Blobster

Local main dealer advised me to buy a set of braided hoses to overcome the terrible spongy feel of the brake pedal. (MY99).

The dumb questions are:-
Do the hoses come in pairs?
Would I need 4 hoses, or can you just do fronts?
Is it advisable to fit front hoses only?
Do the hoses allow more pressure to be applied to the brakes and if yes, would that cause a problem to standard rear hoses if the front only are braided?

Sorry if these questions are inane but I just want to understand

Thanks

Blobster

Anybody out there?

ozzy

Hi,

You can buy braided brake line hoses from any specialist, so in theory you could buy as many or as little as you need. Most people use Goodridge hoses and they happen to sell kits for certain makes of car, bikes, even mountain bikes.

The typical Subaru kit has 4 brake lines for both the fronts and rears, but you could just do the fronts if you wanted. Personally I don't see much point in this (other than saving a few bucks) because when you fit the new front brake lines, you need to bleed both braking systems so you might as well do the rears at the same time as it won't take that much longer.

The OE hoses have a tendancy to expand under hard braking due to the hot brake fluid making the rubber hoses more flexible. Braided hoses help to minimise this (can't say if they completely irradicate it) and are much more resistant to corrosion.

You wouldn't notice any problems if the fronts were upgraded and the rears left intact.

They are supposed to reduce the spongy feeling under hard braking, but I'm yet to be convinced. I changed all my hoses for the Goodridge ones when I fitted the Godspeed large 335mm brake kit, so it's impossible to tell if the hoses themselves make such a huge difference.

Stefan

[Edited by ozzy - 7/16/2003 10:50:28 PM]

RON

In my opinion, there would be little point in just doing the fronts, cos surely the rears would still expand, causing the soft pedal.
Strange that the dealer should suggest this, not heard that one before!!
Part of the problem could be the bulhead that tends to flex a bit aswell, there is a bracket available to try to stop this, can't tell you where from though, of course, also part of the problem 'could' be, that your car is now 4 yrs old, and may not have had the fluid changed for some time, if you use the brakes hard, the fluid gets hot, and over time attracts moisture, then, when the fluid gets hot, the moisture can boil, leaving you with air in the system, if I were you, the first thing to do would be to get the fluid flushed and bled properly, with a better fluid, then if you're not happy, get all four hoses changed, and if you're still not happy, think about upgrading pads, and maybe discs.
and if you're not happy then, either spend big bucks on big brakes, or get a car with good brakes as standard!!

I hope I've helped, and not just confused you more.

Ron.

ozzy

This is the brake support bracket Ron mentioned. I'm thinking of getting this myself as I still feel my pedal is a bit too spongy (for my liking) even with DOT4 brake fluid, Goodridge hoses and the large Godspeed discs on my car.

As Ron suggest, you'll get more benefit from a better brake fluid (as it has a higher boiling point) and simply from flushing the system.

Stefan

Blobster

Thanks guys, I only ask because I have recently purchased a break upgrade kit but it only came with two braided hoses.

Blobster

RON

Bobster,
You should be able to get the rears from somewhere like scoobysport, best to do all four!

Blobster

As mentioned above, the two supplied braided hoses are about 8 inches too long and will have to be tied to the suspension to stop them flapping around.

Is this
a) safe...ie, danger of getting snagged and/or chafing?
b) good enough to pass an MOT?

Cheers, Blobster

RON

Sounds a bit odd if they really are that long, do they have a lug in the middle that fixes to the strut???
If they don't, then they're not the right hoses!! if they do, where are they too ling, you need to take into account that you have to allow for full suspension travel on either lock, so they do need a fair bit of length, btu too much length could lead to chaffing (sp), and thats never good.

Hope this helps.

Ron.

Blobster

Thanks, Ron.
They are the wrong hoses - supplied as part of the recent group buy on Brembo brakes. However others seem to have fitted theirs OK. There is no clip on the centre of the hose (as there are on the standard hose).
I just wondered whether the previous mentioned solution is ok/safe/MOT compliant or just a botch job?

I'd rather have the correct hoses fitted correctly than an improvised solution to fit a generic hose. ie, better safe than sorry.

Blobster

RON

Blobster,
if you wanted to you could I suppose get away with putting a bit of rubber hose around the hose, and then cable tie it to the strut, but you'd need to be confident that you'd tied it in the right place, or it could end up getting snagged, if it were me, I'd get the right hose, but, depending on what the connector on the caliper is, there may not be one already being made, however, if you contact Goodridge, they are pretty good at making one-offs, or, somewhere like merlin motorsport at Castle Combe can do that too.
Either way, you need to be confident in it!

Ron.

Blobster

Thanks again, RON.

A set of Goodridge hoses on the way (hopefully).
Brakes are not an area on the car I want to take chances with.

Blobster