Braided lines

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Skyguyz

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First off, I'd like to thank all the great folks here who have helped this newbee with a wealth of information and genuine, frank advice on my posts. Really nice!

I am looking into the oil lines for my 74 Norton now and I want my engine to look like the Dan Peirce Norton photo, (See below.) Mechanically it will be as fresh as new, (CNW rebuild.) The problem with true braided steel lines is the fact that they can chaff anything they come in contact with and damage the item and the line too. The factory OEM black herringbone line is very good but just not the look I want. There are some braided steel lines with a clear vinyl shell, but these will yellow with time. Old Britts sells nice do it yourself lines and pre-fab, but they too will chaff.
I found these somewhat good but possibly cheesy lines that are popular with the (dare I say) Harley faction and they are not true steel, but look like it and have a teflon coating. The lines are called "Chromite II" and are not really cheap. So my question is are there any -6 (3/8") steel braided lines that don't chaff and don't yellow?

(*Old Britts says you need 3 lines with fittings. 12", 15" & 17". The breather return is not included.)

Chromite II
http://www.magnumshielding.com/store/fu ... keywords=*
Braided lines


Dan Peirce photo

Braided lines
 
I have nothing to add to this thread except that I do love the look of the braided SS lines, but I ended up going with black neoprene throughout for two reasons:

A) I'm a cheap bastard and I wanted to save a few bucks
B) I'm a cheap bastard and I wanted to save a few bucks

Braided lines


That said, I don't know that I'd do it differently at this point. I'm pleased with the way the black neoprene lines ended up looking. Good luck in your search!

-Jordan
 
If you can secure the lines together, then attach them with clamps to a mounting position that would get rid of the chaffing. I find they are tough to route. I made my own line sets, and I think I'm going to go back to herringbone style line.
 
W/o guided supports as mentioned you are about out of luck to avoid abrading or melting of anything touching hot vibrating engine for long. I shop in Harley site, proud it ain't Asian to find variety of clear armored SS braid hose. I've also seen this offered by brake hose vendor ads in cycle-zines.


http://www.hillcountrycustomcycles.com/ ... t-C92.aspx
Braided brake lines exceed OEM pressure specifications, reduce brake line expansion and look good Feature Teflon® inner liner and stainless steel outer braid for smooth fluid transfer and high strength Clear armor coat on the outside of the stainless for lasting protection
Braided lines
 
The SS oil lines from old Britts have a clear plastic sleeve on them. Only issue is they will discolor when fuel gets on them from ticklers but you can put the upgraded ticklers and they dont leak (that is if you are still using amals).
 
KSU - Not being critical but I don't think those oil hoses to the rockers with clamps will stay on very long. Tried it once - hose popped off - oiled my leg on first ride. There is quite a bit of pressure on those lines. If you don't want to get the SS lines just do the truck brake line thing. It is fun to hang out at the truck garage parts counter anyway. See previous posts by DogT and others on getting it on the banjos cold. It will last at least 10K-15K miles.

Russ

Edit.. I am talking ONLY about the rocker feed lines here
 
KSUWildcatFan said:
I have nothing to add to this thread except that I do love the look of the braided SS lines, but I ended up going with black neoprene throughout for two reasons:

A) I'm a cheap bastard and I wanted to save a few bucks
B) I'm a cheap bastard and I wanted to save a few bucks

Braided lines


That said, I don't know that I'd do it differently at this point. I'm pleased with the way the black neoprene lines ended up looking. Good luck in your search!

-Jordan
Click to expand...

IMO you did the smartest route (soft neoprene) but for the wrong reason. Stiff SS braided lines are unyeilding and cause the oil tank mounts (71-75) to break. I would not use them on a commando if given to me for free...
Great for a trailer queen, but not for a rider.
For rocker feed the original nylon has always been fine for me and the cheapest. 18 years for $3 on the last renewal
 
What are those neoprene hoses rated at? There's a reason the factory didn't use hose-clamped hoses on those lines… and they were even cheaper than you.
 
IMHO " doing the oil lines on the cheap is a great way to assure you will have a good on the road failure story to tell us about in some future diatribe. Take your wife out for a realy nice, somewhat pricey dinner this weekend, buy her a nice pair of shose she will love and order yourself a "real" set of oil lines so you can spare us the ridding through the country & ended up with oil all over your dick story! Who knows, if you do it right your wife might sublimanaly equate good dinners/nice shoes with the Norton... Good luck.
 
gtsun said:
IMHO " doing the oil lines on the cheap is a great way to assure you will have a good on the road failure story to tell us about in some future diatribe. Take your wife out for a realy nice, somewhat pricey dinner this weekend, buy her a nice pair of shose she will love and order yourself a "real" set of oil lines so you can spare us the ridding through the country & ended up with oil all over your dick story! Who knows, if you do it right your wife might sublimanaly equate good dinners/nice shoes with the Norton... Good luck.
Click to expand...

In reality, if you do a site "search" on oil tank failures you will find MANY more stories... than about hose failures. If you realized that there is a slight vacuum in the feed line and not pressure, then tha actual "pressure" rating would seem rather acedemic, and the pressure in the return line is quite minimal since there are no restrictions except filter paper on the later bikes with filters. The filter is a car sized filter with our water pistol rated volume pump. pressure? restriction? ....not much.
The ONLY benefit I can see for SS lines is it stops someone from switchblading your oil line outside of a bar.
 
dynodave said:
gtsun said:
In reality, if you do a site "search" on oil tank failures you will find MANY more stories... than about hose failures. If you realized that there is a slight vacuum in the feed line and not pressure, then tha actual "pressure" rating would seem rather acedemic, and the pressure in the return line is quite minimal since there are no restrictions except filter paper on the later bikes with filters. The filter is a car sized filter with our water pistol rated volume pump. pressure? restriction? ....not much.
The ONLY benefit I can see for SS lines is it stops someone from switchblading your oil line outside of a bar.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

While I am in agreement in not needing SS lines for the Feed and Return lines, I do feel that with the higher pressure encountered in the rocker feed lines SS lines for that application seem like a good idea.
 
dynodave said:
gtsun said:
IMHO " doing the oil lines on the cheap is a great way to assure you will have a good on the road failure story to tell us about in some future diatribe. Take your wife out for a realy nice, somewhat pricey dinner this weekend, buy her a nice pair of shose she will love and order yourself a "real" set of oil lines so you can spare us the ridding through the country & ended up with oil all over your dick story! Who knows, if you do it right your wife might sublimanaly equate good dinners/nice shoes with the Norton... Good luck.
Click to expand...

In reality, if you do a site "search" on oil tank failures you will find MANY more stories... than about hose failures. If you realized that there is a slight vacuum in the feed line and not pressure, then tha actual "pressure" rating would seem rather acedemic, and the pressure in the return line is quite minimal since there are no restrictions except filter paper on the later bikes with filters. The filter is a car sized filter with our water pistol rated volume pump. pressure? restriction? ....not much.
The ONLY benefit I can see for SS lines is it stops someone from switchblading your oil line outside of a bar.
Click to expand...

I was talking about the rocker feeds.
 
IMHO " doing the oil lines on the cheap is a great way to assure you will have a good on the road failure story to tell us about in some future diatribe. Take your wife out for a realy nice, somewhat pricey dinner this weekend, buy her a nice pair of shose she will love and order yourself a "real" set of oil lines so you can spare us the ridding through the country & ended up with oil all over your dick story! Who knows, if you do it right your wife might sublimanaly equate good dinners/nice shoes with the Norton... Good luck.
Click to expand...

OMG, I know what ya mean about imprinting impressions on your Sweet One.
Too easy to stir that up sneaking kitchen and bath stuff too, ugh.

Ain't no place on a Norton for SS braid expect the brake lines to me and that's only because they transit pressure better not for any armor need. If anyone needs armored hose its me on Ms Peel. I ain't no stranger to SS Braid but now shun away from it both in its all too common looking style and the damage of living with it long term. Also its kinda trailer trash to me to see SS braid put on by hose clamps covered or not instead of going whole hog with proper AN fittings. That will cost a few hundred bux to do well.

Here's some of my past Ms Peels braided flavor - while that era lasted...
Braided lines
 
The hoses I'm running are all rated for proper PSI handling capabilities. Dad bought them all, hence why I was being "cheap" going that route. I assure you, the neoprene hoses were no cheaper than the stock plastic hoses. The clamps may be inadequate--I don't know--but there's no reason why the hoses wouldn't be sufficient..
 
KSUWildcatFan said:
Per the wife:

"C) My wife would kill me if I asked to spend more money"

So...Yeah...There's that.
Click to expand...

I would kill my wife if she butted into my motorcycle addiction...
 
post51555.html?hilit=nylon%2011#p51555

It's cheap and easy to put this Nylon 11 on the bike and there's nothing wrong with it unless it gets old. Maybe 10 years or so? Unless you like the bling. Things can go wrong anytime, even with the SS lines, but for $5 I use the fresh nylon.

Dave
69S
 
RoadScholar said:
KSUWildcatFan said:
Per the wife:

"C) My wife would kill me if I asked to spend more money"

So...Yeah...There's that.
Click to expand...

I would kill my wife if she butted into my motorcycle addiction...
Click to expand...

Shhhh..don't tell her I bought two shiny polished outer primary covers today.. 8)
 
I resisted the SS rocker feed lines at first because it is not stock. I've been through at least two sets since new maybe 3. But I have had the black ones crack with age and it is messy and also a show stopper -- something you cannot easily fix on the side of the road. Not sure though if any oil got on my private parts but that would be another minus. This is not good on something like a group ride. You're done. This is good motivation to spring for the SS lines. OR put a spare set of stock lines rolled up in your headlight shell at least.
 
You guys probably don't remember the metal lines. I had those and they started leaking (not gushing) and the replacement was the nylon. They were still good when I rebuilt, but rather brittle, broke taking them apart, but 40 years is not bad. The new ones seem fine, can't imagine them cracking or breaking. Lots of Nortoneers use them, and usually the only issue is when they get old, like 15 years? Anyhow I like the look of the small black lines and it works for me, you know even the banjo could come apart if it was not made right. I just haven't had any of these problems others seem to have, but then I don't thrash it.

Dave
69S
 
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