[F87source]

Credit: Essex Parts https://www.essexparts.com/spiegler-...mw-m2-m3m4-f80



Credit: Essex Parts https://www.essexparts.com/spiegler-...m4-f80-f82-f87



Introduction:

In this review I will be analyzing what I personally believe to be THE UNDISPUTED BEST stainless steel brake lines on the market (yes these brake lines are more expensive compared to everything else, but that’s because they’re the crème de la crème of brake lines and you get exactly what you pay for (in this case you pay more and get more) - and you should never cheap out on brake lines. IMO there literally is nothing better or even remotely close to being on the same level as these brake lines) - the Spiegler Stainless Steel Brake Lines for the BMW F8X M2, M3, and M4. I will also go over why you’d want to upgrade your brake lines, the benefits that stainless steel brake lines provide, the features the Spiegler brake lines offer, what DOT complaint means, and I will give some installation tips for these BMW vehicles.


If you would like to purchase these brake lines, here are some links:

Front: https://www.essexparts.com/spiegler-...mw-m2-m3m4-f80

Rear: https://www.essexparts.com/spiegler-...m4-f80-f82-f87



Disclaimer:

Damage/Injury Disclaimer: Any information, guidance, technical advice, coding advice, tuning advice, datalogging advice, installation instruction, calculation, experiment, safety information, or product installation demonstrated in my reviews is to be consumed and or done at your own risk. I will not be responsible for personal injuries, injuries to others or any living being, or any damage to your car, or any property damage.

Monetary disclaimer: I do not make commission, or profits or any kind of monetary gain from the sale of the Spiegler Stainless Steel Brake Lines for the BMW F8X M2, M3, and M4.

Sponsorship disclaimer: The way my reviews work is that I determine what product that I want to buy and actually use on my own car, and during this process the product that I end up choosing is what I believe is the best option on the market. I then reach out to the company offering the product and ask them if they would be willing to sponsor me in a review, if the answer is yes then I write a review, if the answer is no I would end up buying the product (sometimes at a later date) but I wouldn’t complete a detailed review about it (I might write something, but not to the same extent as my standard reviews). But the critical thing is that I reach out for a sponsorship and not the other way around, this means that the products I am reviewing are actually things I believe in and would use on my own car. This also means that I am not being paid to review something I do not care about. Would I do a review if a sponsor reached out to me? The answer would depend on if I believed in the product, and I would make it clear in my review if this were the case. But at the time of writing this review, such an interaction has not occurred yet.


Time of writing disclaimer: everything I am writing about in this review is described at the time of writing and may not be updated in the future, so there is a potential that things are no longer accurate in my comparisons as parts are changed and upgraded as time passes.


Bias and comparison disclaimer: Throughout this review I will attempt to be as unbiased as possible while drawing comparisons to other products.


Mistakes and Inaccuracies Disclaimer: Throughout my review I will try to be as factually accurate as possible, but there are always chances that I make mistakes and write things that are incorrect/false. If this is the case please point it out to me and if indeed it is true that I am incorrect, I will correct these mistakes and apologize for them. Afterall I am only human, so mistakes can and will inevitably happen.


Subjective Disclaimer: Please note, these reviews are also written in my own opinion, so when I am comparing different products to determine what I see as the best, there are many factors that I go through to form this opinion. Obviously there will be disagreements between people, so I will do my best to objectively determine what I deem to be the best, but at the end of the day it is still just my own opinion whether it be right or wrong. Take whatever I say in my reviews with a grain of salt.


Information Disclaimer: I read a lot of material over the years just out of sheer interest or to make these reviews. I also accumulated a lot of knowledge over my many years of education that are really relevant to cars (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics). That being said, my reviews are mostly based on this accumulated knowledge and I cannot always cite these sources due to the original source material possibly being lost to time, or there being so much knowledge compiled to make a single point. So, when possible I will cite my source(s) (for example data on tensile strength of a metal, or peer reviewed research). There are cases when I get information from blog posts, youtube videos, or forum posts I may not cite it, because I go through a lot of these sources only to use the gained knowledge in a small section of my review and it is not feasible to list them all. So pretty much what I am trying to say is I am not citing “common knowledge” - I will cite peer reviewed research and photos though (if applicable or used), or really explicit user experiences (if applicable or used).



Image Credits:

Images and videos used in this review are all property of their rightful owners as credited below each image, I am just using them for the purpose of this review but if you (the owner of the image) would like them removed please let me know via pm. Otherwise thanks to the respective image owners (I made sure to credit your online name and link where I found the photo) of the photos, without you this review would be so much more bland.



Review Disclaimer:

First and foremost I would like to thank Jeff@EssexParts, Essex Parts, and Spiegler for agreeing to sponsor me for this review. Despite this I will remain as unbiased as possible during the review. Please note, the dynamics of this relationship was that I reached out for a sponsorship review and not the other way around. This should demonstrate how I truly feel about the Spiegler Stainless Steel Brake Lines for the BMW F8X M2, M3, and M4 - in the sense that I truly believe it is THE BEST brake lines on the market. In fact I actually have these Spiegler brake lines installed on my own personal m2 as of now, and I really like the increased brake pedal firmness and the added reliability that these brake lines provide to my car.



DOT Compliant VS. DOT Approved:

The first thing I would like to discuss is the terms “DOT Compliant” or “DOT Approved” or “DOT Standards”, because there is a whole bunch of confusion and misinformation about these terms, and there is a ton of misleading information in attempts to make one brake line look better than another. The first thing I would like to clarify is the term “DOT”. DOT stands for Department of Transportation, and it is a federal cabinet department of the U.S. government, and its role is to oversee and regulate various aspects of the transportation system in the United States. This organization is strictly for the USA only, and its regulations apply only to the US - however, other countries may have similar organizations that have similar regulations (Canada has transport Canada, the UK has the Department for Transport, and Australia has the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, and Communications all being involved in transportation regulation). So in summary DOT “approval/compliance/standards” are only relevant in the USA. But the US has always had extremely high safety standards so having these “standards/approvals/compliance” is obviously a good thing, and is something you should actively look for - especially in safety critical parts like brake lines.


Next I would like to discuss what DOT approval/Compliance/Standards are, because they are used interchangeably by so many people and companies when they shouldn’t be, and this will also clarify what the DOT does and does not do.

1) DOT Standards: These are the specific safety and performance requirements given by the DOT and are stipulated in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) regulations. These standards cover a wide range of automotive components and systems, which includes brake lines (FMVSS No. 106 - “Brake Hoses”). These standards are the benchmarks that automakers must adhere to when producing components for their vehicles - or else they may not be road legal.

2) DOT approval: This term here is where most of the misinformation comes into play, because DOT approval is used inaccurately to describe DOT compliance. Here’s what I mean. The DOT doesn’t actually approve any products, they don’t accept a part from a manufacturer to test if it meets the DOT standards and then give an approval number - that’s simply not what the DOT does. Instead the DOT creates standards, and it is up to the individual manufacturers to self certify their products up to and exceeding DOT standards.

So in summary the DOT creates specifications that a product has to meet, and the manufacturer themselves have to ensure their products meet and or exceed specifications. The DOT doesn’t check or test any of these products and generate any sort of approval number. So if a manufacturer is telling you that their brake lines are DOT approved and they have some sort of verification number and that means their brake lines are better than all the other brake lines that are “only” DOT compliant, chances are they are lying because the DOT does not test parts. Thus DOT approval is more of a misnomer, and DOT compliant is the only accurate term whenever someone is talking about “DOT approval” or their brake lines meeting DOT standards. This is also why you want to ensure you buy brake lines from reputable manufacturers, because technically anyone can stamp DOT on their brake lines and lie to you that it meets DOT standards.

3) DOT Compliance: This is the only term that actually exists, and it means that a manufacturer has designed their product to meet and or exceed the DOT standards outlined for said product. This also means that the product should be able to pass all the required tests and inspects outlined in said DOT standard.

Again it is key that you buy from a reputable manufacturer who designs brake lines that meet and EXCEEDS DOT standards, because the braking system is the most important system on a car and your safety depends on it functioning - DO NOT CHEAP OUT ON BRAKE LINES.






So in summary DOT standards are the specifications for certain parts created by the DOT, and an automotive manufacturer has to meet or exceed these standards when making parts. DOT compliance means the part has met and or exceeded the DOT standards, and DOT approval doesn’t exist because the DOT doesn’t approve parts - so if anyone says their parts are DOT approved they either are mistaken and mean their parts are DOT compliant or they are lying.


Here is a good article about this: https://wagan.com/blogs/news/dot-approved



DOT Standards:

Before we begin talking about anything else I would like to cite some of the DOT standards regarding pressure testing from this pdf of the DOT brake line standards: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-4...ection-571.106


49 CFR 571.106 S5.3.2 Expansion and burst strength. The maximum expansion of a hydraulic brake hose assembly at 1,000 psi, 1,500 psi and 2,900 psi shall not exceed the values specified in Table I (S6.1), except that a brake hose larger than 3⁄16 inch or 5 mm is not subject to the 2,900 psi expansion test requirements. The hydraulic brake hose assembly shall then withstand water pressure of 4,000 psi for 2 minutes without rupture, and then shall not rupture at less than 7,000 psi for a 1⁄8 inch, 3 mm, or smaller diameter hose, or at less than 5,000 psi for a hose with a diameter larger than 1⁄8 inch or 3 mm (S6.2).



Credit: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-4...ection-571.106


49 CFR 571.106 S5.3.5Water absorption and burst strength. A hydraulic brake hose assembly, after immersion in water for 70 hours (S6.5), shall withstand water pressure of 4,000 psi for 2 minutes, and then shall not rupture at less than 5,000 psi (S6.2).



So things to note:

1) Depending on brake line diameter, it will have to withstand a maximum expansion of a certain limit when tested at 1,000 psi, 1,500 psi, and 2,900 psi.

2) Regardless of brake line diameter it shall not rupture when subjected to 4,000 psi for 2 minutes.

3) Depending on brake line diameter it shall not rupture when subjected to less than 7,000 psi for 3mm or smaller diameter hoses, and it shall not rupture at less than 5,000 psi for hoses with a diameter larger than 3 mm.


So in essence a brake line must take at least 4,000 psi of water pressure for 2 mins without rupturing regardless of diameter, and then it has to withstand >= 5,000 psi at least right after (and the test can go to 7,000 psi depending on hose size). But the key idea is it must take 4,000 psi sustained for 2 mins and then 5,000 psi right afterwards. This is the scary part because some “DOT Certified” brake lines weren’t even tested to 4,000 psi let alone 5,000 psi according to info on their website or vendor’s website and yet they still claimed to be DOT approved.




These aren’t the only specifications, there are so so so many more - regarding material, fittings, armor, water absorption, whip testing etc. But there are many standards I cannot list them all here, so if you are interested checkout the pdf I linked above. But again this is why you buy brake lines from a reputable company, because you do not know who will be cutting corners out there - and that corner cutting can put you in grave danger.



Traditional Brake Lines:

Traditionally brake lines were made of synthetic rubber tube, and this the choice because it was flexible (good for when the wheels moved up and down due to suspension travel, and when the front wheels steered left and right) and durable. But the negative side was that over time the rubber degraded (cracked, swelled, became hard) due to: heat, oxidation, humidity, and prolonged exposure to brake fluid. Besides this degradation, these rubber tubes were also really susceptible to deforming when brake pressure was applied (they would bulge out a bit - kind of like a balloon inflating) and this deformation would make the pedal feel spongy.

Modern day brake lines improved upon the traditional brake lines and attempted to solve the weaknesses of old school brake lines. To do this they switched to a multi layer approach, there is typically an inner brake fluid resistant polymeric tube, this is surrounded by a sort of fiber belting woven around the tube to decrease expansion in the hose - think if it like tying string around a balloon to prevent the balloon from expanding, if you do it enough you get a soccer ball or a car tire that can actually be inflated with pressure and not expand past a set size.Then it is surrounded by an external abrasion resistant rubber material to protect it from the environment (this can also be surrounded by another layer of belting and external abrasion resistant covering to further reduce brake hose expansion and improve protection). The result is a brake hose that is able to resist expansion and bulging upon brake pedal application to the point of mimicking the feel of a stainless steel brake line (almost but not quite, because fiber braids can never be as rigid as stainless braids, and PTFE inner cores are more expansion resistant than rubber cores) - and that is what we have on modern day cars (obviously there can be variations and improvements between different OE’s) including BMW’s.

Here is an image of what I am talking about:


Credit: CJ Pony Parts https://www.cjponyparts.com/resource...el-brake-lines


However, these hoses are still susceptible to wear and tear, and the external rubber sheathing will still degrade and crack like traditional rubber hoses.


For example here are images of rubber lines cracking over time:


Credit: djfordmanjack https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...entina.797645/


And before you think BMW’s are immune, here is an E92 328i:


Credit: domrosiak123 https://www.reddit.com/r/E90/comment...racking_on_my/



Credit: domrosiak123 https://www.reddit.com/r/E90/comment...racking_on_my/


And finally all the rubber brake lines will then have some fittings crimped onto the ends of the hoses.



Why Upgrade?/Benefits of Stainless Steel Brake Lines:

So the next question is “why upgrade?” Especially if modern day stock rubber lines are nearly as good as stainless steel lines in terms of pedal feel? To answer this question we must talk about the benefits that come with stainless steel brake lines and their construction.



Credit: https://www.cquence.net/blog/how-sta...g-performance/




Typically stainless steel brake lines are similar in principle to traditional brake lines, however they do have differences that vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Typically stainless steel lines have a teflon (also known as PTFE which is its chemical name, and Teflon is its trade name) inner hose - which is the most chemically resistant substance known to man making it much more resistant to brake fluid degradation over time compared to traditional rubber polymeric brake hoses. The teflon inner hose is also low-compliance meaning they offer some resistance to expansion and bulging. The next layer is a reinforcement layer that further prevents the expansion of the inner teflon hose from expanding. Then there is a protective layer to prevent the stainless steel outer layer from chaffing or damaging the inner layers. Then there is a stainless steel outer layer that provide additional rigidity to the inner line, and provides the protection and durability that stainless lines are known for. Finally there is normally a vinyl (or similar) external sheathing that prevents water and other debris from getting stuck between the stainless steel braids. Metal fittings will then be crimped onto the ends, and there are generally stain reliefs at the end of the hoses so they will not fatigue and fail.


So what are the benefits of these stainless brake lines?

1) Strength & Durability: They are significantly stronger and more durable than rubber lines. The stainless steel sheath of the stainless brake lines are very durable, and this provides significantly more protection against road debris.

2) Lower expansion: The teflon core, internal braiding, and stainless steel braiding provides significantly more expansion resistance to the brake hose than even modern day rubber lines can - and this results in a firmer pedal.

3) Improved aesthetics: Stainless steel lines typically offer a better aesthetic than rubber brake lines, and some offer customizations, so you can improve the look of your braking system if you so desire.


So why upgrade? The answer to that is quite simple and mirrors the benefits of the stainless steel brake lines: you get better strength and durability - which is crucial on track where the chance of there being debris on track (that can get flung up into your brake lines and cut them) due to a collision and or vehicle failure is high, you get better pedal feel, and it looks better overall. But the critical thing here is the durability you get on track, because brake lines being damaged when driving through debris on track has been known to happen.



Limitations of Some Stainless Steel brake Lines:

Now let’s talk about some limitations to stainless steel brake lines, because these are pretty important to understand.

1) You cannot visually inspect the inner PTFE/Teflon core for damage or tears, this means you will not know if your hoses are wearing out over time.

2) Stainless steel lines are very rigid compared to rubber lines, this puts alot of stress on the fittings and over time this can lead to failure of the connection between the line and the fitting. So it is critical that the manufacturer takes this into consideration and tries to alleviate this as best as possible (strain relief and swivel fittings really help - even car design really helps). This means stainless lines typically wear out faster than rubber lines.

3) Not every manufacturer uses quality fittings and this can result in leaks, poor fitment, and even premature failure.

4) Some manufacturers use really horrible stainless steel weaves that are not very tightly knit together, and this leaves room for debris to enter and really reduces the strength of the overall brake line.

5) Lack of abrasion resistant lining: some manufacturers skip the inner abrasion resistant lining all together and this is a horrible thing because that can result in the inner teflon tube being rubbed by the stainless steel weave causing it to puncture.

6) Some manufacturers utilize horrible fittings that are susceptible to corrosion or outright failure.

7) Clocking:


Credit:
Snowman3725 https://www.prcforum.com/threads/bra...ocking.134885/

stainless steel brake lines are extremely rigid as mentioned in point 2, this means it is vital to mount the brake lines to the caliper in such a manner that the lines are routed as straight as possible. This is essential in calipers that use banjo fittings that require you to properly clock the brake lines to avoid binding or kinking the lines, but on BMW’s like the F8x with the blue calipers clocking is not necessary because BMW used all straight lines. You still have to be careful with binding because if you install to the hardline first then you won’t be able to twist the brake line onto the caliper because the line is secured on one end.

8) DOT testing: Ok I discussed this a bit earlier on and again DOT testing is really key here, because it helps alleviate a lot of the shortcomings that are associated with stainless brake lines and ensures you get a good quality line. DOT standards also include fatigue testing - which again is super important on such rigid brake lines. With that being said, some brake lines, even though they claim to be DOT compliant, don’t seem to meet the DOT standards and testing. So please make sure you verify the brake lines carefully before you buy them, don’t just believe something is DOT complaint just because they say it is.

Ok lets take a look at some examples of what I mean, and these examples will be from potential companies that I wanted to reach out to for a sponsorship, but never did when I researched their product a bit more.


Bimmerworld: I have nothing but respect for bimmerworld and all that they do and offer for the bmw community, but I must address some of the things they have listed about their brake lines - and I do this with great respect for these individuals and mean them no harm, but nothing and no one is perfect so I must talk about these lines honestly:


Credit: Bimmerworld
https://www.bimmerworld.com/Brakes/H...-Line-Kit.html


a) “The clear sheathing permits visual inspection of the lines to check for wear or discoloration (evidence of heat damage).”

So I think this is a bit misleading, even if the brake lines are sheathed in a clear plastic or material, you still cannot see the teflon core - which is the most important part, because it is covered by the stainless steel braiding. So this simply cannot be true that you can fully and 100% accurately visually inspect these lines, because you cannot see the inner teflon core. Sure you can inspect the stainless braids - but you can pretty much do that on every brake line, but the PTFE core is the important part and is what will likely fail long before the stainless braid ever does.

b) “All of our BimmerWorld V3 lines are tested to at least 4,500psi, and tagged with our DOT approval number. The DOT stamp on each of our lines ensures that every line is made and tested to DOT standards, not just "made to DOT standards" or "DOT compliant" like many other brands.”

This is really misleading - in particular with the use of DOT approved and DOT compliant. Like I explained before, there is no such thing as DOT approval, only DOT compliance exists. So there is no way the bimmerworld lines have a DOT approval number, since the DOT doesn’t inspect products. Also the way they try to make DOT compliant brake lines seem like it is lesser than their “supposed DOT approval” is just plain dirty and misleading.

Also they specify they test lines to 4,500 psi, this actually isn’t enough to reach DOT compliance. Brake line must be able to take at least 4,000 psi of water pressure for 2 mins without rupturing regardless of diameter, and then it has to withstand >= 5,000 psi at least right after (and the test can go to 7,000 psi depending on hose size, 3mm hoses and larger only have to meet the 5,000 psi limit) as per the DOT standards I listed above. Since the BMW brake lines are in all likelihood larger than 3mm (3mm is really really small and I’ve held stock BMW brake lines - there is no way they are smaller than 3 mm) they must be tested to 5,000 psi and judging by their terminology “All of our BimmerWorld V3 lines are tested to at least 4,500psi”, I personally don’t believe their testing satisfies DOT standards. Because “Atleast” implies they go to 4,500 psi, but it doesn’t mean they have to reach 5,000 psi.

So this is the first example of some really misleading information given by a manufacturer, and I really dislike how they “throw shade” at other companies who correctly use the DOT compliance terminology. In summary I have heard really good things about the bimmerworld lines, but the misinformation given here, and the testing data they do provide really makes me lose some confidence in this product.



Goodridge: Again another very respectable company in the braking world, and I really respect them and mean no disrespect or harm to them. But I must be honest and discuss a few things about their product. First I must say that I couldn’t find their F8X bmw product information on their site, so I had to get information from their distributors instead. To ensure the data I got was accurate I corroborated data from 2 different suppliers and retained only data that both suppliers had - meaning the corroborated data should have been provided by good ridge themselves.


Credit: Goodridge https://www.goodridge.co.uk/products...82-f83-m4-2014



Credit: IND https://ind-distribution.com/product...brake-line-set



Credit: T1Motorsports https://t1motorsports.ca/products/go...brake-line-set


a) The goodridge site didn’t mention too much information about testing, so I had to reference it from IND and T1 motorsports

b) “US DOT and T.U.V approved” IND and T1 both say this, but since the DOT doesn’t approve of anything and Goodridge says they manufacture it to DOT standards I would assume this means DOT compliance instead.

c) “Brakelines go through a 9-point Quality Assurance testing process that includes measuring tensile strength and the ability to contain line pressure to 3,000 pounds per square inch.” This is reported by IND and T1, and it is kind of concerning because it seems like they only test it to 3,000 psi, when the minimum is 4,000 psi for 2 mins and then right after at least 5,000 psi without bursting. So if IND and T1 are correct about this, then the Goodridge lines are not pressure tested properly.


So that wraps up my concerns about some of the most popular stainless steel brake lines currently on the market.



Spiegler brake lines:

Finally let’s go over the Spiegler brake lines themselves. But first I want to address the brand, a lot of you guys might not have ever heard of Spiegler before - and think they probably suck because you’ve never heard of them (that’s typically how a lot of people think unfortunately). Well it simply is not the case that popularity = quality, because as you’ve seen above some very reputable manufacturers can still make mistakes. Spiegler is actually a very reputable and extremely high quality brake line manufacturer for motorcycles racing, and they use insanely high quality parts - every component used is made to specific requirements in the USA or Western Europe, and then hand assembled and tested at Spiegler’s facilities in Dayton, Ohio. So despite not ever hearing about them before, these guys are absolutely legit and make top notch products.


Packaging and Shipping:


Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source


The Spiegler brake lines are packaged in plastic boxes that are stapled shut, and they’re shipped in a standard cardboard box with foam peanuts for protection. The packaging arrived to me undamaged, and overall I am pleased with the packaging quality but only have one complaint. I would suggest the Spiegler cap their brake lines and also plastic cling wrap their boxes to prevent debris from making it inside of the box and potentially getting into the brake lines themselves. I say this because the foam peanuts in my boxes broke apart into fine little bits during shipping, and some of them almost ended up inside of the plastic boxes through the gaps. The static electricity between the foam particles and the plastic box didn’t help either, because it really made the foam cling to the box. Other than that shipping and packaging was perfectly fine.


Product Images:

Next I want to show some images of the brake lines themselves:

Front:


Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Rear:


Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source




Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source




Rigorous Testing and DOT compliance:


Credit: https://spieglerusa.com/brakes/why-s...-research.html

Additional Information: https://www.essexparts.com/brake-lines

So now comes the most important, lets talk about the DOT compliance of the Spiegler brake lines and the Rigorous testing that they are put through.

1) All of their brake line components are made in the USA and Europe and they put them through stringent and very importantly consistent QC to ensure that no defective parts are used.

2) Spiegler advertises their brake lines are DOT compliant and meets all DOT standards, and I quote them: “In-House testing at our facility in Dayton, Ohio. All testing is performed according to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 106 (FMVSS-106). All of our brake lines pass these rigorous testing procedures. The 3 most demanding test procedures are listed below.”

Source: https://spieglerusa.com/brakes/why-s...-research.html


This ensures your brake lines are quality and road legal. This is actually a breath of fresh air seeing a manufacturer actually cite the exact DOT regulation (FMVSS-106 and I wrote about that earlier) and that they test according to it and their brake lines pass it and comply with the DOT standards. They don’t say anything misleading, just the exact accurate facts that they are supposed to, and nothing more to try and upsell their product - No nonsense about DOT approvals, obtaining their own DOT approval numbers, etc. The 3 most stringent tests that they talk about I will list below in points 3,4,5 and discuss.

3) Spiegler advertises that they do a high pressure test, and that their lines actually exceeds DOT standards. This is what they state: “The FMVSS-106 requires a maximum pressure of 5,000 PSI which our brake lines easily exceed.” Source: https://spieglerusa.com/brakes/why-s...-research.html

So not only do they properly test to 5,000 PSI according to the DOT standards, they actually easily exceed it. Again a breath of fresh air that they actually do the tests according to the DOT standards, and to the pressures stipulated in the standard - not “atleast” or “up to” but exactly the pressure stipulated and then beyond. This shows you the level of testing Spiegler does, and how good their brake lines actually are to be able to exceed the DOT minimum.

4) Tensile Strength Test: and I quote from Spiegler: “Attempts to pull apart brake lines and fittings to measure the strength of our materials and construction. This test convinced us that we could lift a bike using just one brake line and fitting.”

From the DOT standards this is how they described the tensile strength test:

Tensile strength. A hydraulic brake hose assembly shall withstand a pull of 325 pounds without separation of the hose from its end fittings during a slow pull test, and shall withstand a pull of 370 pounds without separation of the hose from its end fittings during a fast pull test (S6.4).

Source:https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-4...)(S5.3)(S5.3.4)


So a brake line should be able to take 325 lbs when pulled slowly and 370 lbs when pulled quickly. Spiegler goes beyond just testing just the bare minimum that the DOT stipulated and went ahead and hung an actual sport bike from their brake lines to prove just how strong their lines are - I don’t see anyone else coming close to doing that…


Credit: Essex Parts/Spiegler https://www.essexparts.com/brake-lines


Ok I don’t know anything about motor bikes, but I am going to guess that this is a Suzuki SV1000s from their youtube videos:

Comparing footage from the video and the image I think I am correct in this assumption. That would mean the bike weighs approximately 407.8 lbs dry (no fluids), and 458.5 lbs wet (with fluids) - source: https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/mo...1000s%2004.htm.

So not only does this mean Spielger meets the 370 lbs fast pull test that the DOT mandates, but they vastly exceed it by up to 88.5lbs in a sustained manner - which is even more impressive than a quick or slow pull. This should go to show you the quality of their brake lines, especially since no other company has gone this far beyond to test their product - at this point I literally don’t see how you can say anyone else makes better brake lines.


5) Whip test: this is what the DOT stipulates: “Whip resistance. A hydraulic brake hose assembly shall not rupture when run continuously on a flexing machine for 35 hours (S6.3).”

Source:https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-4...)(S5.3)(S5.3.3)

The standards also describes an apparatus to test the line and how it must be pressurized to 235 psi, you can scroll down to read about it but I will not copy it here because it is many pages long.


Spiegler states: “Whip Test - Spins a pressurized brake line and fitting for 35 hours to ensure its ability to withstand years of use on the road or the track.”

Source: https://spieglerusa.com/brakes/why-s...-research.html

So Spiegler again meets this requirement and stipulates how they did it and even shows their equipment to test this, again something no competitor (from what I see) does. This shows that despite a glaring weakness of stainless steel brake lines being rigidity and being prone to failing at the connectors due to said rigidity, the Spiegler brake lines are engineered and tested to mitigate this weakness and proven to be resistant against this type of failure. They are likely able to do this by carefully engineering the strain reliefs between the end of their hose and connector to allow some immediate flex of the line right at the connection point without having the crimp exert a massive force pinching force on the line, and with their swiveling connectors, something only Spiegler does (as far as i'm aware).



Credit: Essex Parts/Spiegler https://www.essexparts.com/brake-lines



Credit: Essex Parts/Spiegler https://www.essexparts.com/brake-lines



Credit: Essex Parts/Spiegler https://www.essexparts.com/brake-lines


As you can see above the lines have fittings that can swivel so you cannot have the lines bind up or kink no matter how much your wheels turn or move - this greatly reduces the stress on the lines themselves.

Then at the end where the connector is crimped to the line you can see the little DOT logo, this is a coupler piece that allows the line to move and flex a bit without pinching it and acts as the strain relief (kind of like how cables like a usb cable has a strain relief at the end of it to avoid kinking and damage that comes from that). This is important because if you didn’t have a strain release the line could be forced and kinked because the rigid crimp doesn’t allow movement.



So if you have Spiegler brake lines on your car, you can rest easy about your brake lines failing.



Quality Components:

Now that you are probably bored by reading me babble on about the crazy lengths Spiegler has gone through to test their lines in order to comply with the DOT standards, let's talk about the quality of their parts - because this is insanely impressive as well.

1) Stress-free Torsion fitting system: As seen in the animations in the section above, all Spiegler lines have swivel fittings which allow them to reduce the stain on the hose. This enables Spiegler brake lines to overcome major issues with standard stainless steel brake lines - which is being too rigid and causing binding, having clocking issues (on vehicles utilizing non-straight brake lines), and putting excessive strain on the fitting to hose crimp region. This is likely a factor into why the Spiegler lines perform so well in the whip test.

2) Abrasion resistant coating/sheath: Spiegler brake lines use a high quality abrasion resistant coating/sheath to protect the inner teflon line from being damaged by the stainless steel braid. This is incredibly important because without a good protective sheath, the inner teflon tube will eventually be worn through by contact with the stainless steel braid.

3) Aircraft quality stainless steel fittings and bolts: this one is a huge factor to consider in brake lines. Because a lot of other brake line manufacturers use absolutely terrible quality carbon steel fittings that eventually corrode, do not fit well, or are just poorly made parts overall. This can be dangerous because poorly made fittings can fail - so you don’t have to worry about this with Spiegler.

4) Heavy gauge, tightly woven stainless steel braid:


Credit: Essex Parts/Spiegler https://www.essexparts.com/brake-lines



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source


Spiegler utilizes a really thick gauge stainless steel wire and weaves it tighter than most of the competition. This is important because it: increases the strength and durability of the brake line ensuring it will hold up against any kind of use, prevents the teflon inner tube from expanding resulting in better pedal feel, and prevents debris from ever being able to get between the stainless steel wires and cause wear and tear. Like I said at the beginning of the review, these brake lines cost more than the competition because they offer more than the competition.

5) Du Pont PTFE- Teflon® lining: Spiegler uses a high quality inner teflon tube made by Du Pont, and not some cheap unknown quality PTFE supplier. This ensures the most critical part of the brake line is up to the task of resisting the harsh chemical effects of brake fluid and surviving the incredible temperatures and pressures of the braking system.


6) Lifetime warranty: Spiegler stands behind their products and is confident it will last, and offers a lifetime warranty to back up their products. So you can be confident that these brake lines will not fail on you - something incredibly important with stainless steel brake lines as they are known to wear out faster than rubber lines. So it is nice to see Spiegler stand behind their product with confidence by giving customers lifetime warranty.


And that concludes my analysis on the Spiegler brake lines and all of their incredible features that really sets them apart from the competition. From what I can see/know at the time of writing the review, no other competitor offers swiveling brake lines, thick gauge tightly woven stainless steel wires, aircraft grade stainless steel fittings, quality PTFE inner hoses, DOT compliance with testing data that actually matches and exceeds DOT standards (like seriously, when have you seen a brake line company post videos showing their tests and actually hang a motorcycle off of a brake line, most companies don’t even want you to hang a brake caliper off the brake line! But you should still avoid hanging the caliper off of the brake line because you could damage the factory hardline or the caliper even if the Spigler lines can take the abuse), and a lifetime warranty all in one package.



Installation:

Now let’s talk about installation. I'm only going to give some general tips and list the torque specs, if you are not experienced enough to do this please have a professional mechanic do it. First I recommend that you get some cheap brake fluid to do the flush, because you will expend a crazy amount of fluid to purge all the air out of the calipers, lines, and if you do a dsc flush there are 2 consecutive flushes associated with that - this means there will be 3 flushes total: 1 flush after install, dsc flushing procedure, and a final flush right after. I recommend either: Genuine BMW brake fluid (355 ml bottle: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...id-81220142156 or 1 Gallon jug: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...on-81220142155) or something similar that you can get in large volumes for cheap. The reason behind this recommendation is because you can buy these fluids in large volumes for a very low cost, and therefore it is significantly cheaper to flush using cheaper fluids vs. a race fluid like SRF. Also if you are using SRF it is always a good idea to flush with a hygroscopic brake fluid like these aforementioned cheap brake fluids, so it can absorb and flush out any moisture that may be in your braking system or may have gotten in your braking system during the install. This is something SRF cannot do because it is a silicone based brake fluid that is hydrophobic, and it is always recommended to flush your braking system with hygroscopic fluid every once in a while to remove trapped moisture when using SRF. After flushing with the cheap brake fluid you are free to switch back to a racing fluid before heading back to the track.


I also recommend you purchase a brake pedal depressor to hold the pedal down when you remove the brake lines, this will prevent air from going up into the brake lines and into the abs module. BMW also stipulates in ISTA that a brake pedal depressor must be used when replacing the lines. This is the one I purchased: https://www.amazon.ca/wonofa-Steerin...s%2C133&sr=8-3

This is how I would install these brake lines - and unfortunately I couldn’t do it myself this time around since I injured my back and can’t really bend over to install the brake lines, so I had my shop do it. This also means I don’t have any images of it installed, because my shop was too busy to take any photos for me.


First you need a helper, assuming the car is all jacked up and ready to bleed fluid, you want to top your master cylinder up to the max line. Then you will apply pressure to the brake pedal. Have your helper open any one of the brake bleeder valves and push the brake pedal to the floor and hold it there. Close the brake bleeder valve, now you can install the pedal depressor to hold the pedal down. The reason why you want to close the valve before doing this is to prevent an accidental slip where the brake pedal lifts all the way up and sucks air into the braking system.


Next I recommend getting crows foot wrenches, this will allow you to torque the brake line into the caliper and into the existing hard line to spec. I purchased mine from princess auto in Canada, but you can buy them at any hardware store. Please make sure you understand the angle you must put the crows foot wrench in to get accurate torque specs, here is a video explaining it:

But essentially you want to have the crows foot wrench at 90 degrees to the torque wrench, otherwise you will need to calculate the torque spec.



Now here are some images with measurements of the fittings and what crows foot wrench sizes you need to use to torque these brake lines and what wrenches you need to counter hold the line.


Front:



Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source


- The front lines require a 14 mm wrench for the caliper side of the brake lines, and a 15 mm wrench to counter hold the brake like that connects to the factory hard line.


Rear:


Credit: F87Source



Credit: F87Source


- The rear lines require a 14 mm wrench for the caliper side of the brake lines, and a 15 mm wrench to counter hold the brake like that connects to the factory hard line.



Other than that here are the torque specs you should use:

1) Front or Rear brake hose to hard brake line: 17 Nm
Note: You must install to the caliper first before you install it to the hardline, this will prevent kinking or putting strain on the brake line. The reason why is because you must turn the brake line itself to thread it into the caliper, but the hard line has its own fitting that will turn when threaded to the brake line so the brake line itself will not need to spin. *Technically with Spiegler lines the ends can swivel to avoid kinking regardless of which side goes in first, but I would still follow BMW’s instruction to go into the caliper first just to avoid having to swivel the brake lines.
2) Front brake hose to brake caliper: 24 Nm
3) Rear brake hose to brake caliper: 24 Nm




Summary:
Finally to conclude this review I want to talk about my experience with these Spiegler brake lines. Fitment of the brake lines were excellent according to my shop, and installation was not a major problem either except that the DSC bleeding procedure consumed a bunch of fluid. There are no weird issues with the hoses that I can see after a few hundred km’s of driving, and overall pedal feel is excellent - and maybe a bit firmer than stock (I’m pretty sure I can tell that it is firmer but I cannot quantify by how much). Overall these Spiegler brake lines are absolutely fantastic quality and in my opinion they are the pinnacle of brake lines, every single facet of these brake lines are essentially engineering perfection and IMO absolutely decimates the competition. So I am really happy with the Spiegler brake lines and absolutely recommend these brake lines for anyone interested in aftermarket stainless steel brake lines.

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