cs2000 Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Hey all, Don't intend to be causing any panic here, but I had my MOT today, the car failed due to a catastrophic failure of the HEL braided hose that quite a few of us have on the cars. My particular ones were from MWTech's group buy about 2 years ago. The tester put the car on the brake rollers (which I told him not to do, but he still thinks its the right thing) and when he applied full brake pressure the front nearside line popped and the pedal hit the floor. The tester isn't sure if the line itself split, or if it was where the line meets the coupler on the end. I have phoned HEL as the lines are under a lifetime warranty, but to be honest I don't want the lines anywhere near the car and have contacted Abbey to see about some Stoptech ones instead. I'm thankful it happened in the MOT bay and not 5 mins earlier when I was warning up the cats to it would go through emissions a little easier. The lines were fitted by Sly at Kaiser Motors so I have absolute faith they were done correctly. Reading other reports of exactly the same thing, the issue seems to be with the retention bracket they supply. After a while with the build up of road dirt, the lines can no longer slide around in the bracket (as they would need to do when you turn the wheels) and so they start to pull on the couplings. This then fails but apparently you can see stress marks in the outer cover of the line before this happened. Sly did also say that routing was tricky as the lines are rather short and didn't leave any options open for tidier/better routing. As I say, I don't want to cause hysteria, but please, if you have these lines, go and check them for stress and wear marks. If this happened 5 mins earlier id probably currently be parked on top of a roundabout or worse. There's plenty of stories of these lines failing at around 11,000 miles (as i found out this afternoon) since fitting (roughly where mine is), some have failed like mine in the MOT bay, others have failed at the ring. Safe motoring everyone... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian@TORQEN Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 It's been covered here before, HEL lines are crap. You get what you pay for. Get some proper proven lines: Agency Power Steel Braided Brake Lines Goodridge Phantom Stainless Steel Brake Lines Both available at TORQEN if you need them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cs2000 Posted August 22, 2015 Author Share Posted August 22, 2015 Yep, learnt that now, but I know quite a few club members have them fitted. Octet, il message you now. Question for you. Could the fact that the guy had the car on brake test rollers have caused the front pipes to fail? I'm thinking maybe surges of brake pressure being sent to the front as he is trying to stop on the rollers? Still not happy he did that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Question for you. Could the fact that the guy had the car on brake test rollers have caused the front pipes to fail? I'm thinking maybe surges of brake pressure being sent to the front as he is trying to stop on the rollers? Still not happy he did that. Imo I do not believe the fact he put your Zed on the rollers would have caused your brake line failure. Regardless of that though he shouldn't have put your car on the rollers, ...pretty sure his MOT computer would have flagged that up when he started to do your MOT test. It may well be that he doesn't have a decelerometer so can't do brake tests on the road and rather than lose out on your money for doing the test (& any other possible work to fix failures) thought f**k it. Link: http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/40635-mot/ I wouldn't use that garage again for MOT's if I was you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinyflier Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 (edited) It's been covered here before, HEL lines are crap. You get what you pay for. Get some proper proven lines: Agency Power Steel Braided Brake Lines Goodridge Phantom Stainless Steel Brake Lines Both available at TORQEN if you need them. What make do you supply with your BBK Adrian? Edited August 22, 2015 by Tinyflier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian@TORQEN Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 TORQEN? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KyleR Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 HEL are fine, thousands of people fit them every year and never have a problem. Anything manufactured has a failure rate, thankfully very very low and luckily it happened on the rollers and not while you were driving. It's a good idea for others to have a look at theirs, though, just to see if they can see any potential problems. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cs2000 Posted August 22, 2015 Author Share Posted August 22, 2015 Question for you. Could the fact that the guy had the car on brake test rollers have caused the front pipes to fail? I'm thinking maybe surges of brake pressure being sent to the front as he is trying to stop on the rollers? Still not happy he did that. Imo I do not believe the fact he put your Zed on the rollers would have caused your brake line failure I wouldn't use that garage again for MOT's if I was you. Ok, that's good to know, and don't worry, I wont be! HEL are fine, thousands of people fit them every year and never have a problem. Anything manufactured has a failure rate, thankfully very very low and luckily it happened on the rollers and not while you were driving. It's a good idea for others to have a look at theirs, though, just to see if they can see any potential problems. As I said, I'm not waiting to cause an y kind of mass panic, but just thought others should take a look at theirs, just on the off chance it saves it happening to someone else. Have PM's Abbey about some Stoptech lines, and Octet about something he sells, so will see about the prices and then pray the MOT place (is also a garage) will fit the parts for me and not charge me an arm and a leg as they insist on Nissan parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sargara Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 (edited) HEL lines are crap! You get what you pay for. I posted this back in May in this topic: http://www.350z-uk.c...rembo-calipers/ But essentially I had the same thing as OP on my last car with HEL lines. I was braking from a NSL to a 30mph for a village and the line popped off from the Caliper side. Let me dig up some photos: As you can see in the 2nd photo. The fixing is still attached to the calliper, it was the line itself that gave in. These were only fitted for around 300 miles! @cs2000. Don't bother contacting HEL, all they do is send you a replacement line and a courtesy baseball cap for almost writing off your car! Edited August 22, 2015 by Sargara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian@TORQEN Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Lines alternatives here: http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/100413-torqen-deal-alert-350z-hawk-pads-stoptech-discs-combo/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cs2000 Posted August 22, 2015 Author Share Posted August 22, 2015 HEL lines are crap! You get what you pay for. I posted this back in May in this topic: http://www.350z-uk.c...rembo-calipers/ But essentially I had the same thing as OP on my last car with HEL lines. I was braking from a NSL to a 30mph for a village and the line popped off from the Caliper side. Let me dig up some photos: As you can see in the 2nd photo. The fixing is still attached to the calliper, it was the line itself that gave in. These were only fitted for around 300 miles! @cs2000. Don't bother contacting HEL, all they do is send you a replacement line and a courtesy baseball cap for almost writing off your car! Awww, really wanted that baseball cap! haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 I've covered over 39000 miles on mine. Manufacturing failure usually shows in the first few miles, whereas fatigue shows after time and distance. I purposefully didn't put 2 P clips on each front line as suggested by some - I just have single P clip per line attached to the suspension arm - as I didn't like the idea of a small bend radius if it is also attached to the shock absorber, as it seemed like it would adversely pull on the coupling when steering. Good info though, so worth deliberately checking line/coupling condition closely for stretch marks as part of maintenance 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KyleR Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 I've covered over 39000 miles on mine. Manufacturing failure usually shows in the first few miles, whereas fatigue shows after time and distance. I purposefully didn't put 2 P clips on each front line as suggested by some - I just have single P clip per line attached to the suspension arm - as I didn't like the idea of a small bend radius if it is also attached to the shock absorber, as it seemed like it would adversely pull on the coupling when steering. Good info though, so worth deliberately checking line/coupling condition closely for stretch marks as part of maintenance I had mine fitted the same as you, only for about 8k, though, before selling the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vik54 Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 I did around 20k on my HEL lines and tracked with them regularly... never had any issues As others have said I'd be more bothered about the fact your mechanic ignored what his computer and you, THE OWNER, of the vehicle were telling him. Certainly would not be going back there! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cs2000 Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 As others have said I'd be more bothered about the fact your mechanic ignored what his computer and you, THE OWNER, of the vehicle were telling him. Certainly would not be going back there! Sadly have recently moved house, too far away from my usual garage so had to do a pot lock selection. Turns out I was wrong in my blind choice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Bradders- Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Ive done over 10k miles on mine and not had any issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinyflier Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 TORQEN? Helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian@TORQEN Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Ive done over 10k miles on mine and not had any issues. Oh, yes you did, your engine popped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian@TORQEN Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 TORQEN? Helpful! I really don't get it, Dave, all parts on the TORQEN BBK are manufactured in the same factory for us. Am I missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Bradders- Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Ive done over 10k miles on mine and not had any issues. Oh, yes you did, your engine popped Not with the brake lines no lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJRamze Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Holy Crap I considered these at one point, wondered why they were half the price of my last set. Think I'll invest in some more expensive ones, I really enjoy my spirited drives and occasional Track days. This could of been lethal, Sent from my Galaxy Note 4 with Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Bradders- Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Holy Crap I considered these at one point, wondered why they were half the price of my last set. Think I'll invest in some more expensive ones, I really enjoy my spirited drives and occasional Track days. This could of been lethal, Sent from my Galaxy Note 4 with Tapatalk I've done wales in mine, pod several times and drive like a looney 90% of the time and mine are fine, it depends on how they are fitted i suppose, also the ones i keep seeing pictures of are the banjo style ones, the ones i use dont have that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodyboarder81 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 They changed the design I think from all the pics of the Broken ones I've seen . Mine don't look like that . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJRamze Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 That's a fair point, maybe it's a weakness in a specific model they had. Sent from my Galaxy Note 4 with Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricey Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 TORQEN? Helpful! I really don't get it, Dave, all parts on the TORQEN BBK are manufactured in the same factory for us. Am I missing something? I must admit I was a bit lost with this but I think I get it now. You supply your own branded lines? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.