I'm looking to switch to stainless steel brake lines on my factory JCW. I use the stock JCW pads and do very aggressive street driving, no track. The search function wasn't all too helpful.

What lines are the safest and most reliable? What brake fluid should I purchase?

I'm going to have a BMW shop do the install while they're doing my suspension. Any odds and ends I should inform the mechanic about?

Thank you for all the help!

Best,
Gene

 

Just my opinion. http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/brake...cat=BrakeFluid

Been using it for many years in different cars.

 

Detroit Tuned sells stainless steel brake lines...

http://www.detroittuned.com/detroit-...l-brake-lines/

 

Hello, I am new to the forums but when I was on BMW side you can't beat super blue brake fluid.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2007-C...g/Fluid/ES111/

 

This is who I got mine from. Honestly any decent vendor should have good trustworthy SS lines and I doubt one is drastically better than the other. Detroit Tuned were a good price at the time. As for Fluid, I went with Motul 600. No complaints.

One thing I will say about the DT ss brake lines is the heat shrink sheathing they put on the outside of the line prevents you from sliding the rubber grommet into the position you need for install without tearing the plastic sheathing itself. I got one to slide over the sheathing by using some breakfree spray but two of them just wouldnt budge without tearing. It was almost like the heat shrink was welded to the grommet. I already had the lines off, etc. so I wasn't in a position to return them. Not sure if this is the norm with these brand lines or if I just a had a bad set but it's not something I was concerned about regardless but it may be an issue for some.

 

Check out our WMW stainless lines they are the same ones used on the Grand Am Bspec MINI's.

As for fluid we do not recommend the ATE fluid. I've seen way too many times that it does something and ruins the feel of the system by being spongy even with fresh fluid in them. Also the dealer will void the warranty if they see the blue fluid in your car.
I do recommend the Motul RBF 600 as it has a higher boiling point and is amber so it looks stock.

 

I have 96,000 miles on my 09 JCW. Still running the OEM brake lines. Not sure I see the value in changing if you are not tracking the car. Agressive street driving is still on the street.

I think I would spend that money on something else. But if you do decide to change Way is correct, you can have your warranty voided so be careful.

 

I was checking out your site. What are the difference between those and the NM engineering lines other than $100? I'm not looking to blow extra cash but I'm not looking to cut corners in the brakes department either.

 

A few years ago I brought my C6Z06 into have catless headers installed and SS brake lines. When I picked the car up, I loved the sound, but was more moved by the feel of the SS lines than I ever though I would be. From then on I decided that SS should go onto every performance car I ever own. While they very likely aren't needed, the feel and pedal modulation is a huge benefit to the driving experience. In my opinion at least.

-Gene

 

ATE isn't eating up seals in the master cylinder is it? I got two bottles of ATE Super Blue for X-mas after thinking I might be overdoing it running Motul RBF600 all last year...

 

Over the years we've found that the ATE just does something to the brake system may it eat the seals or make them swell I can't exactly say, but I can for 100% say I will not use it, and I've seen the pedal be squishy many times after using it for awhile. But many of the guys I go to the track have also had the same problems using it in BMW's and Porsche, but all the Corvette guys I know have had great luck with it. Either way it doesn't matter the Motul is a much better fluid with a higher boiling point anyway so it's a no brainer on what to use for me and my customers.

As for NM lines verses ours. They are made by different companies is the biggest difference, also I'm not trying to make a fortune off ours. I can tell you we do use exact fit fittings on our lines, theirs are a little different and ours are DOT approved.

 

FYI... for anyone interested.

I installed the lines, which are great, but I did not receive the result I was looking for. When I installed them on my C6Z06 the already great pedal feel was much more improved and instantaneous. On the mini however there is no difference I can feel. Guess it's just the nature of the two different systems. So if you're going SS for safety, go for it. If you're doing it for feel, don't waste your time.

Best,
Gene