Braided Lines
 

Apols if it has been covered b4 I am a firm believer of the Search function but couldn't find an answer:)

I want to obviously change the crap lines on my K6 SV650 with braided ones. So i'm thinking of going for HEL (cheaper than Goodridge) and for a 2->2 setup. What I mean is 2 separate lines from the master cylinder to the calipers (1 for each caliper)

What you think?

Also should I do it myself? The garage quoted me about 2-3 hours depending on how long the bleeding takes......are they having a laugh?

Cheers

Re: Braided Lines
 

Cheers
Ben

Cheers Ben,

I've bleeded brakes before to be honest. I can do the fill up with juice, then suppress lever open nipple and the pumping with the lever etc etc.

just a bit worried on how to put the lines on etc etc, since it's not gonna be the oem setup where it would just be replacing stuff.

600+, On a brand new bike don't expect braided lines to make much if any difference at all. I would be worried about any shop that didn't have brake bleeding down to a very fine art, either by the use of a pressure bleeder, a mityvac or just plenty of experience.

Agreed, it's a new bike - there's nothing wrong with the hoses.

and I was wondering when u'd come along Sid:)

I might be missing the point so feel free to explain to me. OEM Hoses are known to expand with heat as the fluids run through them especially on long trips.

So how come you say that the braided lines wouldn't make a difference?

Again I'm asking you to educate me and my tone is not sarcastic/ironic or anything else negative! I appreciate the time u'll take to reply to me.

Cheers

Got braided on both my zx9 and my sv, definatly recommend braided hoses over o/e.

I'm waiting for my 2nd year service to put braided lines on since they will have to replace the fluid anyway.

I always thought the reason why rubber hoses stretch and bulge might be due to age.

Standard rubber brake hoses are well able to handle the all heat that they are subjected to, the only question over their use is that they may expand when pressurised - that is; when you pull the brake lever. Obviously when pressurised all hoses of any kind will expand*, and so the force being used in pulling the brake lever goes in to doing that rather than all being used to squeeze brake pads on to brake discs. The question of heat isn't greatly relevant here, the important factor is how much the hoses expand, and when young rubber hoses will not be any poorer in this respect than will braided hoses, when they get a bit older however, the rubber degrades a bit and then expansion can be a problem, at that point fitting braided hoses will undoubtedly effect an improvement.

If the hoses fitted are in good condition, and considering the age of your bike they will be, then 'better' hoses won't do anything your present ones don't do. If the brakes are poor then it's possible the trouble lies elsewhere.
It's worth mentioning the 'feel' factor here, many people have said that their brakes feel better after fitting braided hoses, generally they are confusing 'better' with 'different'.
Also hoses are rarely fitted in isolation, most often other jobs are done at the same time, and of course new fluid will have to be used when they are fitted, it's these other jobs; pads, new fluid, cleaning etc, that make the greatest difference.

No problem - I'm pleased to assist even in the small way that I can if possible.
By all means fit new lines, it's certainly not the wrong thing to do, but if you have brake problems that's what needs addressing, or money spent on hoses will not achieve full potential at least, if they make any change at all.

* Basic engineering principle: If a bending force is applied, bending will occur, this is not in question, the only question is; how much? In this case it means if you apply pressure to a fluid in a hose it will expand no argument about it, the only question is how much will it do so? It may be an irrelevent amount - but it will.