I am awesome

[BAC5.2]

Just randomly looking around on E-Bay, I found a set of Stoptech SS brake lines for the rear of an 02-05 WRX.

They should work, I think....

But they were $40 shipped. Can't beat that, that's probably even cheaper than OEM!

Just gotta find the front lines, and get me some front brake pads for my new WRX brakes and I'll be solid.

Will it be problematic if I get Goodridge front SS lines and mix them with the Stoptech rear lines?

[THAWA]

so why are you awesome?

[Yukonart]

so why are you awesome?

Of course you're awesome, Phil. . . . you're Phil!


Shouldn't be an issue at all mixing the brands of SS lines. They're all pretty much the same strength, from what I understand.

[entirelyturbo]

Doesn't Vikash have WRX brake lines?

[BAC5.2]

He has goodridge front lines.

I now have Stoptech rear lines, time to get me some front lines

[legacy92ej22t]

You're soooo cool Phil. Without those SS lines though you're nothing, you hear me? Nothing!

[Brat4by4]

Hey, Phil quit glorifying yourself... certain members will start getting edgy

[vrg3]

I have Goodridge lines for a 97 Impreza.

The WRX lines will fit your car, Phil, but you'll have to use zipties or something to hold the lines to the struts, since the mounting method is different.

It shouldn't be problematic to use Goodridge (or any other) front lines. In theory better lines on the rear than the front can cause the rears to push harder at first than the fronts, but that'll even out quickly.

For the fronts, make your own lines with -3 AN adapter fittings and some stainless steel braided -3 AN hose. Get two banjo fittings (Earl's P/N 997631), two M10x1.0 inverted flare fittings (Earl's P/N 989545), and then two of the appropriate length of pre-assembled -3 AN female-to-female stainless steel braided hose (Earl's P/N 630101xx, where xx is an even number between 10 and 28, the length in inches).

It'll probably cost about as much as any purpose-made lines, and you'll never have to undo those wretched inverted flare or banjo fittings ever again.

You'll have to do the ziptie kind of thing again to keep them attached to the strut, but that's no big deal.

[BAC5.2]

Well, the people I ordered from gave me the option of getting the SS front lines too for about 50% of retail.

I am just gonna take advantage of that. Front and rear Stoptech lines for $90 shipped, pretty good deal IMO.

I was thinking about that Vikash, but this is a cheaper method, and how often am I really going to redo the brake lines?

[vrg3]

It only takes one time with some grit in the IF or a slipped wrench to ruin the fitting on the hard line... If I knew then what I knew now I would have done that. I still might at some point, since my used Goodridge lines'll still probably be worth something.

But, yeah, it's your call since it's your money and your car. $90 shipped is about what my Goodridge lines cost, and it was worth it. They're DOT approved, very well-made, and came with new banjo bolts, gaskets, and clips. I'd expect the StopTech lines to be at least as good (minus the DOT approval, but that's almost irrelevant in this case).

[BAC5.2]

Vikash - Yea, I plan on cleaning them very well and making sure to take my time with the install.

The Stoptech lines are generally reguarded as the best SS line on the market. They are DOT approved, and each line is tested to 4500psi. I am paying $90 shipped for all 4 lines, not just the fronts. Retail is $75 front $73 rear.

What wrenches do I need to install these? I assume some 10mm flare-nut wrenches? Anything else?

[vrg3]

Oh, cool, I didn't realize the Stoptech ones were DOT approved. DOT approval with aftermarket brake lines is kind of dumb from what I've been told though. Like, the tests are biased against stainless steel braided lines. And, the approval goes out the window if the car they're installed on isn't practically identical to the car it was certified for.

~$90 shipped is what all four Goodridges cost too... I think they only come in complete sets of four anyway.

The flare nuts on the brake lines have M10 threads, but I think the hex might be 12mm or 14mm... I don't remember for sure. Your aftermarket lines may have a different hex size too. You'll need one flare nut wrench to hold the end of the hose, and another to turn the flare nut on the hard line.

You can use a regular socket to remove the banjo bolt on the caliper. I think our stock ones have 14mm heads, while the WRX banjo bolts have 12mm heads. The threads are the same though.

If the lines don't come with new copper washers, you'll want to pick up four 10mm annealed copper washers.

Be careful not to twist the hoses as you install them. It'll be really obvious, since you can see the braiding twist.

Removing the clips that hold the hoses to the struts is kind of a pain. Just keep trying with needle-nose pliers.

[BAC5.2]

Damn, I thought the Goodridge lines were more expensive. Mauro has them for $109 shipped, while the Stoptech's are $75 front and $73 rear.

FWIW, the Cobb SS lines are rebadged Stoptech lines.

I am going to totally drain my brake system w/ the vac. bleeder and then refill. Might as well repaint my calipers black too.

I guess I'll just get a few flarenut wrenches at Pepboys. I am DEFINATELY going to take my time because I've never done this.

Time to find a BF ABS Prop Valve. Might as well do it all at once

[vrg3]

I think the Goodridge deal I got was a Christmas special a couple years back.

I know I really like StopTech, even though my only experiences with them have been buying two sets of brake pads. They seem to know their stuff, they're really helpful, and they're really friendly.

Yeah, a set of flare nut wrenches is good to have. Be really really careful, because a lot of the time it seems to take less effort to twist the hard line or round the flare nut than to actually undo the fitting. In my opinion, these Inverted flares are good only if they're never ever ever taken apart. In other words, they don't belong on a car.