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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Stainless steel brake hose

I've had stainless steel braided brake hoses on my Sprite for many years and the current hoses on the front of the car are probably longer than standard as the car has Frontline front suspension with MGB calipers. Any day now I plan to replace them with very similar hoses except the new ones will have stainless steel fittings and banjo bolts.

I tend not to throw stuff away but hoard it and in this instance I thought rather than hoard the hoses in the hope that my daughters will one day use them (oldest has shown little interest in getting a driving licence, youngest wants a 'Herbie' car) I though I'd see if anyone wants to make a paltry offer for them + postage (£5?)? I think the brand new price from Moss is about £50 the pair.

Can I be sure the hoses are serviceable? If you can find the 'Knobber' in a BMW who got seriously outbraked last Saturday and ask him you might get your answer.
Daniel Stapleton

This time with an e-mail hotlink..
Daniel Stapleton

Interesting david

I had not thought this far...

I have the goodwood SS hoses on my stock midget calipers... im going to the MGB calipers as part of the big brake kit.

Do I need differant brake lines then what I have...as in differant fittings for the MGB from the midget and longer length...I had just assumed they would work

Ive got the book, that probably tells this, ....sorry I didnt pay $24,000 for it at amazon, hahaha, but being your the author... insight please

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

I would not re-use flex hoses, even the braided stainless ones, as the organic materials lose flexibility and lose strength as they age.


Norm

Norm Kerr

I agree with Norm
C L Carter

Im not sure I understand....I can understand not re-using the rubber brake hoses, but the stainless steel hoses dont break down like the rubber....granted if the SS where abused or modified with cheap fittings or were as old as noah and the arc....sure I could see that

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Prop. The S/S braided ones still have rubber inside them. The braiding is there to stop them bulging under pressure so that all the effort of the brake fluid goes down the pipe. The rubber, as Norm says will eventually degrade.
b higginson

I wouldn't use secondhand brake parts. A bit too risky for me. I have a secondhand set of goodridge hose but would not sell them, I would use them again myself as they are not secondhand to me. Brakes and tyres - buy new, buy quality.
I would also, always replace suspension parts, brake parts and tyres in axle pairs.
Just my opinion, perhaps I have too much money and not enough sense.
I think a can of worms has been opened here.
Dave
Dave Brown

Actually the stainless steel braided hoses like Goodridge have a PTFE liner not rubber.
David Billington

David. That makes me feel better about my Goodridge hoses. They've been on 5 years with no problems but I had been worried about all the talk on here about modern rubber being rubbish. So thanks for that.

Bernie.
b higginson

There was an item in MASCot a few years ago that referred to some SS brake hoses that burst - under rallying conditions. The discussion and conclusion in that article was that they should be replaced periodically. I forget if they were specifically Goodridge hoses or not.

Guy W


In my days as a Helicopter engineer, the servicing schedules used to state that rubber lined hoses had a life, I think it was 3 years, Teflon lined hoses were on condition, ie there was not an automatic life, they were only replaced if they looked bad. This was on 3000 psi systems.
Having said that I did replace my Midget hoses after 10 years, just to be on the safe side. I got new ones made up by Merlin Motor sport, great service.

Dave


Dave Barrow

The problem cited in that MASCot article as far as I recall, was that being SS sheathed, it was impossible to do an "on condition" check of the lining pipes.
Guy W

Mmm..

Well, I'll bet that the stainless steel braided hoses with NON-organic PTFE (plastic/Nylon) on my car are in better condition and safer than any of you that have rubber hoses more than 3 years old.

s/s sheathed hose usually means a rubber hose with a stainless steel sheath which is just like that cheap rubber petrol pipe hose you can get.

Perhaps what might interest anyone before I chuck these old hoses in the dustbin is that bulk of the price of hoses is in the fittings rather than the hose. So, if anyone wants some fittings let me know.

On the other hand if anyone would rather stay with rubber hose thats more than 3 years old or older than my Goodridge hose that's their choice.

I've also re-used Goodridge hose on oil pressure pipe fittings when I was having a hose shortened. Which reminds me I have a bunch of oil pressure gauge hoses I don't need but if you'd rather stay with something else???
Daniel Stapleton

Goodridge themselves don't give a life for their hoses, or advise that they should be changed. But then Daniel, you didn't initially say yours were Goodridge, or PTFE lined.
I am not trying to put anyone off your offer!
Guy W

anyone ever tried these? - http://www.venhill.co.uk/Hoses_&_Cables_-_Car/MG/MG-002_MG_MIDGET_MK2_to_MK5_BRAKE_3_LINES.html
Nigel Atkins

Correction....

Mine are good ridge, not goodwood..

So will my midget goodridge SS hoses fit onto an MGB calipers for the big brake kit....

or will I need longer hoses and differant fittigs

Thanks

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Gday Apologies to Daniel up front, most people are confused about this topic. I don't know if this will help but to clear up some confusion about organic and non organic polymers. Organic polymers are those based on carbon atoms. All plastics are organic. PTFE is extremely non reactive hence will last indefinitely, but is stiffer than say nylon and much stiffer than rubber. We use rubber because it's molecular arrangement is stretchy, LOL, it's rubbery, however this also means its more reactive when exposed to brake fluids etc. So it degrades with time just sitting there, it ages. The stainless braid just stops it stretching and giving a "spongy" pedal, it does nothing to stop it ageing as previously discussed ad nauseum. Those Venhill hoses look exquisite but I for one don't have the reddys Cheers all Rod



R W Bowers

Thanks rod

Mmmmm.... bubble gum on a string, yummy !!!!

(LOL)

Prop


Prop and the Blackhole Midget

I suppose I could have said they were Goodridge but it seemed a more useful statement to say they were still on the car and working up to the day I removed them. Also, I'm not sure if there is much difference between Goodridge and Aeroquip.

I see the Venhill stuff comes our more expensive than the Moss price. As an aside it's possible to have a plastic outer layer on a Goodridge hose and I did this with the oil pressure pipe as it potentially (engine, car movement etc) passed closed to an electrical wire and I didn't want it to chafe the electrical wire and short it. In fact I'll be getting any braided hose I replace in the future fitted with a clear outer plastic sleeve.

Daniel Stapleton

This thread was discussed between 22/08/2013 and 24/08/2013

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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