DOT Approved Stainless Steel Brake Lines Or Not? (Was:RE: Pete's Loose Ends)

["Binder" <binder@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I really hate to belabor this point...  I s'pose it's minor in the Big
Picture of things.  But I just wanted you to know where I get my info.

You said:

: ---I'm sorry, the braided stainless steel lines from Skyjacker are DOT
: approved. I normally say that, but don't want to sound like I am making a

Hmmm... not that I'm disputing what you're saying...  ***BUT*** I'm taking
Tom M's words on blind faith! ;-) At:
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout/faq/brakelines.htm he says:

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
When I ordered the 4" Skyjacker Softride kit for my '77 Scout II, I decided
I needed some longer brake lines.. Skyjacker sells lines @ $64 for the
front, and $33 for the rear, but they're braided stainless steel, and NOT
DOT approved.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Sooo, that's one vote "yes", another "no". Looks like a draw to me.  I guess
for the definitive answer, I'd have to call Skyjacker.  Maybe they weren't
DOT approved at one point, but now are? Curiously, most of the braided lines
I've seen are *NOT* DOT approved.  Then again, I've only looked at 2 or 3.

So why dwell on DOT approval?  One reason is that I was told a little while
ago that if you use a part that should be but is not DOT approved (e.g.;
brakes, brake lines, etc.) and you have a wreck, you can be held liable for
damges - they were DOT approved when they left the factory, you or someone
"tampered" with them... (IF it's discovered via an officious insurance
adjuster, etc., etc.).  That's hearsay... dunno if there's a ring of truth
to it or not.  Any insurance/legal gurus on the digest? Not my area of
expertise. But why not have a DOT approved line? In this, we seem to agree.

: sales pitch. FWIW, if you can find DOT approved braided stainless steel
: lines, make sure you ask what the benefits are on them. Most braided
: stainless steel have a higher pressure rating and allow for more firm and
: steady braking power, and definitely find out whether they are
: DOT approved
: or not. Also, Back Country Binders used to carry braided stainless steel

Common sense would seem to support this. I don't dispute it. I am aware of
some of the advantages of a braided s/s line.  A portion of the "spongy"
feel of brake pedals can be attributed to expansion of the rubber flex brake
lines. As brake system pressure increases, the lines expand, letting the
pedal travel more. These stainless line kits prevent expansion, thereby
giving a much firmer feeling pedal. They also do not deteriorate with age.
However since there are DOT approved stainless lines, I wonder: "What's
wrong with the non-DOT approved lines?".  Did they actually fail DOT testing
or were they never submitted for approval? Why not? There may be a darker
side to non-DOT approval.  I could be wrong but... My guess is probably that
since stainless-steel lines don't bulge as they age, and since the Teflon
(or is it Kevlar? I b'leive it's Teflon!) lining is concealed behind the
braid, there's no easy way to inspect the lines for warning signs of
imminent failure. Teflon is pretty fragile, so it has to be protected from
physical damage.  Although some manufacturers armor their Teflon hoses with
Kevlar, most protect the Teflon with an external sheath of braided
stainless-steel wire. I'm not sure how the stainless DOT approved lines
overcome these limitations.  Maybe they're not Teflon or whatever.  But I
digress... (and you expected and knew that, right?!). ;-)

: lines, shake John F.'s tree and see if they still offer them. I
: am sure they
: still do.

I appreciate the referral to The Fleckster.  However, I have NO rear brakes
at this time. I need to get a line back in place, ASAP. And I need to make
the trip to AutoZone anyhow (PS pump!). So, for my purposes, I think  Bendix
#77079 should suffice (e.g. for a F-350). It needs to be fixed before
Monday! ;-)

: ---Thank you,

NP & You're welcome!  I don't mean to be argumentative, I'm just slightly
anal retentive or something! I must analyze to death before I act, and once
committed, I'm usually not easily swayed!  %^}  I may see if there are any
Skyjacker dealers in Tulsa that might be open this weekend (rots of ruck!).