The auto industry has demonized the term Copper and Brake Line in the same sentence and for good reason until recent history. Common thin wall 100% copper tubing isn’t necessarily made for high pressure applications and with a braking system on a vehicle being one of the highest pressure fluid systems on the road it’s for good reason. So definitely… step away from the copper tubing in the plumbing aisle of your local hardware store. Copper Nickel brake tubing is not the same as what you see at a hardware store!
What makes Nickel Copper Brake Line different? NiCopp is an alloy that has been used to make brake line tubing and has become standard on many modern vehicles due to the ease of work and also its corrosion resistance. NiCopp brake line is made up of the Nickel Copper Alloy C70600 which is broken down to 90% Copper and 10% Nickel. Below we give our top reasons on why Nickel Copper brake line is superior to traditional steel brake lines.
- Corrosion Resistance- Brake lines are the most important part of delivering brake fluid and pressure to the braking system on your car but it is also placed underneath the vehicle where it is exposed to the elements and salt and grime from daily driving. This means that steel brake line (even when coated) tends to rust and fail early on in a vehicles life. Nickel Copper brake line isn’t effected by corrosion like steel and tends to outlast the vehicle.
- Flexibility- Nickel Copper brake line is inherently much more flexible than mild or stainless steel. This means that it can be much easier to form it and bend to fit a vehicle. This saves time when installing and also gives you a second (or third!) chance to correct a bend that you may have mad incorrectly. While Nickel Copper brake line can work harden and crack over time, it would take A LOT of bends and rebends to see an issue.
- Easy to Form– Flaring brake lines takes a dedicated brake flaring tool and depending on the tool you use it can be difficult to get a quality flare. As a rule of thumb the harder the brake line the harder it is to get a good flare. That is why we suggest using an Eastwood Pro Flaring tool and the more malleable Nickel Copper brake line to make perfect flares with minimal effort.
So in closing regardless whether you’re restoring a classic or servicing your daily driver; NiCopp brake line is far superior to other types of brake lines and is the preferred method of pros and hobbyists alike. You can find all of our automotive brake tools and supplies HERE.