Stainless Steel vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

[Ed S.]

Trying to determine if the brake lines on my 64 are stainless or carbon steel. The car was "restored" by a PO 10+ years ago, rubber lines are single crimp original (I am replacing them). Besides the obvious appearance when new, what is the difference between SS & CS brake lines? I am talking visual differences. Both are magnetic. Mine are not rust coated but they are far from shiny. BTW - they do not leak, at the fittings at all. How do judges determine if a brake line is carbon vs stainless?

[Bruce B.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

Ed,
I have installed SS on a few C1 Corvettes. They do not leak if installed and tightened properly.
I also used DOT 5 which is more prone to leaking, but again if you do it correctly you will have no problems and have trouble free brakes until the shoes or pads wear out.
Bruce B

[Gene M.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

Trying to determine if the brake lines on my 64 are stainless or carbon steel. The car was "restored" by a PO 10+ years ago, rubber lines are single crimp original (I am replacing them). Besides the obvious appearance when new, what is the difference between SS & CS brake lines? I am talking visual differences. Both are magnetic. Mine are not rust coated but they are far from shiny. BTW - they do not leak, at the fittings at all. How do judges determine if a brake line is carbon vs stainless?

I think you will find stainless brake lines are generally a 300 series non magnetic material.

New blocks MUST be used with stainless lines due to hardness, to flare seats. Type of brake fluid shouldn’t make any difference on leaking. Leaking is due to flares not seating fully.

[Ed S.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

Bruce, Gene,
Thanks for the replies, but (respectfully) neither of you thoroughly answered my question which is, from a visual inspection how can you tell the difference between SS & CS brake lines? I am not concerned about leaking - I think I can / have eliminated that issue. The two rear lines I removed from the car are magnetic and they are not rusted - zero rust, some surface oxidation but not rust. The replacements I purchased from LIC are also magnetic, they are clean metal but not shiny. Looking at LICs website, they (and all other vendors) only sell CS lines in a complete set - I did not buy a complete set, just 2 rear lines for my drum brake 64. I don't have the invoice from LIC anymore but I suspect that what I purchased was SS. I am trying to determine if the ones I removed from the car are SS or CS. So again, the question is, visually can you tell the difference?

[Ed S.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

I have the answer - sort of. The two rear lines I purchased from LIC are carbon steel. I called and asked, I was told that LIC does not sell any SS brake lines. What confused me was that the description on their website and in the catalog does not state carbon steel when you look a the description of individual lines. But..... the description for the complete set specifies that they are all carbon steel. The absence of the statement that the individual lines were CS led me to suspect that they might be SS. If SS lines are not magnetic that would be the clear indicator of a difference. Other than that, in the absence of surface rust on the CS lines, I an still not sure how to distinguish between a CS and a SS brake line. Thanks again.

[Bob R.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

The judges use a magnet to determine if they are stainless

[Bruce B.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

Gene,
On my C1's I used the old original blocks, no problems.
Bruce B

[Ed S.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

Bob,
Thanks - that explains it.

[Edward J.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

I have done a few sets of s/s lines and I tighten them and then loosen the and retighten, do this a few times and this helps seat them, these lines are very hard at the flared ends.

[Ed S.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

I have done a few sets of s/s lines and I tighten them and then loosen the and retighten, do this a few times and this helps seat them, these lines are very hard at the flared ends.

I noticed that process has been recommended by a number of members in this forum (in other threads). As an insurance measure I did the same thing with my new carbon steel lines before I had fluid running through them just to ensure the flares were uniform all around. So far so good.

[Gene M.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

Gene,
On my C1's I used the old original blocks, no problems.
Bruce B

Wonderfull generally persons do not have that luck. But even a broken watch is correct twice a day. Getting lucky does happen.

The reason I say this is the previous flair will leave it’s mark.

[Gene M.]

Re: Stainless Steel vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

Visually one can discern stainless from carbon steel and plated steel but one needs to know the characteristics of each. Generally people in that type of employment dealing with these materials helps a lot. Sorry I not able to put into words that answers your question definitively.

It was pointed out a magnet not sticking but that only verifies a 300 series stainless or possibly a non metallic material such as copper, brass or aluminum.

Be advised a worked piece of stainless may show some slight magnetic properties. Not all 300 series (china) has the content it should.

[Phillip M.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

The judges use a magnet to determine if they are stainless

So, I am asking this question from the perspective of being a rookie judge: If a magnet is acceptable for use by a judge to determine SS, can a judge also use a cloth tape measure (won't scratch a painted surface), to determine, for instance, if the 5.5 inch dimension from the seam on a C2 soft top to the screw head on the spear-shaped trim piece?

[Harry S.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

So, I am asking this question from the perspective of being a rookie judge: If a magnet is acceptable for use by a judge to determine SS, can a judge also use a cloth tape measure (won't scratch a painted surface), to determine, for instance, if the 5.5 inch dimension from the seam on a C2 soft top to the screw head on the spear-shaped trim piece?

At one time I did that when I judge 53-57's. I measured the spread from the end of my thump to the end of my pinkey. If it's a match it's good.

[Gene M.]

Re: Stainless Stee vs Carbon Steel brake lines - difference

So, I am asking this question from the perspective of being a rookie judge: If a magnet is acceptable for use by a judge to determine SS, can a judge also use a cloth tape measure (won't scratch a painted surface), to determine, for instance, if the 5.5 inch dimension from the seam on a C2 soft top to the screw head on the spear-shaped trim piece?