the P/O of my car has put a braided line running across the front of the car...

i'm assuming it was originally a copper (?) line...

should i replace it or is braided ok? (legalities aside - just looking on a performance aspect)

a long braided line would have a great amount of flex in it compared to 3/16 steel tube ( called Bundy tube ) which is what I used on my lines.

Jethro

By across the front of the car do you mean the one that goes from front hose to front hose?
That's better off being steel, braided would be heavier and kinda pointless.

Don't think copper brake lines are ADR legal in Australia...could be wrong???

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1974 1150cc Leyland Mini S racer,
1975 No motor Leyland Mini "ute"
1991 IPRA Honda Integra (in the build)
1995 Land Rover Discovery 300Tdi

CAMS Scrutineer

It's not that, they're just crap.
They corrode, work harden, crack and are expensive,
where as steel is cheap, tough and pre painted.

Yes, it’s the one that runs across the front under the grill, ie the one that goes from the rh calliper take off to the the lh calliper take off.

I’m not sure if that length of braid would allow too much flex and movement, ie would the pressure ‘energy’ in the pipe spend too much energy trying to move the pipe rather than trying to push fluid out the end and operating the calliper?

I think I’d prefer to have steel (wasn’t sure if they were steel or copper in previous post), but do I need the motor or subframe out to replace?

Should I get some flaring and bending tools and do them myself? Or can you buy pre-made? While I’m at it, is it worth replacing the splitting/joiner blocks in the pipes?

i've just replaced mine, yep copper is not legal here

i bought a pre cut length at mini automotive and simply bent it myself over a piece of pipe. piece of piss to cut your own lengths but i was there anyway.
too easy.

How about flaring etc? did you replace all the flared nut unions etc at the same time?

Most good brake shops can make up new lines and they will supply nice new ends.
I have just had some lines made with Stainless tube but they also do steel and copper.
I just take in my old pipes and they measure and make the new one within a few hours.

_________________
1969 Cooper "S"
1967 Mini Deluxe
1973 Clubman Van (the fleet spare)
1978 ex 1275 LS ("Wizard" Eaton Supercharged)
2015 HSV GenF GTS(occasional drive & tow car)
2019 MINI F55 Cooper S

Unfortunately I don’t have the old one to use as a template, or even to see if I can remove/re-fit without half pulling the front of the car apart. Any advice on whether I can fit this steel pipe with all the panels and motor/subframe/radiator in situ?

Yes it can be fitted with all that in place.
If you don't have a sample, either borrow an old one, or bend a bit of fencing wire to shape, then take it to the brake shop.
The steel ones are easy to bend, even without a tube bender- as long as they have put that 90° one on the LH end, the other 2 you can bend over your knee...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I went to the expense of buying a tube bender - great if you have 3 hands and hold your tongue right - ended up using large sockets held in the vice and bending by hand using the socket as a form

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

If your interested I have just measured the pipe as I need to get a new set made up for my car.
Front pipe as fitted to round nose between left and right front brake hoses is 1100mm
Front pipe fitted to a clubman with proportioning valve on the front firewall is 1420mm

_________________
1969 Cooper "S"
1967 Mini Deluxe
1973 Clubman Van (the fleet spare)
1978 ex 1275 LS ("Wizard" Eaton Supercharged)
2015 HSV GenF GTS(occasional drive & tow car)
2019 MINI F55 Cooper S

theres nothing wrong with braided lines for your brakes, ive seen race cars with 100% braided lines on the car.. and alot of uk minis have braided front end lines..

Braided lines do expand at a higher rate than steel tube.
I would not replace a steel tube with a braided hose unless there was a good reason. (like breakages from vibration)
I would only use braided hoses to replace normal flexible hoses and then I would only do it for racing and not for road use.

Race teams usually "life" brake parts. Hoses are usually thrown away after a season or two. They are not intended to last forever. But it is a good idea to replace all brake hoses on road cars on a five to ten year basis anyway.