Anyone know if the current Fiero Store "Ocelot" brand braided stainless lines use -AN3 or -AN4 fittings? If memory serves (which it usually doesn't!) they looked like standard -AN3 fittings on the banjos.. It looks like they just bought and re-packaged off-the-shelf fittings + hoses, and they don't quite work how I'd prefer.. Their long banjos + long fittings on the hoses cause the hoses to either hit my front shocks or rub the control arm and make for a really tight bend radius that I don't trust; I'm ordering some new rear Cadillac calipers from speedwaymotors.com ($99 for the pair - new, not rebuilt), and they have a set of short banjos for pretty cheap. (wish I had seen them before buying the Fierostore ones......) They actually have a lot of cool brake parts, I may end up re-doing some of my new stuff after browsing their site...

Car is 80 miles away, or I'd run out and measure..... Was going to bring it home last weekend but hit yet another snag.

I don't know about the Fiero Store's current offering, but I've never seen anything but AN3 in brake service. The Earl's brake hose kits they used to sell were definitely AN3.

A hydraulic brake application is a high-pressure, low-volume situation. Both of these factors favor smaller hose size.

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 08-30-2012).]

Didn't see that I had a response... Thanks! They have a lot of AN4 stuff, but I'm guessing that's for moving larger amounts of fluid in the massive calipers..

I'm going with the AN3 stuff, it looks about right. They may still be Earl's, maybe they get them cheaper in volume and have to brand them with their own brand. It's definitely parts that you can buy anywhere and make your own, for close to or maybe less $. Just found that Speedway sells Kevlar brake hoses - AN3 to AN3 (or -4 to -4), in many lengths for pretty cheap. ( http://www.speedwaymotors.c...ch-kevlar-brake.html ) They'd drop in to replace the hoses from the FieroStore kit (assuming they're really AN), or make up your own kit with all the parts they have available. You can even choose fittings to do away with the Banjos alltogether which is tempting.

I'm addicted to their site now. I'm up to almost $200 - 2 new rear calipers, brake pressure gauge / adapters, stubby banjos for the front calipers, silicone / fiberglass insulation tube for my ebrake cable that's very close to my exhaust.

Check the engineering specs of those Kevlar hoses carefully. They have aluminum fittings, which is definitely not DOT compliant for street use. DOT hoses must also be rated for at least 3000 psi working pressure, but there's no mention of that on the web site. Another spec that you need to check for any hose is minimum bend radius, both one-time and under repeated flexure. I wouldn't buy any new style hose until I had reviewed a complete technical data sheet. IMO, brakes are something you really don't want to fool with unless you're willing to do a lot of technical research.

Edit: Looking at the Goodridge web site, they offer several lines of aramid (Kevlar) wrapped hose, but the smallest is dash-4 (1/4 inch) size, and they don't show technical specs for any of them.except this table for their 910 series hose; note the low working pressure ratings. To repeat, I wouldn't buy this or any other aftermarket brake hose until I had reviewed a complete technical data sheet.

Edit: Information from "Jason" at Speedway Motors, in response to my inquiry: "These lines are rated at 2900 PSI working pressusure. [sic] They come from Goodridge assembled and all testing and rating is done by manufacturer. These lines are NOT DOT approved. For a data sheet you will need to contact Goodridge direct. These are designed for circle track racing" (Emphasis present in original.)

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 08-30-2012).]

Interesting! Note to self - no Kevlar hoses... I did some Googling when I found them and most of what I came back with was motorcycle forums where guys were swapping them in. I suppose bike brakes run at less psi? It just freaks me out a little when Ogre talks about how easily the teflon can be punctured by a stray stainless braid; I thought maybe the Kevlar wouldn't have that issue. I guess it wouldn't, they would just blow out due to the pressure first.

Can't wait to get the gauge hooked up and see what I've actually got. I got AN caps / plugs and inverted flare adapters so I could block off sections of the system at a time and check the pressure, that is if the new calipers don't just solve my problems right away. (I'm betting they will) If I had time I could make my own adapters on the lathe, but that never seems to happen. My "1 day" brake job that was supposed to be "install all new parts and drive off" has turned into a month long project now...