All of our lines use H Y P E R F I R M® brake hoses not only meet all D.O.T., T.U.V and J . W.A. standards and specifications for flexible brake hoses, including SAE J 1401 (Jan 81) and FMVSS 106-74-38 FR31302 1973, they are individually inspected and tested before shipment. Batch testing, the industry standard, is not acceptable at Earl’s. Each individual hose assembly is pressure tested at 4000 psi after manufacture.

We recommend that a professional brake shop install the brake lines only. Due to the safetly related nature of installing brake lines, we highly suggest you please take your vehicle to a qualified brake repair shop and let them install the brake lines.

All other lines -All of our lines use Earl's components. Our high-pressure hoses are lightweight and resistant to almost everything. Most commonly used for Brake Lines, Turbo lines, Clutch Lines, Power Steering Lines, and Fuel and Oil Lines. The stiffness of the Teflon liner combined with the tightly woven high tensile stainless steel outer braid solves pedal travel problems. By eliminating the line swell it also dramatically increases the firmness and feel of the break pedal, which allows drivers to modulate the brakes more efficiently. Improved abrasion resistance and increased temperature capacity are secondary advantages.

In order to pass the Department of Transportation standard MVSS-106 requirements, brake lines are subjected to what is called a "whip test," where the brake line is literally whipped back and forth for a specified period of time. When subjected to this abnormal abuse, our lines may begin to fray where the braided stainless steel jacket meets the reusable fitting. In anticipating to this test, we have incorporated a Teflon sleeve along with the reusable fitting that distributes the loads of this test over a broader section of hose, thereby preventing the stainless steel braid from fraying.

Firstly, we recommend that a professional brake shop install the brake lines only. If, however, you are going to install the brake lines on yourself, there are a number of different techniques that can be used to bleed the air out of the newly installed brake lines. Air is easily compressible, and simply pumping the brake pedal often does not create enough pressure to force the fluid to displace the air. One trick that will save you a lot of time and effort is to prime the new lines before installation. This can be accomplished with a small syringe or an eyedropper. Fill the syringe or eyedropper with the proper brake fluid and force fluid into one end of the line until it starts to come out the other end. It is not necessary to have the brake line completely filled, as long as the inside of the line has been coated with brake fluid. Install the primed lines and use one of the following techniques to finish bleeding your brakes.

Another quick and easy way to finish bleeding your brakes requires the use of some sort of pressure/vacuum pump. These tools do an excellent job of bleeding the brakes, but tend to be a little bit expensive, especially for a one-time use. If you do have access to one, follow the instructions, and you should have no problem bleeding your brakes.

As a last resort, if you do not have Speed Bleeders or a pressure/vacuum pump, then you will have to follow the procedures outlined in the factory service manual for your vehicle.

If the brakes seem to pump up, but then you lose pedal pressure, this usually indicates that you either have a pressure lose in the system or a defective master cylinder. Check all connections to be sure you properly torqued all the fittings. Clean the lines completely, pump up the brakes again, and inspect the lines for leaking fluid. Baby powder sprayed onto the lines and fittings will help locate the source of the leak. If you find no indication of a leak, then you probably have a master cylinder that is not working properly. Rebuild or replace the master cylinder and you should have no further problems. Due to the safety related nature of bleeding your brakes, if you have a problem that you cannot solve yourself, please take you vehicle to a qualified brake repair shop and let them finish the job.

DOT 3, DOT 4, and DOT 5.1 brake fluids are glycol based compounds that are compatible with one another. DOT 5 brake fluid is silicone based and should never be mixed with DOT 3, DOT 4, or DOT 5.1. DOT 3, DOT 4, and DOT 5.1 fluids may damage painted surfaces and DOT 3 and DOT 4 have lower boiling temperatures than DOT 5 (DOT 5.1 has the same boiling point as DOT 5). Futhermore, DOT 3, DOT 4, and DOT 5.1 fluids are "hygroscopic," which means they absorb moisture from the air. This causes the fluid to turn dark, indicating that it is time for the brake fluid to be replaced. DOT 5 fluid will not damage paint, has a boiling temperature in excess of 500 F, and is not hygroscopic.

If you have a question which is not answered here, please email us at info@takamotorsports.com.