I need to change my brake pads as well and was contemplating changing to SS lines as well. My question is, do SS lines really make a difference for the better in terms of brake feel? I already love the brake feel of the stock Brembo setup and don't want anything too grabby. I know SS lines don't do anything in terms of stopping power anyway. Are they necessary? Thanks.

Btw, does anyone know where I can find a DIY for bleeding the brakes?

 

They are well worth the investment

 

I have to disagree with you there John. For the average street driver, you will not notice a difference. On the track would be where you'd get the benefit. I don't feel it's worth the time and effort of bleeding the brakes for a street car.

 

Well, I need to change my brake fluid anyways. I am at 30k miles without a brake fluid change, so I think its about time. My car is mostly a street car, with about 1 track day a year on average.

 

If you're going to do a full flush, then you might as well do the lines.

 

+1

 

How often should you flush the brake lines?

Are there any DIY's for brake bleeding you can direct me to? There aren't any in the DIY section.

 

Improvement from lines is a subjective thing and your results may vary. On a brand new car, the factory rubber lines are still in good shape since they havent been through much inthe way of heat and abuse yet so you may not notice a dramatic improvement. On a car that is a few years old that may have some track driving or canyon runs on it, the rubber lines may have degraded to a point where SS lines can make a dramatic improvement in pedal feel. If you do install lines on a brand new car, the main benefit is that the pedal feel will stay the same over the life of the car instead of having the continuous degradation of the rubber lines over time. On a car like the 350Z track, STi and EVO that is equipepd formt he factory with relatively stiff fixed calipers, the brake lines start life as the most complaint part of the system so SS lines generally are an improvement right away. On a car with more standard sliding calipers, there is much more inherent flex in the system so you will tend to not notice nearly as much improvement since there is still a lot of play in other parts of the system.

If you want some help with a brake fluid flush, we have a general overview on the precedure here:
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...edbrakes.shtml

Brake fluid is hygroscopic by nature and absorbs water readily. Even in a sealed system water can get into the system which can lead to reduced boiling ponts and corrosion. It is recommended to bleed or flush the brake system every 18 months to 2 years to keep everything in tip-top shape. If you are tracking the car or driving aggressively, doing a quick bleed before each event can help reduce the chance of fluid fade caused by the fluid boiling and converting to a gas in the system.

 

I can say that after replacing the lines with Stoptech SS lines and doing a full flush, I did notice an improvement in pedal feel (OEM Brembo). The pedal is firmer under braking (less pedal mushiness when the brakes are engaged), and brake modulation is improved.

I have had a friend with a track model Z say the same thing about my brakes.

 

SS line does make a difference.

 

Any of you with the stock brembo running into issues about installing the Stoptech SS lines? My mechanic refused to install them because he said the lines have 'banjou' bolts that were modified to fit the Brembo (Brembo and non-Brembo use the same lines), and when he inquire about the torque spec for tightening the bolts, he was told by Stoptech to use his personal judgement, because the caliper is aluminum and the bolt is not. In light of me tracking the car, my mechanic said to me he's not comfortable installing them. Now I am leaving with this here not knowing what to do.

Maybe Stoptech can help me on this?