March 5th, 2016, 08:18 PM | #1 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Aaron
Location: Winder, GA
Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja 300 Posts: 718
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Not happy with my Apex brake lines; I wouldn't recommend them to anyone else, either.
I removed my Apex braided stainless steel brake lines today that I bought through a group buy here on the forum after a little more than a year and a half on the bike; let me show/tell you why and why I think it's probably a good idea for members to avoid this product.
Just a few months after first installing the lines, I noticed the fittings and banjo bolts were beginning to rust. My bike was stored outside under a waterproof cover for about a year and has been ridden in the rain, but I don't think they should have started rusting like they did as soon as they did, especially when I make sure to dry the bike off after it gets wet. Keep in mind when looking at the pictures that I started regularly rubbing them down with WD-40 shortly after I noticed them starting to rust and they still looked that bad when I took them off. The second problem, and the one that I find much more serious, is that the coating over the stainless has become extremely brittle and has even begun to crack and flake off the lines. I know that this coating is just there to protect the braiding, but the fact that it has failed after less than two years doesn't give me much hope for the quality of the materials underneath. After I removed the lines, I found them to be very stiff, to the point where it was actually somewhat difficult to bend them. That doesn't seem like a particularly good property for something that's expected to bend and flex with the suspension of the motorcycle. I brought up the rusting issue with Apex as soon as I noticed it, and they did offer to replace the lines, but not with an identical product (I had blue lines with black fittings and they would only offer clear with stainless fittings). I decided to just deal with the rust issue, but I didn't feel safe with these brake lines on my motorcycle after I noticed the issues with the outer coating. Anyhow, that is my experience with Apex Brakes' braided stainless lines. I hope the others that bought lines in the different group buys have had better luck (looking around some of the other threads, it looks like I may not be alone in these issues), but I would personally recommend members look elsewhere for their brake line needs. If you're looking for a quality product, I'd go with Galfer or Spiegler (just replaced my Apex lines with Galfer lines), or if you're looking to move to stainless lines on the cheap, just go with a cheap eBay pair; you probably wouldn't be much worse off quality-wise and you'll save about half the price over the Apex lines. Pictures of lines and fittings attached at the end (may be a little hard to see the cracking in all but the last photo, but both lines show cracks along their entire lengths.)
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March 5th, 2016, 08:22 PM | #2 |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
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Oh snap! Aint that a bummer...
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March 5th, 2016, 09:05 PM | #3 |
Schönen Tag noch
Name: c
Location: Central Cali
Join Date: Sep 2013 Motorcycle(s): 08 ninja 250 race bike, 02 gixxer 600 telefonica Posts: 184
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Wow, that sux. You can't go wrong with Galfer ss lines.
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March 5th, 2016, 09:30 PM | #4 |
ninjette.org sage
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I have the same brake lines on my bike and agree with BM's assessment.
After a year they were at the same condition as in the pictures above. After two, the plastic covering crumbled apart when handled, leaving behind only the braided lines. The steel braid itself is fine. However, the rusted fittings and low quality plastic really are disconcerting. |
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March 5th, 2016, 09:50 PM | #5 |
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Name: .
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Go galfer or go home.
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March 5th, 2016, 10:30 PM | #6 | |
Daily Ninjette rider
Name: Hernan
Location: Florida
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Quote:
This rust seems to be related to the copper washers, rather than to exposure to rain. Notice how happy and shinning the copper washers look, they should turn green when exposed to rain long enough. This is called galvanic corrosion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_corrosion Copper and bronze are terrible neighbors to many other metals. The banjos are made of galvanized steel, which means steel covered with zinc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanization Zinc is commonly used as a sacrificial anode in situations where copper can damage steel. In this case, the covering of the banjos is doing its job.
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March 5th, 2016, 10:41 PM | #7 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: TC
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Thanks hernan, always on point with good info.
No complaints from my galfers. I noticed from your pictures... the end of the line with the bend coming off on the front line.. I tried that same routing as instructed, and didn't like the sharp bend from using the bent-fitting-end on the caliper. I flipped them 180* -- bent fitting coming off the front master cylinder, straight fitting coming up off the caliper, and they were much more a straight run between the MC and caliper. Might want to try that. I also didn't 'capture' the front line in the OEM routing brackets. They put too steep of a bend on the front line.
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March 5th, 2016, 11:04 PM | #8 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Joe
Location: KS
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Oh no! I have a set of these in a box I was going to put on sometime this month. I guess even if they dont last long, they will be better than my 7 year old spongy cables for a little while.
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March 6th, 2016, 07:17 AM | #9 | |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Aaron
Location: Winder, GA
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Quote:
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March 6th, 2016, 07:19 AM | #10 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Aaron
Location: Winder, GA
Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja 300 Posts: 718
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The Apex lines were great for a little while. If you've already got them, throw them on and start saving for a new set down the line. Just keep an eye on them and replace them when you feel the need (I guess kind of like any other brake line.)
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March 6th, 2016, 07:45 AM | #11 |
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And this is why I use Hel Performance braided lines. The best or nothing.
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March 6th, 2016, 08:17 AM | #12 |
in your machine
Name: Scott
Location: Summer Shade, Ky.
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On my 500 I have Spiegler line
http://www.spieglerusa.com/brakes/cy...line-kits.html On my Ninja 250 i went with Venhill http://www.venhillusa.com/products.html Also have stainless steel fittings as well.
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March 6th, 2016, 11:23 AM | #13 |
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I'm guessing your issue is why they were going to give you lines with stainless fittings.
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March 6th, 2016, 11:45 AM | #14 | ||
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Quote:
Quote:
It's the same principle Motofool has suggested, the Alu corrodes the steel, rather than copper washers corroding zinc. The stock lines have steel fittings. I don't know Galfer, HEL are all steel and never caused a problem on mine. |
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March 6th, 2016, 12:01 PM | #15 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Ray
Location: 48162
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I covered mine in techflex, so the pvc covering the lines has not become brittle and cracked, while the ends of the lines have a small amount of normal corrosion they have not turned into rust, just the normal tarnish you expect when leaving a bike out in the elements 365 a year. They have performed exactly as they were expected to do, and i'm quite happy with the results.
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March 20th, 2016, 09:37 PM | #16 | |
ninjette.org sage
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Quote:
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March 21st, 2016, 01:01 AM | #17 |
ninjette.org guru
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