QUOTE(kmwvmarip @ Aug 6 2012, 07:33 AM)
Good food for thought in both camps.
My question in my mind would be how do these differ from DOT rated lines? Is there any sort of difference in the manufacture/construction/engineering of the lines or is it simply not wanting to jump through a "regulation" on the manufacturers side of things?
I am not poo-pooing standards for safety etc...
What does the DOT rating consist of anyway?
I'm Curious. Anyone know?
Yes, I know. Sorry, this is going to be long...
Once upon a time I cut, fitted, and crimped those exact lines at Russell.
The DOT certification is based on the likeliness of kinking the line at the fitting interface. There is no difference in the line material.
The Russell way of doing this was to create a fitting with a 2" long teflon sleeve that went between the outside of the line and the crimped-on fitting and acted as a strain relief. I was never really thrilled with the way those crimped down. It seemed like the line was more likely to be able to pull from the fitting under pressure.
That was for short lines. Beyond a certain length (maybe 18 inches - I don't remember) there was no difference between the DOT and the standard, as it was felt that the long line would have the flexibility to not kink at the fitting. Well there was one difference - the braided line was inked with DOT markings and they cost more (to pay for the approval process).
Should you run them?
If you install them so they won't get kinked they will be fine. I've seen them fail - testing a car brought in with spongy pedal I pressed down harder than the customer's normal braking pressure and the line burst with a bang. Luckily it was in my shop parking lot. That would have been his next panic stop (I was not pressing all that hard). Although only one brake circuit was lost, the resulting unexpected drop in the pedal would not be fun in a heavy braking situation. The problem was improper installation putting a kink in the line (customer had just purchased the highly modified car, so we don't know how long it had been like that).
I've had a set on a 944 for 15 years. I think about them more than rubber lines and check them when it is on the lift (never had an issue). I'll probably switch them to rubber the next time I do some brake work, and then I'll have to change them every 10 years. I run them on my hotrods because it is the easiest way to do custom lengths and fittings.
I think the DOT cert is worthless - if you install the line wrong it will fail if is it a DOT version or not - I don't think it provides enough of a difference to matter.
I also don't think the braided line provides enough operational difference to matter over a rubber line. A rubber line won't kink, but I have seen a burst rubber line from being too old and swollen, so they need to be periodically checked/changed no matter what type.