Oil Lines?

[Cheney1]

So winter is here and with the growing list of things needed to fix my shovel, I doubt i'll be riding this year. As most of you have, I've created a list based on needs and wants and am fortunate enough that some of the "Wants" are already in my possession and/or can get them from work for free. With that being said, I want to clean up the oil lines and feul lines on the bike (they are just thrown in there and have no real organization or asthetics). This is where i've come to you for input and or guidance for what works and what doesn't. I know, sometimes it may look good on paper and work at the same time and other times, it just looks good and plain old doesn't work. I've been throwing around the idea of getting rid of the rubber 3/8" Weatherhead lines I have now and replacing them with stainless tubing. This way, I can bend them to fit the contours of the motor and bike as well as them being smaller in OD than the larger weatherhead lines I have now. My question to you is, have you done this and/or will it work with being rigid? I've installed them before on larger equipment on self lubricating grease pumps as well as oil lines for chain conveyors and never had an issue so my thoughts are it will work. Also are there any benifits or deisadvantages to using rubber lines, braided lines, and/or stainless lines? Below i've compiled some of what I think the advantages and disadvantages are based on my experience being an Industrial Mechanic. I'd like to know what your thoughts are?

Rubber Lines Pro's
1. Easy to replace
2. Cost of lines are generally cheaper than the others
3. Easy routhing (Flexability)
4. Sourcing replacements are much easier and can most likely be found at any truck/auto store

Rubber Lines Con's
1. Dry Rotting (I know, they will last for ages, however they do tend to split/rot at bends over time)
2. Aesthetics
3. Durability (rub points tend to wear the rubber down)

Braided Lines Pro's
1. Aesthetically speaking they are still large however, the stainles/chrome exterior is much more pleasing to the eye than black rubber
2. Ease with routing (flexability)
3. Sourcing parts is still easier than copper or stainless oil lines
4. Durability

Braided lines Con's
1. Still large
2. Making new lines can be a pain (wear gloves)
3. Tools needed to make lines (Cutting tool)

Stainless Rigid Lines
1. Aesthetics
2. Done right, they can be made to fit the contours of the motor and trans and or be hidden much easier if that is what you are going for
3. Durability wise they are much more resistant to wear and/rust and currosion
4. Maintenance is low (besides maybe the occasional wiping down of dirt/muck)

Stainless Rigid Con's
1. More parts (ferrule's, caps, tubing)
2. More tools needed to install/fabricate (i.e. tube bender, wrenches, pipe cutter, etc. )
3. Insullation? (Im not quite sure of this one, as I said i've put them on front end loaders in quarries that run year round and never had a problem)
4. Higher Skill level for installation/fabrication
5. Time to replace is increased depending on how you run the lines
6. Sourcing replacement parts are more specialized

So with that being said, what are your thoughts? Will it work using rigid Stianless lines? What do you run and why?

[Ktraf]

I run stainless with an inline magnet.. Just make sure if you're going that route to clean the lines out really well and deburr since a magnet won't pick up all them stainless shavings.

[Cheney1]

I run stainless with an inline magnet.. Just make sure if you're going that route to clean the lines out really well and deburr since a magnet won't pick up all them stainless shavings.

do you ever have any issues with them coming loose or breaking? just curious, I've already ordered the stainless and am going to give it a shot.

[Sky]

Copper, brass, steel, stainless. All should have a "vibration" loop or chunk of flex to keep from work hardening and eventual failure.
There's no accounting for taste, I always thought the simple black oil lines tend to hide in the shadows.
Braided cons you forgot, They can act like mini hacksaws and conduct electricity as well.
Done right the braided should need the same amount of compression fittings as the hard line.
Also those gaudy chrome hose clamp covers need to be buried next to all those little plastic bolt head caps people waste their money on.
Nylon core braided high pressure (hydraulic) line has a smaller OD as compared to braid over rubber.
Cloth covered line can look good on the right build.
Hard line pro, heat dissipation.

[triumphbruce]

summit racing has all kinds of lines and fittings here is my oil line work

[TwoSheds]

Copper, brass, steel, stainless. All should have a "vibration" loop or chunk of flex to keep from work hardening and eventual failure.
There's no accounting for taste, I always thought the simple black oil lines tend to hide in the shadows.
Braided cons you forgot, They can act like mini hacksaws and conduct electricity as well.
Done right the braided should need the same amount of compression fittings as the hard line.
Also those gaudy chrome hose clamp covers need to be buried next to all those little plastic bolt head caps people waste their money on.
Nylon core braided high pressure (hydraulic) line has a smaller OD as compared to braid over rubber.
Cloth covered line can look good on the right build.
Hard line pro, heat dissipation.

Yes, and another braided line con is when they get dirty or oily they look like total shit. I have a friend who ran 3/8 air line so he could have blue lines and it worked out ok with many miles on it.

[vnygra]

I like stainless lines. I've done copper hard lines and aluminum, both work, and are easier to make than stainless, but work harden over time and crack. You cant flair stainless with a cheap flare tool, and need to cut them with a hacksaw rather than a tubing cutter. I bought all the fittings from summit, and they even had stainless weld on flair fittings that I welded into the oil tank.