Does anyone know if a stock 2007 997 TT have steel brake lines? My car is in the shop for winter maintenance so I can't go check and I'm curious. I noticed Vivid sell a braided steel brake line upgrade so I'm assuming oem is not?

 

Don't use braided steel brake lines on a street car, it is not safe.

 

What on earth would make you believe braided lines aren't safe?

While I wouldn't suggest that you run right out and get braided lines for your street car, there is nothing wrong with having them. If you are going to track the car it would be highly advisable to have them.

Oh, and the OEM lines are NOT braided on the TT. I don't know about the GTx's.

 

I had them installed on the TT.
Benefits (from googling:
- Less Expansion
- No Heat Fade
- Reduce Pedal Travel
- Shorter Shopping Distance
- Increased Brake Efficiency
- Abrasion / Corrosion Resistant

Downsides are reports of the lines bursting and/or failing at the fittings. They should be DOT or TUV approved and fully stainless.
For a DD, I'd probably stick with OEM lines. But with as little as I'm driving this car and with the power it should be putting down, I wanted more stopping power with full realization that I would need to eventually change them out as I would a set of tires.

 

Those improvements are the result of work that is done when steel lines are installed - like a brake bleed with fresh fluid and new pads. I wish lines alone helped that much, the most you'll typically get is a firmer feeling pedal.

As you mentioned, I've heard of stainless steel lines needing more attention than standard OEM lines but I never heard of them being unsafe. I think if someone has a problem with them it's likely a fitment issue.

I have OEM lines on my Porsche, stainless on the Stoptech's in my M3.

 

Basically the steel lines are going to keep the brake line from expanding. That will give you a consistently firm feel...which leads to some of the other 'improvements' mentioned.

I'll guarantee you'll burst a rubber brake line long before a steel braided line.

 

I put them on in an effort to firm up the pedal for track days although I drive it 90% street. Having stuck with OEM pads for now, I would say the benefit in firmness has been slight. I'm planning to switch to a slightly more aggressive pad for next season with new rotors, so will see if that firms it up a bit more.

 

Thanks for all the input. I track my car about 90+% of the time so I am going to switch to the steel braided.

 

huh? How are they not safe? Braided lines are designed to give you a firmer pedal feel and better braking by not having the factory rubber line flex outwards. All the lines are DOT approved. Every single Brembo, StopTech, AP Racing, Rotora big brake kits use steel braided lines because they IMPROVE braking. A basic upgrade is good to do lines and synthetic fluid.

 

You're flat out wrong. The there is a reason the OEM lines are rubber, you will never be able to tell they are failing till it's too late. They are great on a race car that sees frequent tear downs, they have no place on a street car. Just because something looks cool doesn't mean it's a good idea.

 

There is also a reason why the car comes with 19" wheels, high ride height, and quiet street pads. Brake lines will not fail unless they are corroded and cracked or they are caught on something causing them to tear. A stainless line will never tear, crack, or fail. Its not a cool looking thing, it is a function. No disrespect...

 

Sorry Guys,

I know I'm a noob here, but I have to chime in:

Cars that come with SS lines from the factory:

Jaguar XKR and some other models
McLaren F1 and the New McLaren
Bentley - Various Models
Rolls Royce - Various Models
Aston Martin - All (last time I checked)

At the end of the day, lines should be given the once over when you check your oil, or at the very least when you do your brake Service (Pads and Rotors). Lines are not likely to fail for fittings "Popping" off, because they're pressure tested (if you're buying from a reputable manufacturer). Can it happen, sure, just like a defect in your tire causes a blow out, but is EXTREMELY unlikely.

Most failures occur do to improper installation, like: people not tightening everything down, installed improperly (not routex correctly), not checking the install for pinches, kinks or rubbing. You know as well as I do we've all been excited to finish our newest mod and try it out, and we forget to double check it all and inevitably we've missed something. For this reason ALL brake manufactures and brake line manufactures strongly recommend professional installation.

TT Gssman, you simply do not have all the info, let alone have your facts straight. One of the main reasons that cars like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche use rubber lines, is because they're very close personally and professionally with the manufacturer of their rubber brake lines (all three use the same company in conjunction with Brembo).

On a side note, NO brake lines, manufactured by ANYONE, are DOT Approved or Certified. DOT does not Certify brake lines. They simply put forth a list of criteria (FMVSS 106) that manufactures must adhere to. If they do, they can claim DOT compliant, but not certified or approved. If it is found out that lines claiming DOT compliant are not, there are fines and law suits that usually follow.


To the OP, if you're interested in SS line they're a great and inexpensive upgarde, but know that just like every other upgrade their overall performance is based on many different factors. In this case, Tires, brakes, pads and the like.


Hope that helps,

Mike

 

Ok Dan how do you know when the inner linings, either rubber or teflon, are going bad? The OEM Porsche part has a stated 6 year duty life at which point they must be replaced. For the record, exactly when do the ss lines need to be changed? As I said ss lines are great on a race car with regular teardowns and replacement. Thanks

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...ines-last.html

 

The teflon lined, steel braided cover, and get coat finish never have to be replaced.

Its ok to disagree. Not trying to start a fight.

 

No worries Dan, it's one of those mods I feel strongly about from a safety standpoint (the other is roll bars on the street). Are you sure they never need replacement? This seems highly unusual.