Goodridge Stainless Steel Brake Line Installation – Cadillac CTS-V
Why do you need stainless steel brake lines?
Rubber brakes lines are the original equipment in nearly all production vehicles. Regardless if they are new or old, they will bulge under pressure, creating that “spongy” or “mushy” feeling in the brake pedal. The difference in expansion characteristics between rubber and braided stainless steel brake lines is a result of differences in hose construction. Where rubber hoses typically consist of a rubber inner hose wrapped fabric braid then covered in an additional rubber outer sheath, braided stainless steel hoses typically consist of a PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, also branded Teflon®) inner hose wrapped in a braid consisting of stainless steel wire. The stainless wire braid more effectively resists expansion due to pressure inside the hose core. This in effect improves brake system effectiveness by more directly transferring operator input to the brake friction surfaces.
Goodridge is the world's leading manufacturer of performance fluid transfer systems for over 40 years. It operates in the OEM, automotive, motorcycle, motorsport, defense and specialist industrial sectors, and is the leader in manufacturing stainless steel brake lines. Goodridge brakes lines are stainless outer braid is covered with a clear PVC (polyvinyl chloride) to protect the wire and inner hose from the elements and chemicals, to protect the vehicle from abrasion, and for an improved appearance. Coated braided stainless steel hoses have the same essential construction as rubber hoses in terms of an inner hose wrapped in a braid followed by an outer layer, but the different materials in the braided stainless steel hoses offer substantially different and arguably better characteristics. The added benefit of buying Goodridge’s stainless steel brake line kits is that it has all the new parts and fittings needed to upgrade your brakes, from flare fittings, banjo fittings, retaining clips, copper crush washers, and individually labeled brake lines.
The Goodridge G-Stop kit includes 5 new brake lines, flared banjo fittings and their associated copper washers. You’ll need an assortment of flare nut wrench and box end wrenches. If you try to use box end wrenches on the flare fittings you might round off the flare nuts (the wrenches are a good investment), various sockets to remove the brake caliper if you chose to (not required), small torque wrench, pliers to pull out the metal clips and buddy for the brake bleeding part. And lastly, you’ll need some brake fluid since you will lose some when you change out the brake lines.
The kit went together seamlessly. All the parts fit, and with the pre-labeled brake lines reduces any chance of using the wrong line in the wrong position. The finished product works extremely well - no burrs from the braiding, treated fittings, it all works together extremely well. The pedal feel, after the installation, became solid. The pedal feel went from good to great. It compliments the 4 piston front, 2 piston rear Brembo calipers perfectly.
1. Here are the parts that are included in the kit.
1. A good thing to do while upgrading the brake lines, is to change out the brake pads, new rotors, and flush out the old brake fluid. At this time, the fluid was upgraded from the factory DOT 3 brake fluid to ATE Super Blue Racing DOT 4 synthetic fluid. Pads were upgraded to Hawk HP+ front and HPS rear pads, and cross drilled and slotted rotors from Rotorpros.com.
2. Raise the car off the ground, and secure it with a jack stand for safety. Start at the wheel furthest (in hydraulic-circuit terms) from the master-cylinder and progress toward the closest. The correct order for the CTS-V is right rear, left rear, left front, right front.
3. Here are the factory rubber brake lines. Unique to the CTS-V, there are two lines in the wheel well – one that runs to the calipers, the other makes a U-turn down the subframe, which leads to the left rear caliper.
4. Carefully remove the banjo bolt that secures the factory brake line to the caliper. Be sure to have a catch pan and rags to catch the brake fluid as it drips from caliper and lines.
5. After removing the clips securing the factory lines, you can put a wrench on both the front and backside of the fitting to separate the two. At this point, you can remove them both.
6. Here are the two factory lines in the right rear compared to Goodridge's stainless steel replacement lines.
7. Here are the fittings after the rubber lines have been removed.
8. Reverse the removal steps, and install the stainless steel lines. One of two are installed in this photo. Next, it’s time to move on to the line that connects the hard lines to the caliper.
9. Using the supplied Goodridge fittings, assemble the fitting as shown, with a banjo bolt, copper washer, banjo-to flare fitting, and lastly the copper washer. The will thread into the brake caliper. Be sure to just have it finger tight, and you will need to adjust the angle of the fitting based on the bend and orientation of the stainless steel line.
