Plastic Brake Lines?

[Sully73]

I saw an RV-4 with plastic brake lines. Is this common/safe/wise?

[N184DA]

Originally Posted by Sully73

I saw an RV-4 with plastic brake lines. Is this common/safe/wise?

That was the original spec, per plans.

[snopercod]

Nylon brake lines are widely used in the experimental community. I chose not to run Nylon all the way to the brakes out of concern for heat. For the last 18", I transitioned to Russell motorcycle (Teflon/SS) flex hoses.

[AlpineYoda]

There are alternatives, but they are pricey. I bought a full set of braided SS and Teflon brake and fuel lines from TS Flightlines / Aircraft Specialty. They are absolutely beautiful and fit perfectly. Something about those standard nylon lines didn’t sit right with me and I wanted something that was more durable, had better connections, and looked great. There wasn’t much documentation with the lines, but I was able to figure out where all the various hoses went in an afternoon.

[Mel]

Nylaflo brake lines work just fine. RVs have been using them for decades.

I do NOT recommend using them all the way to the caliper, especially on the "A" models. The brakes on "A" models sometimes get pretty hot because many people over-use them for steering. A little prop blast on the rudder will usually turn the airplane just fine. I typically use solid lines down the gear leg to the caliper.

As always YMMV.

[RV-4]

I'm in the process of replacing them on my -4...just took me 20 years to do it..

Bruno