Stainless Steel Brake Hoses

[jgl1]

Contemplating installation of stainless steel brake hoses on a couple of my vehicles. I'm aware of their benefits; are there any reasons not to use these hoses?

Can someone recommend a reputable manufacturer? Source?

[Michael]

In my mind, the critical element is 3 part construction. Mine are SS outside, teflon inside and a sheath of Kevlar in between to protect the teflon from small, abrasive contaminants that work their way into the SS mesh and abrade the teflon-a bad thing.

I sourced mine for my 500E from www.germanautoparts.com ; they're apparently manufactured by a Porsche dealer in California.

Small, but noticeable, improvement

[Jim Anderson]

Theres a place near me (So Cal) that does them. I've seen stuff from motorcycles to heavy equipment, and hydraulic lines too. The're called Ormi Brothers, or something like that. I had them make some PS lines for me.

[sixto]

Some are DOT approved/certified/sanctioned/something-like-that and some aren't. I'm not sure what the difference is.

Sixto
91 300SE
87 300SDL
81 300SD (on ebay)

[J.HIDALGO]

I was also contemplating replacing mine with SS but after reading some posts in this site, for street use, I think I will stick with OE. For what I read, the SS look great and give a better pedal feel but, they do not last as long as the OE.
Do your own research and come up with your own conclusion. Good luck!

[jshiuan]

like others have already said, look for DOT approved. the brand i'm aware of is Goodridge which is carried for MBs by Performance Products in Northridge, CALIF.

my friend has it in his car and the brake feel is definitely different, takes some getting use to. in my opinion, not as comfortable for everyday driving. it eliminates the lag or cushy feel of the brakes, but it is firm. it provides quicker brake response which can be jerky for everyday driving...

OE rubber brake lines last the life of the car, so SS should definitely last longer and would not require replacement under normal use.