Copper Or Braided?

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

Just a quicky......

 

Is there anything wrong with using copper brakeline when fitting them to run inside the car?

 

I'm sure there is'nt but just want to double-check.

 

Also, is a bias valve worthwhile given I'm a novice? I was just going to ditch the rear compensators (I'm running 4 pots upfront).

 

Thanks

 

Alan

[welshpug 1,622]

should be fine as long as you can clip it down securely, braided is a little easier to use in this respect, but a lot more expensive!

[Jrod 7]

I'd of said it was the other way as braided is flexible so needs to be well held down where as copper is rigid?

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Braded is quite cheap, It's the fitting's that cost the money.

But no reason not to use Copper line's as many people do, Just use some good clip's to keep it in place and make some nice curves as some are just plain all-full on some car's where it's been bent by hand

[James_R 3]

Bias valve can't hurt, or at least put a union in to simulate a bias valve so ones easy to fit if needed.

[Spiky 37]

i fitted braided, as well i dont know..lol

 

only issue i can see with copper, is you "could" put a kink in the pipe and they it will affect ya brakes, and you "might" not notice it

 

where as braided is fairly flexiable

[Alastairh 47]

Copper is fine. Seen loads of 205s with them fitted with decent clips securing them.

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

Coniffeur sp is a better job than copper. It's a bit dearer and slightly tougher than copper and harder to bend but does a good job. Ive both my 205's done with it but they are in the original brake pipe postions. I think it has a better fit at joints as it doesn't squash as copper to get a good seal.

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

OK, sounds like copper will be fine.

 

For now I think I'll do without a bias valve, and just put a union in its place.

 

Can someone tell me the size of fittings I need?

 

I want to ditch the compensators at the rear as I have 4 pots upfront, and still use my goodridge hose ends at the calipers. The MC(which I am replacing) fittings are M10x1 male, what are the fittings where the flexi/goodridge pipes connect?

 

Basically, I'll be running 2 lines for the front, and 1 to the rear where it'll split around the fuel tank to each caliper.

 

Is it an idea to change the lines at the MC to represent front/rear split, as I suppose its diaganolly split ATM?

[James_R 3]

I've plumbed mine with the front outlets to the front then the one at the back to the rear and blocked the remainder.

 

You can just use a std Tpiece under the car or even a 1.6 T-piece and flexi's.

 

The other advantage of braided (or at least going braided from the underside of the shell on the run, is that when you pull the beam off, you just unbolt the caliper and place it on the floor in the middle of the car, and drop the beam off, no need ot bleed the system makes life easier there.

[Anthony 1,000]

Can someone tell me the size of fittings I need?

All the fittings are M10x1 as standard, but obviously the bias valve will be whatever the manufacturer of it felt like - I know Wilwood bias valves use a wierd tappered thread, and hence I'm not sure there's much point putting a union in the line as it might not be the correct one.

 

Absolute worse case is having to remake the whole front-back line to fit a bias-valve at a later date, which is only about an hours work and less than £5 of copper pipe/unions.

 

Is it an idea to change the lines at the MC to represent front/rear split, as I suppose its diaganolly split ATM?

That's what I usually do as a matter of course (single line to rear), and you'll need to do that anyway for fitting a bias-valve.

 

The other advantage of braided (or at least going braided from the underside of the shell on the run, is that when you pull the beam off, you just unbolt the caliper and place it on the floor in the middle of the car, and drop the beam off, no need ot bleed the system makes life easier there.

You can do that with copper too (that's what I do every time I have to remove/refit a beam) but granted it's 10 times easier with braided.

 

Could have the best of both worlds - copper inside the car and as far as the T-piece, and then braided from there to the calipers?

[Rippthrough 98]

If your just running hard line in the car then it'll be fairly straight, so you could use steel without too much hassle.

[M3Evo 0]

All the fittings are M10x1 as standard

 

Except one of the ones on the compensators themselves which are M12xsomething-or-other I seem to remember (just incase anyone reading this is doing a replacement for standard pipes.

[Guest smokinslim]

Yup, the newer 1.9 compensators are m12x1 at the front end, m10x1 at the back. The older ones were m10x1 both ends. God only knows why they changed it, jus to be bloody akward probably lol.

[Anthony 1,000]

Good point and thanks for making that clear - I was talking about the compensatorless setup Alan wanted, but most people who are retaining the compensators will indeed need a couple of M12x1 unions, one for the two compensators.

[James_R 3]

Think the wilwood jobs are 1/4 npft or something like that a weird american size *spits*

 

But they usually come with two adaptors from 1/4npft to M10 male female, you just screw them in with lots of threadlok and you're away, just leave the adaptors in over night to set off before you want it all on the car so they don't leak (although sometimes they still do) then use a M10 female female or the bias jobby in

 

There's almost no cost difference in replacing the centre run with a copper pipe, since the unions are the bit that get you the pipes relatively cheap although mounting all the p-clips is a PITA

[philfingers 5]

I'd be inclined to use cable tie mounts/ saddles.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Screw-anchor-cable-t...1QQcmdZViewItem

It's easier to pop rivet the saddel in place then cable tie the copper down on to it, easier when you want to get it out too.