darthwader

Hey all,
Kind of sucks that the latest posts I've made have been about failures, but got another story to share...this is a cautionary tale. LOL

Was slated to got to Road Atlanta on July 9-11, three day track weekend - so stoked! Wednesday before we are slated to leave we had a death in the family and not able to go. So fast forward to yesterday (7/24), re-schedule a track weekend for CMP coming up August 7-8. Take the Vette out for a quick run to just let her eat a little and soil her oats on some asphalt. Give the brakes a stab to warm em up and exercise a little, feels good, do it again...doesn't feel so good. In fact, the pedal just kept going towards the floor!

Oh ****.

Bombing along at 70+ on a two lane divided highway...luckily almost no traffic. Had just made my way through three (3) separate traffic lights where I had to stop for cars in front of me. Long story short, I limped the car home (back roads, no traffic, and compression braking). Check the right rear and I see brake fluid on the wheel. Looking in through the spokes the SS line looked like maybe it was rubbing if the car squatted or something. DAMN!

Well, get the car up and this is what I find:





No rubbing on the wheel(s). All four have been on that corner and none of them have any rub marks...line just failed.

I've been in the corners of the car countless times in the past 6+ months and never noticed. Admittedly I have NOT specifically looked at the lines (why is that?). I can tell you I will be looking at them every time going forward! LOL The whole thing is just kind of weird. On the upside, I couldn't have had a better set of circumstances for it to fail...I was essentially alone on the road, knew I had a short route home, and didn't have really any critical stop points to get home. In hindsight, as the car sat was how it was going to go to Road Atlanta...that the cautionary tale. It WOULD have failed on track...most likely at Turn 5, Turn 6, or Turn 10. None of which would have been a good scenario as they are all pretty good speed.

Someone was watching out for me (thank you!!).

End of day, pretty easy fix. Getting some new lines for both rears (new Wilwoods on front so they got new lines with winter rebuild)...just take my word, it is annoying when your car won't go...but, it is truly terrifying when you have no means to stop.

Will be fixed shortly and ready for CMP in a couple weeks, if anyone is going to be there that weekend be sure to stop by and say hi (#54 - Red 01 Z06).

Take care, stay safe!

-wade

Rx7Rob

Damn, lucky it was on the street. Will be interesting to hear what Goodridge says. I try to examine / pass my hands over all the brake lines before each event.

I've lost brakes twice on the street. Once in the 1979 olds delta 88 custom cruiser diesel "war wagon". Was in down-town boston during rush hour. Made it out to the burbs w/o contact. Hard pipe to the back brakes blew out. Second time in the POS B2200 truck. Passed someone crawling down the road just before a red light (luckily that thing didn't have any power). Nailed the brake and it went to the floor. Pumped like crazy while grabbing for the parking brake. Blew the light and came to a stop in the middle of the intersection. Luckily nobody coming the crossing road.

Keppler

I had the same issue on a C5 Z06 HPDE car with Goodridge SS brake lines on the rear wheels. The Goodridge lines are too long for the rear wheels (C5 & C6). Using them you have be very careful on the install to avoid rubbing against the wheel.

Your photo sure looks like a wear pattern.

Use Spiegler brake lines on the rear. They are shorter.

Yes, I check the brake lines after every event. I also bleed the brakes some after every event.

0Todd TCE

Yeah...that line has been rubbing on something. If not the tire, the half shaft, UCA or ? Any true hose fialure is more of a pin hole type in one very small place.