Do You Need Stainless Steel Brake Lines If You Take Your Car Racing?

Upgrading your braking system is one of the more important modifications you can do if you regularly take your car to the track. While it might not give you a lot of outright performance, the braking system is an essential safety component of your vehicle. One can start with replacing brake rotors, brake pads, or they can put on a big brake kit. However, one of the more affordable ways to improve your braking system is to go with stainless steel brake lines. Now this is something that one will have to try over time to reap its benefits, but this is something to consider rather than just replacing your brake pads or spending on a very expensive big brake kit.

Most road cars, even high performance supercars, come with rubber brake lines. This is because rubber brake lines are pretty easy to work with. They are flexible, which means that they can easily move with the wheel, and they don't need regular inspection. While they are completely fine for road use, they suffer when things get hot on the track as heat transfers from the pads to the calipers and to the brake fluid which run through the brake lines. 

Rubber brake lines under extreme heat and extended usage can expand, and that is not a good thing when driving on the track, where temperatures play a big role. Due to this expansion, the pedal can feel soft and there could be less pressure going to the pads as well. Rubber brake lines are also more susceptible to damage from debris and as time goes on, rubber also deteriorates.

Yes, if you are using your vehicle extensively on the track and for racing, you should definitely invest in stainless steel brake lines. Track conditions are quite a bit different from when one is on the road. One needs to constantly use their brakes and the temperatures are extremely high, especially of the brake fluid which gets constant use. Stainless steel lines are much more robust, and their construction means that they won't expand due to extreme heat. 

This means that you get a constant pedal feel throughout since there is little to no expansion in the brake line. This allows you to judge the vehicle's braking better and inspires more confidence while taking on corners. The stainless steel lines are also less prone to damage by debris, so one can use them for off-road use as well. One more advantage that stainless steel lines have is that they are less resistive to corrosion as well.

That being said, it is extremely important that one upgrades to stainless steel brake lines from renowned brands, and they use the correct one made for their vehicle. This is an extremely vital component of your vehicle. You won't want a brake line bursting while braking down the track at high speed. Their size is also an important aspect and there are brake lines which have swivel fittings which should offer more flexibility. One more disadvantage of having a stainless steel brake line is that they need constant inspection and are harder to inspect than regular rubber brake lines, as some of the braided ones can easily trap dirt inside them. But for track use or race applications, stainless steel lines are an investment worth doing.