Uploaded October 2016 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
As stock rubber brake lines grow brittle with age and heat, installing stainless steel brake lines can be a great way to help prevent against catastrophic brake failure during hard driving. Additionally, stainless steel brake lines will improve the feel and responsiveness of the brake pedal. Today I’m going to show you how to install stainless steel brake lines on the front of a Honda S2000.
Tools necessary:
- 14mm socket
- 12mm socket
- 10mm flare nut wrench
- 17mm open end wrench
- Pliers
- Hammer
- Flathead Screwdriver (optional)
Steps.
1. The first thing you want to do is get your car on jackstands and remove the wheels.
2. Free the brake line from the two brake line mounts using a 12mm socket and ratchet. There is one mount on the strut body and one mount closer to the caliper.
3. Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to remove the banjo bolt holding the brake line to the caliper. Be prepared as brake fluid will flow out from the line once it is loose. Be sure to remove the two crush washers as well.
4. Use a 10mm flare nut wrench to loosen the hard brake line from the rubber brake line. Once the hard line is fully separated use some pliers to remove the brake line clip. Pull from side to side until it comes loose. Depending on the stainless steel line kit that you purchased you may need to re use this clip, so don’t throw it away.
5. At this point you should be able to completely remove the brake line. If it is stuck use a hammer or mallet to break it loose. Insert the new stainless steel brake line into place.
6. Hand tighten the hard brake line to the new stainless steel brake line. Once it is too tight to hand tighten, use a 17mm wrench to hold the stainless steel brake line in place while using the 10mm flare nut wrench to tighten the hard line. Torque the hard line to 11 ft-lbs. Finally, don’t forget to replace the brake line clip! Use a hammer and a flathead screwdriver to tap it back into place.
7. Now it is time to install the brake line onto the caliper. Carefully insert the new crush washers onto both sides of the brake line and insert the banjo bolt through the brake line. Carefully thread the banjo bolt into the caliper and hand tighten it. Make sure the brake line is oriented properly, it should fit nicely between two points on the caliper. Once you’re ready to torque down the banjo bolt it s really important to know you should NOT torque the banjo bolt to the OEM torque specification. Your stainless steel brake line kit should have come with instructions that specify the torque specification. The stainless steel brake line kit that I used specified 12/14 ft-lbs as you can see. If you torque the new banjo bolts to the OEM torque specification they will break. Trust me, I’ve done it before.
8. Secure the new stainless steel brake line to the two brake line mounts using a 12mm socket and ratchet. There is one mount close to the caliper and another on the strut body. Torque the bolts to 7 ft-lbs.
9. Since you replaced the brake lines there is now a ton of air in the brake system. Be absolutely sure to bleed the brake system at least once before driving the car. Check the description below for a DIY on brake bleeding the S2000.
10. Once you have bled the brakes install the wheels and lower the car back down to the ground. Go for a test drive and make sure the brake pedal doesn’t feel spongy. If the pedal feels spongy bleed the brakes again.
Brake Bleed Reference Video: youtu.be/igh5hGwm478
As stock rubber brake lines grow brittle with age and heat, installing stainless steel brake lines can be a great way to help prevent against catastrophic brake failure during hard driving. Additionally, stainless steel brake lines will improve the feel and responsiveness of the brake pedal. Today I’m going to show you how to install stainless steel brake lines on the front of a Honda S2000.
Tools necessary:
- 14mm socket
- 12mm socket
- 10mm flare nut wrench
- 17mm open end wrench
- Pliers
- Hammer
- Flathead Screwdriver (optional)
Steps.
1. The first thing you want to do is get your car on jackstands and remove the wheels.
2. Free the brake line from the two brake line mounts using a 12mm socket and ratchet. There is one mount on the strut body and one mount closer to the caliper.
3. Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to remove the banjo bolt holding the brake line to the caliper. Be prepared as brake fluid will flow out from the line once it is loose. Be sure to remove the two crush washers as well.
4. Use a 10mm flare nut wrench to loosen the hard brake line from the rubber brake line. Once the hard line is fully separated use some pliers to remove the brake line clip. Pull from side to side until it comes loose. Depending on the stainless steel line kit that you purchased you may need to re use this clip, so don’t throw it away.
5. At this point you should be able to completely remove the brake line. If it is stuck use a hammer or mallet to break it loose. Insert the new stainless steel brake line into place.
6. Hand tighten the hard brake line to the new stainless steel brake line. Once it is too tight to hand tighten, use a 17mm wrench to hold the stainless steel brake line in place while using the 10mm flare nut wrench to tighten the hard line. Torque the hard line to 11 ft-lbs. Finally, don’t forget to replace the brake line clip! Use a hammer and a flathead screwdriver to tap it back into place.
7. Now it is time to install the brake line onto the caliper. Carefully insert the new crush washers onto both sides of the brake line and insert the banjo bolt through the brake line. Carefully thread the banjo bolt into the caliper and hand tighten it. Make sure the brake line is oriented properly, it should fit nicely between two points on the caliper. Once you’re ready to torque down the banjo bolt it s really important to know you should NOT torque the banjo bolt to the OEM torque specification. Your stainless steel brake line kit should have come with instructions that specify the torque specification. The stainless steel brake line kit that I used specified 12/14 ft-lbs as you can see. If you torque the new banjo bolts to the OEM torque specification they will break. Trust me, I’ve done it before.
8. Secure the new stainless steel brake line to the two brake line mounts using a 12mm socket and ratchet. There is one mount close to the caliper and another on the strut body. Torque the bolts to 7 ft-lbs.
9. Since you replaced the brake lines there is now a ton of air in the brake system. Be absolutely sure to bleed the brake system at least once before driving the car. Check the description below for a DIY on brake bleeding the S2000.
10. Once you have bled the brakes install the wheels and lower the car back down to the ground. Go for a test drive and make sure the brake pedal doesn’t feel spongy. If the pedal feels spongy bleed the brakes again.
Brake Bleed Reference Video: youtu.be/igh5hGwm478
