Which is better: Steel braided or Kevlar?

[Anonymous]

I'm thinking about upgrading my front brakes, i can't afford to buy a whole front end at the moment, so i've decided to just upgrade the lines. Does anyone recommend anything specific here or are all the brands pretty much the same? What's the difference between braided steel and those Kevlar lines, weight, price? I'm going to give it to a shop to do, since i don't know how to bleed the brakes yet, is there anything I should tell them before they get to work on it? I was also thinking of getting some speed bleeders put on while I'm at it. Is it true that you don't need any tools or devices to bleed your brakes with the speed bleeders? just squeeze the lever till no more air comes out? if so, they sound awesome

 

[Hap Call]

I have no experience with the Kevlar lines but I am very happy with my steel braided lines. As far as bleeding the brakes, You can do that without the speed bleeder. It just takes a little patience and some fresh brake fluid.

1.Buy your new lines and hold them up to your old lines to insure that you got the right length.
2. Take some plastic hose (two to three feet of 3/16 inner diameter hose...that may be 1/8 or 1/4 ID hose, I can't remember) that will fit snugly over the bleed valve nipples. Stick the loose ends in an empty container...this is to keep from making a mess.
3. Drain the brake system by opening the bleed valves and pumping the brake lever until nothing else comes out.
4. Remove the old brake lines and install the new ones using the new sealing washers that came with the lines.
5. Make sure that the bleed valves are closed. If you took the plastic hoses off put them back on.
6. Fill your brake fluid reservoir. Let it sit for a few seconds to allow the master cylinder to fill.
7. Open the bleed valve on one of the two calipers.
8.Then pump the lever a few times until you see the level in the reservoir start to go down. Do not let the reservoir go completely empty.
9. Close the bleed valve and add some more fluid to the reservoir.
10. Now, pump the lever a few times then hold it down.
11. With the lever held down, reach down and open the bleed valve. Some air should come out, probably not a whole lot of air, just a little.
12. Close the bleed valve then let go of the lever. If necessary, add more fluid to the reservoir.
13. Again, pump the brake lever several times, then hold it down.
14. Repeat the opening and closing of the bleed valve while the lever is held down.
15. Again, release the lever AFTER you have closed the bleed valve.

After awhile you should start to see brake fluid come out. Repeat this method on the other caliper. After you get fluid coming out of both bleed valves with no air bubbles then make sure that both bleed valves are closed them try the brake lever. It should start to feel firmer. If it is still kind of mushy then you still have air in the system and you need to continue to bleed the brakes until they become firm. Once you have the brake feel you want, top off the reservoir, make sure the reservoir gasket is in good condition, and put the top back on it.

It is easier with two people doing this, one pumping and holding the lever while the other grovels on the ground and opens and closes the bleed valves.

I hope this helps.

Hap

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Hap, thanks alot for that explanation. For some reason every time i've tried to read about how to bleed the brakes it always seemed more complicated and everyone starts talking about some special tools and such. This makes me want to try and install the lines myself, since the whole fluid thing was what scared me about the whole operation. Does anyone recommend a DIY brakeline kit? Should i order one specificly for my bike or are there generic sets that work fine? what kind of prices should i be looking for?

 

[Clone]

I can't look at my bike right now (it's under a cover and feet of snow), but I think there are bleed nipples on the anti-dive units, too. :?

 

[Dink]

Dont worry a GS1150 only has bleed nipples on the calipers, the antidive setup on them is totally different to earlier models. Kevlar lines gives slightly more feel to the brakes and cost more unecessary in my opinion.
I cant comment on price sorry but make certain you get a kit for your model specifically.
Dink

 

[Anonymous]

Some people replace their brake lines with a two hose kit instead of three.

The normal setup is a single hose to the fork mounted splitter, then a hose to each caliper. But the brake people sell according to the number of hoses. You can fit a two hose kit by having two hoses coming from a double banjo bolt at the lever, one all the way to each caliper. This does away with the single top hose and splitter and costs heaps (here in Oz anyway) less.

Kim

 

[Gerry]

I have the two lines from the master and a bleeder on the banjo bolt at the master. It makes it easer to bleed the master then the lines.

Gerry

 

[Hap Call]

... make certain you get a kit for your model specifically.
Dink

I agree. The wrong kit with lines too short can cause big problems. Some folks make up their own lines but I am not comfortable with this task so I leave it for people who do it professionally.

Hap

 

[Anonymous]

so, anyone know of a good place to order such a kit? I tried the dennis kirk website but it doesn't show anything for my particular bike same with the Goodridge site. where did you guys find them at?

Most of the setups that I saw (although not for my bike) were the 2 line setup, seems like a solid concept, so I'll try and find some of those if i can

 

[silverhorse47]

Hey Mookie this address has a make it yourself kit that you can afford. It's in Wales but the guy is a gem, and the price is right. It really isn't hard to make up these lines.

One thing about this kit though is that the line is not plastic coated. One of the problems with open braided lines is that the dirt gets into the braid and wears the line...I think that is why they started plastic coating them. I'm going to just put a vinyl tubing over mine.

Oh...and the price was under $100.00 CA including shipping.

 

[silverhorse47]

OK here is the address:

http://www.discovolantemoto.com/

 

[jay]

Steel braided or Kevlar?

Steel braided or Kevlar?

What company offers the Kevlar brakes?

Stainless steel braided lines have worked well for me. Just make sure the lines are coated. This makes them look nice and easier to clean

If you can't find a kit specifically for your bike take it to your dealer. They can measure the lines, get the right angle fittings, etc.

If you go w/ the 2 lines to the M/C instead of stock setup be prepared to spend some more $$.

Jay

 

[Anonymous]

I talked with a local (reputable)shop mechanic and he said it would probably cost me $150 to go to the steel cable if he did it.

I had seen some kevlar lines put on an sv650 (on motorcycle.com). This place:
http://www.kneedraggers.com/index.php?partno=12-GOOD-55
sells kits for other (newer) Suzukis for not too much $$, unfortunately I don't know if they can get me some for my 1150, then I could hopefully do it myself. I'm not against steel braided by any means either, i think they almost look cooler anyways. I guess which ever I can find first I'll probably end up doing. i have got to call Goodridge and see if they can get me a custom setup done.

 

[jay]

Guess I should have looked at the Parts Unlimited Catalog before my last post. Looks like Goodridge has the Kevlar hose w/ Al ends, Stainless Steel w/ Steel ends, and universal brake lines w/ chrome plated Stainless Stell ends.

Since Godridge (and Russell) don't have kits specifically for your bike looks like you are going to have to do some measuring and get the right banjo adapter. I can't remember how much it cost me in parts to do my GS1100 but I'll look it up for you if you want.

Jay

 

[Gerry]

I have the Godridge ss lines on my 1150. I bought the right length and two 90 degree banjo bolts for the caliper and one straight, one 22 1/2 for at the master (should have used two straight). They bolt together in no time and work like a charm. I also put a double banjo bolt with a bleeder at the master. When I first put the lines on my bike I only had enough plastic wrap to do the visible lines. It didn't take long for the bare ss line to mark up my oil cooler . So make sure you get them with plastic coating or wrap the your self.

A friend of mine had the kevlar lines and he loved the feel of the braking with them. He had ss before the kevlar. His opinion of them were they were better then the ss but not as durable. His rear line broke on him, not sure if it was vibration or something else but had it been ss it would not have let go.

 

[Dink]

try www.goodridge.netthe part number for replacement lines is
su1101-3f this replaces the standard pieces with Kevlar as I recall
su1101-1r as above for the rear.
Dink

 

[Anonymous]

Ah yes Dink, that's just what I was looking for. Do you know if when you order that kit it comes with the correctly angled adapters or do you need to get that seperately? I guess I can just ask them when I call them this week. Thanks everybody, I think I'm just going to go with some steel braided, just seems like they would last longer, I'm not really that concerned with saving a few ounces, plus you can get the clear plastic to cover the lines and still see the steel (cool ).

 

[Dink]

Yes Mookie they are a complete replacement part,the part number is common just specify if you want S/S, or Kevlar.
Dink

 

[Hap Call]

Dink, You da man!

Hap