VE Brake Line Fitting s

[Wonky]

A couple of years ago when my SSV ute was going to have a run at Temora I added braided lines as part of an upgrade of rotors and pads. I deliberately elected to wait to add the braided lines a few weeks later so I could tell the difference, if any, they made as I'd read reports from people who said they couldn't feel any difference. That certainly wasn't me! To me the braided lines made a significant difference!!

Therefore a year or so later when I had Redline Brembos installed on the front I definitely wanted braided lines again but discovered Safebrake, whose lines I'd used, made a different kit for the Brembos so I bought that and had Chev swap the front lines (rears were still stock brakes with different rotors so no need to change). I therefore ended up with 2 unused braided rear lines and 2 almost new (15,000km) front brake lines which I've been trying to sell (not on LS1 due to 2 of them being new still).

Where I was trying to sell them I had a guy tell me he'd put front (and possibly rear?) Brembos on his VE and hadn't had to change his braided lines i.e. even though Safebrake make a different (more expensive) kit for the Brembos in his opinion they weren't required. Similarly they make a specific kit (even more expensive of course) for VE HSVs and whilst the actual brakes on the Senator are obviously better than the front Brembos on the ute they don't provide the feel I enjoyed from the braided line, so want to add braided lines to it.

My question therefore is, are the caliper fittings the same on SSV, SSV Redline and HSV VEs, or was this guy incorrect in his memory he'd been able to use the braided lines for a stock VE even when he upgraded to Brembos? Alternatively, are there adapters available so instead of selling my stock non Redline SSV braided lines I can used them on the Senator? If so, any problems with using them given I'd be adding another join in the line

[Smitty]

Gaz... I now run SAFEBRAKES braided hoses on the race car (coz I had to... see below*)
they are a nice bit of kit

I don't know answers to all your questions but one thing I do know is.... the lesser number
of joins in a brake line/system the better.




*this is what happens when a braided brake line bursts... its ugly (and thank goodness, even though I was at PI .... it was not a T1 )

[Wonky]

In the absence of nobody seeming to have a definitive answer I bit the bullet and contacted Safebrake through their eBay shop. Turns out that the actual fittings are the same across all VE brakes, just that they use "nicer looking" fittings on the Brembo and HSV brakes. Was therefore a waste of time and money me changing them when I added the front Brembos and now I can use the ones I've had for sale on the Senator.

[Micks]

Gaz my own research have found the braided line is obviously more robust/tougher than the oem equivalent though under normal braking won't give any better feel so to speak.
Certainly if track driven only then it's a must. Not mandatory on the road but great to have the confidence there installed though!

[Wonky]

Actually, I found the opposite when I deliberately only added the braided lines about 6 weeks after upgrading rotors and pads. For me they definitely gave a firmer, more confidence inspiring pedal feel which is why I've been keen to sell my "stock VE" set so I could buy the set for the Senator. Now I know I can use these I've just emailed Chev to arrange a time to fit them. The Senator pedal feels a bit "squishy" at the moment, although with only 22,000km just clocked up in 7 years it's possibly still got the original fluid in it, so a complete flush will also help.

[Micks]

Actually, I found the opposite when I deliberately only added the braided lines about 6 weeks after upgrading rotors and pads. For me they definitely gave a firmer, more confidence inspiring pedal feel which is why I've been keen to sell my "stock VE" set so I could buy the set for the Senator. Now I know I can use these I've just emailed Chev to arrange a time to fit them. The Senator pedal feels a bit "squishy" at the moment, although with only 22,000km just clocked up in 7 years it's possibly still got the original fluid in it, so a complete flush will also help.

I cannot comment on oem as all my previous brake upgrades came with new braided lines which I used. Also not forgetting in doing so new fluid is used & a decent bleed done too!