Bludot
Construction Trailer
Construction Trailer
Construction Trailer
Construction Trailer
Construction Trailer

Bludot Manufacturing now offering copper nickel trailer brake lines

May 20, 2020
South Bend IN-based supplier says new alternative to stainless steel is more affordable, assembly friendly

Bludot Manufacturing, a supplier of custom pre-packaged trailer brake systems, now is offering copper nickel brake lines to trailer manufacturers, distributors and repair facilities as an alternative to stainless steel.

Popular since the 1970s in automotive applications in Europe, copper nickel brake lines provide the corrosion resistance of stainless steel without the stiffness for easier installs than stainless, the company said.

Bludot always offered hydraulic trailer brake lines in double-wall brazed, low-carbon steel tubing with a standard OD finish of Aluminum Galfan (AG); or stainless steel for high-end, corrosion protection, but now provides a new alternative with copper nickel.

“We debuted our copper nickel lines at this year’s NATM Show in Las Vegas to some pretty keen interest,” said Patrick Turley, new president and co-owner of Bludot. “Our OEM customers that reviewed it liked the affordability and the softer, custom-bending capabilities of our new copper nickel material. Plus there’s no compromise on corrosion resistance.”   

Turley explained that Copper nickel brake lines are US Department of Transportation (DOT) approved for hydraulic use. Since it is more flexible than corrosion-resistant stainless steel it also saves time on brake line installations on the assembly line for OEMs.

“Copper nickel’s more flexible properties enable easier installations or replacements when dealing with routing complicated line paths in the OEM factory or the mechanic’s shop,” he said. “OEMs can further improve their production efficiencies with our custom, copper nickel lines pre-bent in-house at Bludot to each model specification.”

Attributes of copper nickel from Bludot:

  • Copper nickel has been popular in European cars since the 1970s
  • Copper nickel brake lines are DOT approved for hydraulic use
  • PSI ratings for copper nickel are only a little lower than stainless steel lines
  • Copper nickel brake lines are more affordable than stainless steel brake lines
  • Copper nickel has proven to be easier to work with than stainless steel brake lines
  • Copper nickel brake lines are softer than stainless steel which allows for better flexibility in tough routing situations
  • End-forming and flares are easy to create with copper nickel compared to stainless steel
  • The hardness and stiffness of stainless steel is difficult to work with on the assembly line
  • Copper nickel is able to bend and flare to create a tighter seal

Copper nickel corrosion-resistance properties:

  • Copper nickel brake lines offer strong corrosion resistance both inside and outside
  • Road salt and grime is ineffective at rusting the brake line since the brake line is 88.7% copper
  • Normal stainless steel has to be coated in corrosion resistant material that gets scratched and fades over time, which allows for rust
  • Copper nickel will not rust because the copper does not hold and absorb moisture
  • Stainless steel brake lines eventually rust inside since there is no coating to protect the lines from absorbing the moisture
  • Copper nickel’s ability to avoid moisture leads to a longer life span against wear and tear
  • Bludot still continues to provide stainless steel to its customers who require it, but recommend copper nickel as a great cost-effective alternative with about the same performance
About the Author

TBB Staff