You can kiss any insurance claim goodbye for installing this brake line modification
A shocking illegal drag race video from 1320Video uploaded on Youtube earlier yesterday (Aug 29,2020) shows the horrifying moment an Audi RS3 driver loses his brakes racing a McLaren 720S, catches fire, and is forced to ride it out for over three miles before coming to a stop on this undisclosed highway.
When you modify cars at this power level, changing axles, brake assemblies, hydraulic clutch systems, and servicing your transmission with a hydraulic clutch becomes routine. That also means, if you don’t have quick disconnects on your brake systems, you must bleed your brakes every time.
A way tuners and race cars get around this is with quick disconnect fittings on your brake system. Disconnects allow no air to re-enter your system once you disconnect your brake lines.
Installing quick disconnect couplers on your brake system is, however, extremely dangerous and prone to failing, coming loose when you least expect it.
Case in point, the video above.
A loose brake line means no power is going to your calipers so, you have no brakes.
Also, brake fluid is extremely flammable when in contact with a hot surface, igniting around 580 degrees. It’s not out of the norm for highly modified cars scrubbing lots of speed for calipers to reach temps above 600 degrees, a guaranteed fire if a dollop of brake fluid splashes onto the hot caliper surface.
According to the video captions toward the end of the video,
“The cause of the fire was determined to be a melted brake line quick disconnect spraying the hot brakes igniting the fluid, working its way into the engine bay.
Pumping the brakes after the race fueled the fire even further.
Shortly before the car stopped, the fuel line melted through causing the flames to grow rapidly.”
So, how much do these quick disconnect couplers cost? A quick look on Amazon and you can get one shipped to your door in two days for $30.
Sure, you’ll change out brake assemblies, hydraulic clutches, and etc. much faster, but get it wrong and your pride and joy is up in smoke.
Brake line quick disconnects, a bad idea.
