<VV> cunifer tubing

[djtcz at comcast.net]

----- Original Message ----- 

From: < corvairduval at cox.net > 
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2010 10:36 AM 
Subject: Re: <VV> Hard Pedal, poor brakes. 


Does anybody have any experience with using Cunifer type brake tubing? 

There have been articles in Skinned Knucles magazine extoling their virtue. 

Pros are easy to bend by hand and will not rust out. What are the cons? 

www.brakequip.com/pdf/ezibend_2.pdf 

http://store.fedhillusa.com/?gclid=CNCJiIC8k6MCFQiD5QodzVaMrA 

And yes, my 94 Caprice failed against the frame behind the "B" pillar. 

Frank DuVal 

====================================================== 


I think that is the bronzy stuff my Volvos have had starting a little after 1975. On our 1975 they used some white enamel stuff on the conventional steel lines which was worn thru by the threaded fitting, so the lines rusted and failed there eventually anyhow. 


The modulus of elasticity (stretchiness) of a bronze material is likely much greater than steel. So steel lines of equal length, diameter, and wall thickness probably have a slightly firmer pedal feel than those made of cunifer. But the motorcycle guys claim the sections of rubber lines are responsible for most of the soft feeling in a stock system anyhow. 


I'd say the con is the price, and limited availability for the repair of a conventional system on a Saturday afternoon. 


I have damages some Volvo lines when the steel fitting had rusted so badly it seized the still-sound tubing so hard the tubing twisted off when unscrewing the fitting. 
Now I carefully apply antiseize to the tubing before sliding the fitting back down for assembly, and to the fitting threads as well. Probably a spritz of super creepy LPS3 to the fully assembled fitting would be pretty effective too, with less fear of contaminating the brake fluid. 


Dan T