The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline OEM Total Brake Line Replacement - How did it go?

Hey All,

I have the truck up on the lift and I am thinking I want to replace the entire brake line system from hub to hub. Has anyone here done that in the last few years? The truck is a 1951 That I pulled out of a preachers field. I have brought the motor back to life, reconditioning as I go. Now that It's up on the lift and I redid the braking in all four wheels I want to keep it going. I see several "Kits" out there but I am sure some are better than others and probably include more than others. So tell me what you guys know, Who has done a HUB to HUB line replacement, where did you get your kit and what did you like or dislike about it.

Thanks!

Walter

Did it on my 58 Apache 32 about 1 year ago. Got all the metal lines in stainless from Inline tube, not that much more than plain steel. Got the shoes off the shelf @ NAPA. I don't remember where the wheel cylinders and rubber hoses came from. Stock master cylinder I'm pretty sure was Classic Parts.com.
Every thing went smooth.
I love pre-bent lines.
I've used Inline tube on 2 60's cars as well.

Buy a 25' roll of Copper-Nickel Brake line from your local parts store and make your own. You'll need to borrow or buy a Double Flare Tool and Tubing Bender. Then take one line off at a time and bend a new to match, it really is easy to do. When you tighten the fittings up tight, then back it off and re-tighten it again, this helps seat the flares together.

Good luck!

Mike B

Where would I get the appropriate fittings?

Either re-use the old ones if good or take then to the parts store to match up and buy new...any NAPA or good parts store should have everything you need to do this job.

Mike B

I replaced every part in my brake system except the backing plates. I purchased pre-bent stainless steel lines from In-Line tube https://www.inlinetube.com/ . I was able to find all the brass fittings at NAPA. I was quite happy with the brake lines with the exception of my choice of selecting stainless steel lines. I had some leaking issues at the fittings. That required repeatedly tightening and loosing the fittings several times. Apparently the flare angle is slightly different on the stainless fittings. It has been in service 6 years now and no leaks after the initial install. The lines still look like new. I am happy with them but would probably not go with stainless if I did this again.
You can find a lot of info about brake line choices searching this forum.

Walter ,

Inline Tube makes a Stainless Steel ready made kit with fittings pre installed .

LINK

for your 1953 half ton

https://www.inlinetube.com/products/sctb5301

Scroll down & take a look at related products .



George
'54 3600

I have bought pre-bent stainless steel lines from Inline Tube and Classic Tube - they even matched-up the correct lengths and ends needed on a 54 3104 Hydra-Matic system.

A few lines were a little long, but that was not a big problem (being too short would have been problem).

I used stainless lines from inline tube also. I will admit I would not use the stainless again. Those lines hemorrhaged every where and It took me forever to get the lines to seat correctly and stop leaking. What a mess. I recently did the lines on a friends 57 chevrolet (car) and used regular prebent steel lines from inline tube. Not a single leak.

I had no breakage in three different stainless steel systems.
I had/have no leakage in three different stainless steel systems(5-15 years old
Just lucky, I guess?

However: do not be afraid to use A LITTLE "stainless steel grease" on the tube ends (nut side of tube).
Stainless Steel Anti-Seize Lubricant

Slowly/lighty/gently tighten and untighten the attachment "nut".
Use a little tighter last tightening of each attachment nut.

Steel brake line use a 45 dergee flare fitting while Stainless use a 37 degree flare fitting. You will need to seat the fitting repeatedly as Tim stated to get the flare to seat evenly. Once It's seated there should be no issue with leaks.

1. Don't buy tubing and flare your own.
2. Buy preflared sections at FLAPS or a regular steel kit.

I talked with the people at the company I used for SS on my 1954 3104 Hydra-Matic truck.
They said they would use original-style fittings (I sent them my fitting for them to compare).

I'll see if I can find the name of the company.

SS is fine although hard to work. Most shops around here have CuNi in various lengths, very handy.

Ed

If you will/can make the brake lines yourself, I agree with Ed.

If you are having a shop do it for you: get an estimate and compare it to stainless steel lines from a vendor (there are two or three good vendors that sell/make stainless steel brake lines for our old trucks).

I like the SS inline brakeline kits. They fit, You will never need to replace them or worry about them.
SS flares are harder to seat in the fittings, but tightening and loosening 3-4 times while watching where the wrench stops each time makes it very doable. You will know when you are done when the wrench won't go further than where the previous tightening sequence ended up.
Carl