Braided Brake Lines - Do They Wear Out?

I just installed a Brembo master and now when I squeeze the lever hard there is fluid leaking where the banjo crimps to the line. They are Galfer GP lines which are over 10 years old but never damaged. I already ordered a new set but I’m curious if this is common. Thanks in advance.

 

the lines no but the copper washers might

 

They can leak at the crimp with use and age, just line hydraulic lines on farm equipment. See it occasionally.

 

@MotoGP69 I had a set of galfer lines do the same thing, they started leaking at the crimp for the master cylinder fitting. I moved on to spiegler and never looked back.

 

Thanks guys. I decided to give Core Moto a shot. I was never super comfortable with the aluminum banjos either so these should be better all around.

 

I had a set burst at where the braided line goes into the fitting. One hella of a ride into turn one at Barber. So yea replace them.

 

Braided hoses do have a life cycle just like anything else. They get old and get spongy compared to new. Most should be replaced every few years.

 

Brake fluid is some nasty stuff. Strips paint better than some paint removers and also makes rubber spongy.
Braiding limits to a point how much the lines can expand when soft.
They give a little to life but new braided lines make single finger braking possible.
Also for the cost, always replace crush washers. they are cheap. Get them by the dozen.
turner38 took the short answer. LOL.

 

Not if they're made right. At least not every few years. Braided steel hoses have their roots in the aviation industry and they wouldn't use something with that short of a lifespan. They should not get spongy if they're made right because the steel braid is what keeps the teflon tubing from expanding and that braid doesn't wear out. It can be damaged if treated poorly (like letting calipers dangle by the lines or improper routing ). Of course the quality of the materials that you start with the type of fittings and the crimps all play a part in this.
As for replacing the crush washers, the reason for that is because they work harden with one use. I do use new ones most of the time , but in a pinch you can just take a used one that is in otherwise good shape and heat it up really good with a propane torch till it starts to show some color change as you pass the flame over it. Then let it cool off on its own to anneal it. Works very well. I've done it many times.

 

Thanks for the info. At a minimum, I will watch the 12 year old lines on my R1 closely. No signs of issues yet (Goodridge lines), but it sounds like it might be time for a new set.

 

Everything has a life cycle. Remember that the steel braids are just laid over rubber, which deteriorates especially when brake fluid is involved with stress and heat. A decade is long enough for a wear and tear item.

 

Steel braids are not "laid over rubber'. They are laid over Teflon filled polypropylene tubing. Rubber is an organic material that degrades easily. Teflon filled polypropylene is not an organic material and it is far superior in chemical resistance so it doesn't degrade nearly as easily.
I'm not saying that they can't "wear out". I'm saying that they can last a very, very long time if they are taken care of. I spent enough time checking the routing of hoses on aircraft to understand how they fail due to poor routing. To be done properly brake hoses need to be checked from full extension to full compression among other factors. I also have a little bit of background learning the difference between organic and synthetic materials.

 

But PTFE does degrade.

 

Under what conditions does PTFE degrade?
I have some Kevlar braided brake lines that came with some calipers that I bought. They've been clearly left out in the sun and are damaged by UV. They are still functional but I'm not even taking a chance with that. If they were maintained properly it might be a different story.
Used in the proper performance envelope these materials easily last for decades. That's why airplanes built in the 1930's are still flying quite safely.

 

Luke makes nice lines, right here in Florida. Good guy supporting good teams. And yea, stainless fittings that can twist however you want. quality.

 

I also have 12 year old brake lines that I'm now starting to question... Spiegler, never had any trouble with them and no leaks.

 

Yep. Core Moto is nice stuff. Luke was exceptional with helping me get something made he’d not done before.

 

Last post, Im not getting in a pissing match, I was just fucking around. Everything deteriorates, google PTFE and deterioration, flexing with the suspension, heat, time caustic fluid all contribute.

 

You're repeatedly using the wrong terms to describe things so I took the time to explain in more detail. It's certainly not going to hurt much by replacing something more than necessary.

 

Great, now there's gonna be a run on braided brake lines at the store...

and then the imitation lines will sell out too and 15 pages cursing the imitators...

then 20 pages on the best brake fluid...

Get off my lawn!