braided brake lines legal?

[Xander]

G'Day
When I left Aus, having braided brake lines was illegal (at least in Victoria). Is it still true? What about the new carbon fibre ones?
Cheers
Xander

[henryuk]

why on earth would braided lines be illegal anywhere?? they are just better all round.....

[RogerM]

Not so much braided brake lines but the method they were assembled, in theory they are an item which falls under the Australian Design Rules and needs to be of an "approved" design. My understanding was that there were some imported braided brake lines that did not meet the required standards - which require the rating and working pressure be stamped onto the hose fittings or printed on the hose (difficult on braiding). So a bulletin was sent out saying "No braided lines - without markings", which got translated by inspectors to "No braided lines".

[loxsmith]

Go for a set of "EBC Double H" pads and you won't need the braided lines. Huge improvement in braking efficiency and heaps cheaper than the braided lines.
Glen

[Xander]

Originally Posted by RogerM

Not so much braided brake lines but the method they were assembled, in theory they are an item which falls under the Australian Design Rules and needs to be of an "approved" design. My understanding was that there were some imported braided brake lines that did not meet the required standards - which require the rating and working pressure be stamped onto the hose fittings or printed on the hose (difficult on braiding). So a bulletin was sent out saying "No braided lines - without markings", which got translated by inspectors to "No braided lines".

Ahh that makes more sense then an outright ban!.. So a commercial set (like Goodrich or such should be fine.

Go for a set of "EBC Double H" pads and you won't need the braided lines. Huge improvement in braking efficiency and heaps cheaper than the braided lines.
Glen

Actually I want to change my lines anyway.. so I though it may be worth "upgrading" while i am at it.. I have never used the "EBC Double H" (I run honda oem) pads but have heard bad things in general about EBC.. What bike are you running them on? How long to they last? and What makes them so good?

[loxsmith]

Originally Posted by Xander

Actually I want to change my lines anyway.. so I though it may be worth "upgrading" while i am at it.. I have never used the "EBC Double H" (I run honda oem) pads but have heard bad things in general about EBC.. What bike are you running them on? How long to they last? and What makes them so good?

Had them on a CBR1100XX Blackbird '04 and DL1000 VStrom's '07 & '08 models. How long do they last? Have no idea, but the extra stopping power just by replacing the pads was fantastic. Try 'em you won't be sorry!
Standard front brakes on the DL were a big step down from the CBR that's for sure. Let me know how you go.
Glen

[djorob]

Originally Posted by loxsmith

Go for a set of "EBC Double H" pads and you won't need the braided lines. Huge improvement in braking efficiency and heaps cheaper than the braided lines.
Glen

Hmm!
Used these pads in quite a few machines from Suzuki bandit, GS1200, DR350 and have only noticed that they wear a little quicker!
Replaced the front brake line on the DR (a fairly long brake line) with a goodridge braided one and the difference was striking!
The lack of spongey feel due to the braided hose not expanding gave a much more positive feel and hugely increased brake effort!
Maybe I'll give the HH pads another go though.

All the best bud.
Dave.

[justAL]

On all lines that pass ADR they have a yellow band with the ADR number stamped on it.

Really only a problem with insurance.

[Beemerboff]

Legal lines have to be non demountable , and tested after manufacture.

Some dealers were selling, and NZ dealers still sell, kits of bits which have all the technology of the fittings on your garden hose, and these are still illegal.

Power brakes in Adelaide just made me a line to fit a Toxico six pot I have fitted to my R100 GS , and it is swagged together and has a test certificate attached. Took 20 min and cost $95- and they flung in new Banjo bolts and washers.

The EBC HH pads work superbly with the OEM discs on my VFR but are less impressive with the Brembo discs on the GS.

The entire exercise, six pot calliper , braided line and EBC HH pads was actually an exercise in futility - not much improvement for a lot of farting around - I would have been better of just changing ,or sleeving, the MC to one a couple of mm smaller.

Wouldnt look as good though.

[Redboots]

Originally Posted by djorob

The lack of spongey feel due to the braided hose not expanding gave a much more positive feel and hugely increased brake effort!

I reality, its all in your head.
The standard brake lines are rated at something like 1500psi. I doubt you could generate 400 with the master cylinder. Even brand new, out of the crate bikes would benefit from having the brake system drained and refilled/bled

Braided lines were originally fitted to race bikes because they are lighter and more aerodynamic.

What you achieve by replacing the standard lines is to bleed the buggers correctly and completely and replace those worn-out originals that came with the bike.

They do look better though

John

[Nigel Marx]

Originally Posted by djorob

Hmm!
The lack of spongey feel due to the braided hose not expanding gave a much more positive feel and hugely increased brake effort!

Dave.

That's correct Dave. It's takes quite a bit of energy to expand the brake lines, butit does happen!. Try it yourself. Take a very firm grip of your brakeline in the middle of a flexible part, and squeeze the brake lever. You can feel the line swell in your hand. The energy that is expanding the brake line is far more useful pushing on the back of the pads.

It's not a bursting point improvement with braided lines, it's that it is far far more difficult to get them to expand, so a higher proportion of the energy from your hand gets to the pads. The braids are too tight and too strong around the internal tube to let much expansion happen, even though the line is still flexible. I went from standard line to braided on my race bike, and the difference was amazing. Truely, in the order of 30% less hand pressure for the same braking effort. The brakes had been bled many times over the years in the course of race preparation, so I know it wasn't air in the lines.

Regards

Nigel in NZ