did have a problem in breaking them free from the caliper so I suggest that you use penetrating oil (i.e. Liquid Wrench) first and then attempt to break them loose. I also removed the line from the caliber first which then made it easier to remove the other end from the brake line. Installation was done in reverse where I installed it on the line first and then the caliper. I found it easier to do it that way to ensure that I had no kinks or twists in the line. For me to do all four by myself took about an hour (about the same time it would take to do a basic brake job) not count the time it took to jack the car up and place it on stands. Bleeding the system took a bit longer and I had the help of my wife of carefully (and slowly) pumped the brake pedal. Robert K. Kuhn CRX Owners Group President (http://www.crx.org/southcal) 1990 Honda CRXsi (http://drive.to/jiggy) ICQ # 3714283 (nickname: godzilla)
