Upgrading brake lines
#1
Upgrading brake lines
I have 2013 Fit which I will take it to the track in 10 days.
I got the goodridge ss brake line with DOT 4 fluids and got myself flare wrenches from harbor feights too.
1) So what are the torque specs?
2) Anything that I should know before doing my first brake lines upgrade ever?
3) What am I expecting to notice/feel after completing the job properly? Brake pedal feels better and less fade?
Thanks
****Updates****
I did the brake lines, but here the problems encountered, actually self induced problems
1) stripped the hell out the front driver side and rear passenger side flare nuts.
But I managed to change the line on the front driver side, but I can unscrew the rear passenger side.
So end result, I only have 3 SS Lines on the car and 1 OEM rubber on rear passenger side.
We call this big mess.
The root of the problem was harbor freight flare wrenches kit did not have 10 mm one, so I stupidly decided to use the regular wrench which ended up stripping the hard line fittings.
But I managed to go to local auto parts store to buy tge correct side flare wrench.
Results: not impressive at all. I bled the system 3 times until absokutely no air was shown in the lines.
Deep in frustration I decided to order slotted rotors and a set of Hawk HP plus brake pads.
So I tried to install them yesterday.
Again more frustration coming...
Those honda rotors are impossible to get out without the right tool, I tried to unscrew them, they got almost stripped, I hammered them with a non impact screw driver, no luck. So to avoid further damage I decided to leave the stock ones for a while.
Now the pads part, I already had Hawk HPS from 2008 fit ( tire rack) and the installation was breeze for the HPS.
However, I realized that HP plus is a different design, does not have the metal plates that the HPS and the stock ones had.
They instead have 2 notches on the outer pads that makes the fitting of the caliber impossible, so I had to basically rub that notches until it became smooth and only slightly notched, then they fit.
What a big mess.
The results....scary braking power....literally it stop quicker than I want to stop, very unsettled, but that it is snow tires, today I am putting the Direzza Z2 and will report back.
It stops in an unsettled way, it definitely feels that there is brake balance issue.
So much stripping of things and nuts, I was almost going to a strip club last night.
Help and suggestions please.
I got the goodridge ss brake line with DOT 4 fluids and got myself flare wrenches from harbor feights too.
1) So what are the torque specs?
2) Anything that I should know before doing my first brake lines upgrade ever?
3) What am I expecting to notice/feel after completing the job properly? Brake pedal feels better and less fade?
Thanks
****Updates****
I did the brake lines, but here the problems encountered, actually self induced problems
1) stripped the hell out the front driver side and rear passenger side flare nuts.
But I managed to change the line on the front driver side, but I can unscrew the rear passenger side.
So end result, I only have 3 SS Lines on the car and 1 OEM rubber on rear passenger side.
We call this big mess.
The root of the problem was harbor freight flare wrenches kit did not have 10 mm one, so I stupidly decided to use the regular wrench which ended up stripping the hard line fittings.
But I managed to go to local auto parts store to buy tge correct side flare wrench.
Results: not impressive at all. I bled the system 3 times until absokutely no air was shown in the lines.
Deep in frustration I decided to order slotted rotors and a set of Hawk HP plus brake pads.
So I tried to install them yesterday.
Again more frustration coming...
Those honda rotors are impossible to get out without the right tool, I tried to unscrew them, they got almost stripped, I hammered them with a non impact screw driver, no luck. So to avoid further damage I decided to leave the stock ones for a while.
Now the pads part, I already had Hawk HPS from 2008 fit ( tire rack) and the installation was breeze for the HPS.
However, I realized that HP plus is a different design, does not have the metal plates that the HPS and the stock ones had.
They instead have 2 notches on the outer pads that makes the fitting of the caliber impossible, so I had to basically rub that notches until it became smooth and only slightly notched, then they fit.
What a big mess.
The results....scary braking power....literally it stop quicker than I want to stop, very unsettled, but that it is snow tires, today I am putting the Direzza Z2 and will report back.
It stops in an unsettled way, it definitely feels that there is brake balance issue.
So much stripping of things and nuts, I was almost going to a strip club last night.
Help and suggestions please.
Last edited by Rabee; 04-12-2014 at 10:58 AM.
#2
brake line upgrade requires 2 people. improper bleeding of the lines WILL cause injuries/casualties. with proper installation the pedal will be firmer and stopping distance will decrease. be careful of the stock rotors and calipers, may warp and most definitely needs new pads.
#3
I have 2013 Fit which I will take it to the track in 10 days.
I got the goodridge ss brake line with DOT 4 fluids and got myself flare wrenches from harbor feights too.
1) So what are the torque specs?
2) Anything that I should know before doing my first brake lines upgrade ever?
3) What am I expecting to notice/feel after completing the job properly? Brake pedal feels better and less fade?
Thanks
I got the goodridge ss brake line with DOT 4 fluids and got myself flare wrenches from harbor feights too.
1) So what are the torque specs?
2) Anything that I should know before doing my first brake lines upgrade ever?
3) What am I expecting to notice/feel after completing the job properly? Brake pedal feels better and less fade?
Thanks
#4
What you should feel is responsiveness. When the brake pedal is pressed, the rubber lines "bulge" or expand that make braking feel "cushy". The SSBL will let all the input force go to the caliper instead of being absorbed by the rubber lines. I hope I didn't confuse you more...
#5
You are not confusing me at all, your inputs are helpful in fact.
I do have Hawk HPS pads on stock rotors, they fade quickly.
So what do you recommend in term of additional brake upgrades for track use? Hawk HP+? What rotors?
Because I might as well do the job all at once
I do have Hawk HPS pads on stock rotors, they fade quickly.
So what do you recommend in term of additional brake upgrades for track use? Hawk HP+? What rotors?
Because I might as well do the job all at once
#6
The issue is really the rear drums, doing the Rear Disk Conversion will help out the front brakes from doing so much work:
2007-2011 Honda Fit rear drum to 11" disc conversion
Also, You can try my DIY big brake kit, it's a inexpensive way get more meat on the front to prevent fade:
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...brake-kit.html
#8
A couple of this guys did the mod with 15" and said they fit, read the thread.
Here are my track tires with the brakes, there are 16" with plenty of room:
#11
I have 2013 Fit which I will take it to the track in 10 days.
I got the goodridge ss brake line with DOT 4 fluids and got myself flare wrenches from harbor feights too.
1) So what are the torque specs?
2) Anything that I should know before doing my first brake lines upgrade ever?
3) What am I expecting to notice/feel after completing the job properly? Brake pedal feels better and less fade?
Thanks
I got the goodridge ss brake line with DOT 4 fluids and got myself flare wrenches from harbor feights too.
1) So what are the torque specs?
2) Anything that I should know before doing my first brake lines upgrade ever?
3) What am I expecting to notice/feel after completing the job properly? Brake pedal feels better and less fade?
Thanks
2) BEFORE YOU INSTALL: Lay the lines out and ensure that they are the proper length.
I personally would replace each line one line at a time (one line off, one/new line on) by starting from the driver front corner, bleed the air out of that line, and then continue working clock wise until you end at the driver rear corner of the vehicle. Once you've installed ALL the new lines, do one final bleed sequence for good measure and to ensure that there is no air in your system. I would not even bother with draining the master cylinder yet since you'll be needing to top it off anyway as each line is replaced. In addition to that, during your final bleed sequence you'll primarily have your DOT 4 fluid in the system.
I would suggest during the final bleed (if you have enough fluid) to do 15 to 20 pumps for each front caliper and 5 to 10 pumps for your rear drums. Once you have the car back down on the ground, check your line clearances especially if you have aftermarket wheels and/or tires that are wider and/or have a lower offset than that of OEM. (My first pair of front stainless lines actually rubbed on my wheels despite being the correct length, it was a design flaw which was later fixed after I contacted them)
3) You will notice a stiffer pedal feel if the lines are installed and bled PROPERLY.
brake line upgrade requires 2 people. improper bleeding of the lines WILL cause injuries/casualties. with proper installation the pedal will be firmer and stopping distance will decrease. be careful of the stock rotors and calipers, may warp and most definitely needs new pads.
Yes. You can look through Centric Brakes (which is actually Stop Tech) and find a large assortment of options.
Last edited by Hootie; 04-04-2014 at 12:11 AM.
#13
I am sorry I do not want to sound ignorant to your andwers, but if the rotors from 2008 fit the model 2013, why would'nt Tirerack list them as an option??
Not to contradict myself, but I got HPS pads ( that are NOT listed for 2013 model) on my car without an apparent issue! Am I missing anything here? They looked identical to the stock pads so I installed them lol
Not to contradict myself, but I got HPS pads ( that are NOT listed for 2013 model) on my car without an apparent issue! Am I missing anything here? They looked identical to the stock pads so I installed them lol
#14
I always start with bleeding the one furthest away from the brake master cylinder and work my way closer out of old habit. That would be the passenger side rear, RR then LR, RF and LF. People tell me the front and rear has separate circuit on modern cars with ABS/and or dynamic stability control system. It doesn't matter whether you start with the front or rear.
Bleeding the brake with 2 people will definitely make it easier and quicker. There are tools for one man brake bleeding. I have the Motive Power bleeder that I used on my E46 M3. However Motive doesn't have a cap for the Honda brake master cylinder that can withstand the 15-16 psi from the Motive pump reservoir. On my Honda Fit I use a Harbor Freight pneumatic brake fluid bleeder for both brake hydraulic and clutch hydraulic. The pneumatic brake bleeder requires an air compressor. Before all this I used a MityVac brake bleeding kit that has a hand vacuum pump making one man brake bleeding a chore.
Bleeding the brake with 2 people will definitely make it easier and quicker. There are tools for one man brake bleeding. I have the Motive Power bleeder that I used on my E46 M3. However Motive doesn't have a cap for the Honda brake master cylinder that can withstand the 15-16 psi from the Motive pump reservoir. On my Honda Fit I use a Harbor Freight pneumatic brake fluid bleeder for both brake hydraulic and clutch hydraulic. The pneumatic brake bleeder requires an air compressor. Before all this I used a MityVac brake bleeding kit that has a hand vacuum pump making one man brake bleeding a chore.
#17
go check at autozone, they list dimensions on their website for comparison, and I do think they use the same part number for GD and GE fits.
The pads are the same as older SI, the same as the CRZ and all the Fits use the same pad. Verified through online Honda dealership part numbers.
Verify yourself though. Finding out info like that can really save you time and money!!
The pads are the same as older SI, the same as the CRZ and all the Fits use the same pad. Verified through online Honda dealership part numbers.
Verify yourself though. Finding out info like that can really save you time and money!!
#18
I am sorry I do not want to sound ignorant to your andwers, but if the rotors from 2008 fit the model 2013, why would'nt Tirerack list them as an option??
Not to contradict myself, but I got HPS pads ( that are NOT listed for 2013 model) on my car without an apparent issue! Am I missing anything here? They looked identical to the stock pads so I installed them lol
Not to contradict myself, but I got HPS pads ( that are NOT listed for 2013 model) on my car without an apparent issue! Am I missing anything here? They looked identical to the stock pads so I installed them lol
But again, hypothetically speaking here.
go check at autozone, they list dimensions on their website for comparison, and I do think they use the same part number for GD and GE fits.
The pads are the same as older SI, the same as the CRZ and all the Fits use the same pad. Verified through online Honda dealership part numbers.
Verify yourself though. Finding out info like that can really save you time and money!!
The pads are the same as older SI, the same as the CRZ and all the Fits use the same pad. Verified through online Honda dealership part numbers.
Verify yourself though. Finding out info like that can really save you time and money!!
^^ This is the site that I use to compare brake calipers, discs, pads, wheel bearings, and more. Which is great for confirming whether or not a certain OEM or aftermarket replacement part will work for your vehicle. It lists a Centric and/or Stop Tech replacement part with its part number and a picture showing the part's specifications. Now if you click the part number in the search, you will find parts SIMILAR to the one you found in your search which are usually POTENTIAL upgrades.
Here's a 2008 GD search results. <--- Clicky
Here's a 2013 GE search results. <--- Clicky
I always start with bleeding the one furthest away from the brake master cylinder and work my way closer out of old habit. That would be the passenger side rear, RR then LR, RF and LF. People tell me the front and rear has separate circuit on modern cars with ABS/and or dynamic stability control system. It doesn't matter whether you start with the front or rear.
Bleeding the brake with 2 people will definitely make it easier and quicker. There are tools for one man brake bleeding. I have the Motive Power bleeder that I used on my E46 M3. However Motive doesn't have a cap for the Honda brake master cylinder that can withstand the 15-16 psi from the Motive pump reservoir. On my Honda Fit I use a Harbor Freight pneumatic brake fluid bleeder for both brake hydraulic and clutch hydraulic. The pneumatic brake bleeder requires an air compressor. Before all this I used a MityVac brake bleeding kit that has a hand vacuum pump making one man brake bleeding a chore.
Bleeding the brake with 2 people will definitely make it easier and quicker. There are tools for one man brake bleeding. I have the Motive Power bleeder that I used on my E46 M3. However Motive doesn't have a cap for the Honda brake master cylinder that can withstand the 15-16 psi from the Motive pump reservoir. On my Honda Fit I use a Harbor Freight pneumatic brake fluid bleeder for both brake hydraulic and clutch hydraulic. The pneumatic brake bleeder requires an air compressor. Before all this I used a MityVac brake bleeding kit that has a hand vacuum pump making one man brake bleeding a chore.
Bleeding sequences do matter in some vehicles though. Some older Hondas must have their ABS module (I forget the actual name, but its under the hood with all 4 brake lines running into it) that needs to be filled and bled along with the vehicle's brake lines. Along with other vehicles that have ABS that actives on a single axle itself or diagonally (Pass Front-Driver Rear ABS, Driver Front-Pass Rear ABS), etc... That alone is another subject though.
#19
When I am alone, bleeding brakes, I do a gravity bleed, tapping any hardlines as they drain/drip.
When the master is almost empty, I tighten the bleeder, top off the master, then go grab a bottle and a small hose that fits the bleeder snugly. Half fill the bottle with fresh brake fluid, crack the bleeder open, and I go in and pump the brakes about 20 times.
I do this per Honda bleeding procedure, for most cars it is farthest away first, then move closer.
Some Hondas have a very strange bleeding pattern, I do not know why.
I also avoid having to bleed the brakes by draining/sucking out the fluid in the master once every 4-6 months and refill with fresh fluid. Keeps the brakes working great, removes 99% of the moisture in the system, and maintains all the seals in the system.
Doing this on all my cars saves me time and money, and I have never had to deal with brake failure!
When the master is almost empty, I tighten the bleeder, top off the master, then go grab a bottle and a small hose that fits the bleeder snugly. Half fill the bottle with fresh brake fluid, crack the bleeder open, and I go in and pump the brakes about 20 times.
I do this per Honda bleeding procedure, for most cars it is farthest away first, then move closer.
Some Hondas have a very strange bleeding pattern, I do not know why.
I also avoid having to bleed the brakes by draining/sucking out the fluid in the master once every 4-6 months and refill with fresh fluid. Keeps the brakes working great, removes 99% of the moisture in the system, and maintains all the seals in the system.
Doing this on all my cars saves me time and money, and I have never had to deal with brake failure!
#20
I did the brake lines, but here the problems encountered, actually self induced problems
1) stripped the hell out the front driver side and rear passenger side flare nuts.
But I managed to change the line on the front driver side, but I can unscrew the rear passenger side.
So end result, I only have 3 SS Lines on the car and 1 OEM rubber on rear passenger side.
We call this big mess.
The root of the problem was harbor freight flare wrenches kit did not have 10 mm one, so I stupidly decided to use the regular wrench which ended up stripping the hard line fittings.
But I managed to go to local auto parts store to buy tge correct side flare wrench.
Results: not impressive at all. I bled the system 3 times until absokutely no air was shown in the lines.
Deep in frustration I decided to order slotted rotors and a set of Hawk HP plus brake pads.
So I tried to install them yesterday.
Again more frustration coming...
Those honda rotors are impossible to get out without the right tool, I tried to unscrew them, they got almost stripped, I hammered them with a non impact screw driver, no luck. So to avoid further damage I decided to leave the stock ones for a while.
Now the pads part, I already had Hawk HPS from 2008 fit ( tire rack) and the installation was breeze for the HPS.
However, I realized that HP plus is a different design, does not have the metal plates that the HPS and the stock ones had.
They instead have 2 notches on the outer pads that makes the fitting of the caliber impossible, so I had to basically rub that notches until it became smooth and only slightly notched, then they fit.
What a big mess.
The results....scary braking power....literally it stop quicker than I want to stop, but that it is snow tires, today I am putting the Direzza Z2 and will report back.
It stops in an unsettled way, it definitely feels that there is brake balance issue.
So much stripping of things and nuts, I was almost going to a strip club last night.
Help and suggestions please.
1) stripped the hell out the front driver side and rear passenger side flare nuts.
But I managed to change the line on the front driver side, but I can unscrew the rear passenger side.
So end result, I only have 3 SS Lines on the car and 1 OEM rubber on rear passenger side.
We call this big mess.
The root of the problem was harbor freight flare wrenches kit did not have 10 mm one, so I stupidly decided to use the regular wrench which ended up stripping the hard line fittings.
But I managed to go to local auto parts store to buy tge correct side flare wrench.
Results: not impressive at all. I bled the system 3 times until absokutely no air was shown in the lines.
Deep in frustration I decided to order slotted rotors and a set of Hawk HP plus brake pads.
So I tried to install them yesterday.
Again more frustration coming...
Those honda rotors are impossible to get out without the right tool, I tried to unscrew them, they got almost stripped, I hammered them with a non impact screw driver, no luck. So to avoid further damage I decided to leave the stock ones for a while.
Now the pads part, I already had Hawk HPS from 2008 fit ( tire rack) and the installation was breeze for the HPS.
However, I realized that HP plus is a different design, does not have the metal plates that the HPS and the stock ones had.
They instead have 2 notches on the outer pads that makes the fitting of the caliber impossible, so I had to basically rub that notches until it became smooth and only slightly notched, then they fit.
What a big mess.
The results....scary braking power....literally it stop quicker than I want to stop, but that it is snow tires, today I am putting the Direzza Z2 and will report back.
It stops in an unsettled way, it definitely feels that there is brake balance issue.
So much stripping of things and nuts, I was almost going to a strip club last night.
Help and suggestions please.