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New brake lines, dont wait...

4K views 38 replies 23 participants last post by  mondrage 
#1 · (Edited)
So I thought my brake lines were not bad, they were still flexible. One of the front was a bit bowed into a slight U shape. After asking around here about how to identify if you will have a failure soon or not, I decided that I would rather replace them now than wait, the bike is apart, so it's a good time to do it.

New lines from BMW shows up today and their flexibility are 20 times that of what is on the bike. so another thing to check to see if you need new brake lines, if they are not very flexible, then they are getting hard and it is time to think about changing them.

I know a lot of guys go with the Spiegler lines, but at 2X the price do they really last longer than the 7 to 10 years that the OEM lines last?
 
#2 ·
I know a lot of guys go with the Spiegler lines, but at 2X the price do they really last longer than the 7 to 10 years that the OEM lines last?
Did you replace all 5 lines on the Bike?
6 years ago when I was looking to replace all the brake lines on my LT the OEM lines were going to cost over $500 from the dealer. The Spiegler were only $250 shipped. :confused:
 
#3 ·
+ 1 on that.
I replaced my brake lines in 2012 and I remember that one of the selling points for the Spieglers (among many) was that they were around 1/2 the price of the OEM replacement lines from the dealer. BTW: they were easy to install and have work flawlessly over the last 2 years.
 
#4 ·
Spiegler was much less expensive and Much more durable to boot. My OEM lines started going at 5 years. Replaced with Spieglers, and nary a problem for 8 years on my '01.
 
#10 ·
Nope! The fluid will absorb moisture regardless of the type of lines you have. Every 2 years or so between flushes should be good.
 
#7 ·
It is my understanding (based on internet articles) that with the installation of the braided steel lines extends the annual brake fluid flush requirement to a 2 -3 year requirement. As I mentioned earlier, I installed mine in the spring 2012 and will probably do a flush in the coming weeks. I'm curious to see what the fluid looks like. With the OEM lines, it really needed the annual fluid flush.
 
#9 ·
I am in the process of replacing the lines on my 05 LT as the one going to the front caliper started failing... After an Oh Crap moment I went to my local dealer to get some copper banjo washers with the intent to get Spiegler lines but found out the dealer was getting after market braided lines from a local shop. That suited me just fine as I in favor of supporting local vendors/manufacturers. Got my lines yesterday and will complete installation over the weekend, including flushing and bleeding (thank you again John Z for putting together that video :wave).
The tech at the dealership took my original lines to be duplicated. When he came back the both new and old he wanted to satisfy his curiosity; he ran fluid through the old ones and he said there was so much junk coming out from the line deteriorating on the inside...
The new lines for the LT look just like the OEM on my 2011 RT! Nice!:D
Funny thing is that I was preparing the bike for sale when the failure started so I won't even be the beneficiary of my hard work! LOL Should be in the classified soon.:cool:
 
#8 · (Edited)
I know a lot of guys go with the Spiegler lines, but at 2X the price do they really last longer than the 7 to 10 years that the OEM lines last?
Yes they will since they are not rubber, Teflon and SS. I priced a full kit from BMW @319.75 and a Speigler kit @ 245.95 ( OK 275.95 if you get colors) both not counting shipping. Were does 2x come in to play or did you not replace everything?

But either way YES by all means replace any lines 10 years old or older!!
 
#13 ·
How much Tupperware needs to be removed for a full Speigler install? I need to do a flush soon anyway and my bike is now 7 years old so coming into the replacement time frame. I was going to wait until next winter when I have to strip her down for the full 48K, but if not much Tupperware needs to come off, I might just do the Speiglers this spring.
 
#11 ·
I'm waiting on another set of Spiegler brake lines for a 2005LT. When I talked to the owner on Monday he agreed with me that the rear OEM lines are the most often to fail. He said the LT kit is about his # one seller.
 
#12 ·
Gilles,
What did the local ones run you?
 
#15 ·
I'll have to look at the invoices, but I replaced the 3 caliper lines so I am not sure.
 
#14 · (Edited)
I just replaced all my LT's brake lines a couple of weeks ago. My original hoses looked fine but they were 9 years old and not something I wanted to worry about far from home. When I did the math, OEM cost $366.30. Speigler lines cost $258.45 with shipping. So more than $107.00 savings using the Speigler kit.

I had to do the 24K service anyway so it was an ideal time to change out the lines with all the bodywork removed. Brake fluid is not kind to paint. Best to not take any chances and get everything that can be damaged out of harms way. Anyone who has bought replacement body panels knows that the money BMW wants for these painted bits of plastic makes their brake hose prices seem like a bargain.

I have a feeling that the interior of the OEM lines start to break down over time turning the fluid dark and causing other problems. When I replaced all the lines on my R1150RT to Speigler lines a couple of months ago, I noticed that the wheels rotate much easier when the brakes aren't being applied. With the old OEM lines there was a lot of drag on the front brake rotors.
 
#16 ·
I have a feeling that the interior of the OEM lines start to break down over time turning the fluid dark and causing other problems.
We have had three registered incidents in local forum during last year (2 * K1200RS + Yamaha V-Max) where driver has lost control of the bike due to "self locking brakes" in a straight road. One of the cases happened in highway speed (+120km/h) two other Beemer-cases in lower speeds. Luckily the drivers survived with relatively minor injuries and reported an "out of control automated braking event".

In the after incident inspection the root cause for all cases have been blocked brake lines due to internal collapse/break down preventing the brake fluid from returning to the master cylinder. When during braking the calibers have warmed up, it has caused rapidly escalating braking event causing loss of control.

So the threat for accidents due to old brake lines is real even though they wouldn't leak.
 
#18 · (Edited)
From a guy that I trust. Your results may vary but is your life (and your passenger's life) worth a measly $100.00 "savings" ? :rolleyes:

I'm sticking with OEM line specs - forever. :yeah::yeah:

I have them made locally from Parker or - my favorite - Gates (made in America) for 1/2 the price of Spieglers - they are NOT rocket science. Grainger made my last set in a day.

10. Longevity of BMW Motorcycle brake hoses; specific problems......and a full discussion about SS braided-covered hoses:
Although this particular problem used to be very rare, it is not all that rare nowadays.
The BMW stock hoses are VERY good and LAST for quite a few DECADES; if you do not hang them by the calipers nor do anything like using a clamp/pinch device on them (both of which some old-time mechanics did for convenience or to stop fluid leakage during some types of service. NEVER EVER do those things! BOTH of these BAD practices CAN excessively bend the hoses INTERNALLY, especially bad at the fittings ends if hanging the caliper...the damage is almost always HIDDEN. The small diameter internal stiff plastic tube (the thick rubber hose, whether SS braided covered OR NOT, covers that internal tube) kinks, and may produce a partial-one-way flap. Bad hoses from normal use are fairly rare, but MIGHT happen eventually, but I have seen MANY...probably MOST... that went 1/4 million miles and are several decades old, that were still fine. SOME stainless steel hoses are particularly susceptible, having extra thin and/or extra small diameter internal tubing, and the fluid returns slowly anyway, or the kinking is 'easier' to become a problem.

There is a LOT of pressure from the master cylinder, into the hose and caliper(s) when using hand or foot pressure. That pressure needs to relieve itself when the lever is released...by a quite small amount of fluid coming back to the master cylinder, and it should do so at a fairly fast rate. In some instances of NO damage, or with damage in MANY instances, the fluid returns too slowly (hopefully it DOES return)...this can give you problems with quick multiple brakings. AFTER the major part of that pressure is relieved, one hopes, by releasing the lever, the final bit of pressure relief effect is from the caliper piston O-ring deformation, now pushing the piston back a quite small amount. There is NO SPRING pushing the piston back into the caliper EXCEPT that very small spring effect of the O-ring, usually a square-sectioned one, that surrounds the caliper piston.

If a flap or kink develops in the inner tube of the hose, or the caliper is corroded, or the tiny return hole of the master cylinder is clogged, or partially clogged, the pressure maybe only partially relieved, at best. Even a partial non-release will cause problems, the least of which is, after awhile, a change in surface of the pads, and MAYBE some squealing and USUALLY poor pad friction. To make this clear, the pressure might be released very slowly, or not at all, or incompletely. The worst situation would probably be enough heat from enough pad friction when you are not even doing any braking...... to allow brake fluid boiling (especially if the fluid is old!), causing bubbles, leading to NO BRAKES after you are riding awhile !!! The brakes could also freeze-up....and suddenly. One way THAT happens is that excessive contact pressure from pad to disc causes excessive heat in the caliper, and eventually the fluid expands/boils, and you can get very sudden full-on braking.....actually, so hard that the front wheel SEIZES. Over the handlebars YOU GO!...or, you slide-out.

Stainless Steel braided lines are NOT generally any better overall and potentially FAR WORSE, and I recommend you do not willy-nilly replace stock hoses with them. There are exceptions, but that is a good general rule. I will discuss exceptions later in this section.

M
any aftermarket Stainless Steel braided hoses have lousy internal construction, and some are so bad that the fluid return is not fast enough during multiple short-time braking efforts due to the inner tubing having too-small a diameter. Another
problem with some aftermarket SS hoses is that they won't pass the industry standard WHIPPING test...a test of constant flexing to simulate long term use; and, the 304 SS material will work-harden, then can break; also the bad braiding area can rupture...and you get a bubble situation that can blow out. SS hoses are NOT just SS braid covered "standard" rubber hydraulic line hoses. SOME premium hoses WILL pass whipping tests. ASK! for SPECIFICS.

If you use SS hoses be SURE that the OUTSIDES are covered by plastic tubing ...not just to protect painted surfaces, but to HELP avoid the common SS hoses/lines failure modes.
I know that this is probably controversial; but, except for racy appearance, I do NOT like SS braided hoses. I think the STOCK hoses are BETTER, in nearly every way (exception: Racy looks), if the braking system is stock, or close to it. There are some situations, such as adding very long brake hoses for such as a sidecar, that ARE helped, in braking performance, with SS covered lines.

Re-stating earlier information: If the inner diameter of the inner plastic tubing is too small, then relatively rapid multiple-uses of the brake lever can build up relatively UNrelieved pressure in the tube.... the brakes do NOT have TIME to fully release. That means heating-up of pads, calipers, discs. The smaller and/or thinner the inner tube, the easier it is to get KINKED. When a kink occurs, it closes-down the size of the tube. For RETURNING fluid (to the master cylinder), that is BAD, as the returning fluid is under VERY LITTLE PRESSURE after the lever is released, and the caliper pistons may not return to proper position!
Additionally: When you pull on the lever, the pressure in the tubing is monstrously increased, which can easily force OPEN the 'kink', and allow the caliper pistons to move outward. Upon lever release the pistons do NOT RETRACT FULLY, IF AT ALL. This leads to high wear of the pads, overheated and warped discs, excessive deterioration of the fluid, and potentially BAD things to YOU.

BMW hoses are not overly long, which tends to minimize the potentially SLIGHTLY softer feeling (from using non-metal-braided hoses). Properly bled brakes have a FEEL of the lever such that the brake lever is NOT super-abruptly-super-hard. You would NOT like it that way, as you would find it MORE difficult to properly engage the exact amount of braking you want. BMW has a tendency to use larger Master Cylinder sizes, which makes things a bit abrupt in a properly bled system. This is why smaller master cylinders are popular (and safe, if one does not go too far), besides the braking help.

MUCH of the "my brakes are better with the SS hoses" is a bunch of nonsense, and you are being fooled.
Installing new hoses of any type MAY lead to a lot of cussing and a LOT OF LABOR....as you try to eliminate bubbles of air.
NOTE: as described earlier in this article, ALL our hoses, stock and aftermarket and SS too, age over the years, although VERY SLOWLY if not abused. Still, there may be a tendency, however small, but perhaps now increasing....for a hose to have an internal flap problem in which the hose allows pressure to go to the caliper, but does not allow (or only slowly) pressure to be relieved fully at lever release. This will result in insufficient caliper piston release. You can check for this by hand rotating the wheel and checking for anything more than lightest friction from the caliper pads. Of course, the problem could also be the piston and O-ring, MC return hole, corrosion, etc....as described earlier.
One of the PRIME reasons folks put on SS lines is because they look racy..........or....they think it will fix softness in the lever....which it will if the softness...sponginess...is due to bad bleeding....or truly bad hoses (like a blister). If they now bleed properly, and thoroughly, compared to what wasn't done previously, installing SS covered lines can greatly improve braking feel (if reduction of sponginess means anything). That it does not improve actual braking power. A stock rubber hose versus a SS covered hose can, even with both being brand-new, and proper bleeding on both, show just a barely slightly harder lever with the SS. That is because the SS covering tends to reduce the flexing of the rubber hose..........and sometimes this is ALSO due to the smaller internal tubing of the SS line. This does NOT improve actual stopping power for the same amount of lever hand pressure.

Frankly, I do NOT like SUDDENLY VERY hard brake lever action...I find that situation results in difficulty in modulating braking power, particularly when using brakes in turns, or desiring to power the brakes just under where the tire might slide. SS covered hoses can have their own problems as I've noted, with failure to pass whipping tests, being more susceptible to damage from the BAD practice of hanging calipers by the hoses; and, of course, the problem I mentioned of having too small a diameter of internal tubing, and that can lead to failure of the brakes to respond in the release mode fast enough, in multiple braking situations too. I have run into a quality problem myself, ONCE, and had to send the SS hoses back to the maker for better quality ones (sidecar rig, LONG LONG front hoses, due to the type of front end).

Most people never have a problem with SS lines for long periods of time. However...most stock hydraulic rubber hoses (these have internal tubes too, usually larger diameter) last 20 years or even decades longer!! Note that SS covered brake lines are really very similar to 'rubber brake hoses', but the type of rubber, number of layers (if multiple),
woven threads area between layers (if any), size and quality of the internal 'plastic' tubing at the center, and method and quality of fastening the hose and SS braiding to the end fittings, can vary considerably with manufacturer and model.


For quite modern bikes, where every little wee thing for improved braking is taken into account, and SS lines are standard, reverting to rubber, that is, no SS, will definitely show up any slight flexing. Thus, it is my opinion that if you have a bike that CAME from the FACTORY with SS covered lines, you should continue, otherwise, you are on your own with installing SS braded hoses onto a bike, such as an Airhead, that did NOT come with them.
One last word about SS braided lines/hoses: Many independent repair centers, many dealerships, etc., all do not know all these things about the hoses. Many have a $$$ interest in selling you SS covered hoses. Many who DO know these things also know that you are not likely to wear out the hoses, or have problems. While I think they slough-off these things for sake of profit, I also think that many THINK that because some bikes came with SS covered hoses, that ANY bike is helped. I also have other thoughts, perhaps better not mentioned here. Please re-read, carefully, this longish section 10. Your bike is YOUR bike, and what is done by you, and others, to YOUR BIKE, is YOUR ultimate responsibility, when you accept modifications.
 
#22 ·
From a guy that I trust. Your results may vary but is your life (and your passenger's life) worth a measly $100.00 "savings" ? :rolleyes:
That looks like material from Snowbum and I tend to trust him also, even though text with lots of red and caps tends to often be from less than trustworthy sources in my general experience.

Keep in mind that not all SS lines are created equal just as not all aftermarket lines are OEM quality.

Speigler claims to pass all FMVSS tests, including the infamous whip test. So, I think using Spiegler in place of OEM is a safe choice. I can't say about others.
http://youtu.be/_lKokKLxt1M
 
#19 · (Edited)
:confused:

Jeez Tim, I ACTUALLY agree with you here. :D Except the price thing - not sure where you got that info. :confused:

There have been multiple reports in the past about the compromised fitment of Spiegler lines - enough to make me run FAR away from them. Flex or "whipping" is a VERY important component of brake lines... SS lines never pass the test - an ISO test of constant flexing to simulate long term use. The primary reason for installing SS lines is the "racy look" or for abrasion resistance where they might come into contact with body parts under extreme (racing) conditions. Neither come into play on an LT unless you have dreams of being a boy racer - on an LT. :histerica

I only want the very best components for critical functions like braking. That's why I stay with OEM line specs and have them made locally. Parker and Gates make brake lines that are readily available and as good or better than BMW's stuff.

You made a very smart choice installing OEM lines. Those German engineers have sweated the small stuff. :thumb:
 
#23 ·
Snobum is fairly Airhead oriented and indeed the lines that came with them were good and at 27 years when I finally sold my RS the originals were fine.

However, the lines BMW has fitted on late '90s-early '00s bikes weren't so hot. I'd question also whether replacements in BMW's parts system are any different. This was the Jose Ignacio Lopez era and quality suffered everywhere on German stuff.

BMW's next generation bikes are all fitted with braided stainless lines. The hang up on these becoming legal, believe it or not, was development of capability to print DOT information on them. I've got Spieglers on my 1100S.
 
#30 ·
The thing I liked about the speigler also is, they made them when I ordered them.
I feel BMW OEM parts sit and could be a few years old when bought!
 
#31 ·
The speiglers I just installed said DOT on each end of every line!
Smaller lines can handle higher pressure with less stress that larger lines, and I feel it.

off of their site, LIFETIME is a long time!

We've built our reputation designing and manufacturing brake lines that are DOT approved, assuring riders of a product they can rely on and trust. Our own in-house research and development uses data acquired on high-pressure test benches. And, because of the exceptional strength and durability of Spiegler Brake Lines we can offer customers a LIFETIME WARRANTY. 

The customer really does come first. At Spiegler, innovations like our custom-made brake lines allow the enthusiast to specify the exact system they need and receive it in any one of 81 color combinations. Our proprietary torsion system eliminates line twist making installation smoother and safer. 

Manufactured in Dayton, OH and distributed from our centrally-located head office we can deliver stock OEM and custom brake lines in the shortest time possible. 

In the world of high-performance aftermarket motorcycle parts, Spiegler is a name that enthusiasts and dealers have come to count on for highest quality products and service anywhere. It's our business and our passion.
 
#34 ·
Question. Tyres bought new can be years old and not in the best of health despite being called new. Sooooo do OEM brake hoses for a discontinued bike being sitting on a shelf somewhere for a few years also lose some of the potency? If they do, you still think your replacing old for new but are you really. :think: :confused:
 
#37 ·
I just finished a Spiegler install on my 2000LT that went well. I got them on
Ebay for $235 with free shipping in about four days and you get your choice of colors. I chose the black with chrome fittings, comes with new chrome bolts. I was going to wait till winter but the line coming from the reservoir gave out at the other end a block from my house. I can't tell you how happy It feels to have this problem off my mind. A dealer in Michigan has the Ebay store. I'm just south of Dayton, Oh and it was cheaper through them. Get it done.
 
#39 ·
I bought my set of Spiegler through the BMW of Chicago.
I paid about $225.
The BMW rubber set was about $335, so $110 more.
The Spieglers are steel braided and silicon, and also have a very nifty positioning tool.

I haven't done it yet (laziness really), but I also have to do a bunch of stuff on the bike. So, just have to start.

My bike is an '06, so it's 8 years old. I read elsewhere that BMW recommends to replace rubber brake lines every 4 years. It's time.
 
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