The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop brake line help

hey guys i did a search and found the answer to a couple questions. here is the deal my 54 3100 has a unknown ford rear, and unknown disc brakes up front. the previous owner plummed the rear brake lines but not the front. i've never plummed brake lines, only stainless steel racing fuel lines with AN fittings and such. so i know i need a tubing bender and a double flare tool correct? where is the best place to get them? which ones are the best? also what size line should i use? is a proportioning valve also needed now with the front discs? any additional tips???

tks alot!!!!

Buy stock length from any FLAPS along w/ couplers & T's to make what you need. you could probably bend the 3/16 hard lines w/o a bender.
if you don't want to buy a double flare tool get the lines bent and cut them to length and take them to a local brake shop. they can flare the ends w/ the fitting you have. they have a professional double flaring tool and it would cost you a couple bucks. then install them and you're done.

you can buy lines in standard lengths at any parts store and you can bend them by hand just use your vise with sockets 3/4 or larger,,if you have a problem with line to fitting size the parts store can help you....doc

If your running a vacumme booster I would use a proportioning valve. It will provide a more even brake pressure to the front without locking up the rears. NAPA sells a good flaring kit thats not to unreasonable, plus it comes with their warranty.

Check your local autozone. They sell brake line that's black anodized. It has fittings on it already and the lengths are as long as 4ft. The tools I suggest is a good quality double flaring tool from a local auto parts place, a simple tubing cutter from sears, small metal file, tubing bender and reaming tool. The file and reaming tool are used to clean up your cuts after using the tubing cutter. File around the outer ends and use the reaming tool to clean the inside cut of the tubing. After doing this, make your flares with your double flaring tool, and you will have a perfect non leaking flare. Works every time for me! And the black brake lines look great and they are cheap (4ft = 4.00) with ends.

I'm a professional mechanic, and i hate tubing benders, i bought a nice shiney snap on one, and i've never used it. The best thing i've found to bend tubing is just a regular wrench. You just slide the "circle" end, whatever you want to call it, over the tubing, and pry the wrench down and bend it whatever way you want. Probably hard to picture, but give it a try, you get a whole lot more control, and much better range of angles than with the tubing benders.

For a flaring tool, pretty much any auto parts store, even sears sells them. I also have a nice expensive *** snap on set, and they guy i work with has a $10 set he got from an auto parts store and it works better than mine.

But bending up line isnt very hard, everyone hates doing it for some reason though. Keep in mind you're NOT going to bend up a tube that looks 100% like your original, so dont even try for perfection, you'll just get frustrated.

thanks for all the tips guys, the actual bending doesnt scare me it's just the " oh darn i have to go buy this or that" in the middle of the project that frustrates me. i still dont know what diameter tubing or kind i should run. would 3/16 plain steel not stainless steel be fine? and what about fittings and unions and such? what sizes? how many? i guess i'm really just trying to do my homework and get everything needed before i get under there. this is a hot rod project not a restoration so i'm not worried about perfection, just functionality.

also anyone got any sites that sell the flex lines that go to the calipers by the lengh and not for specific car appplication???

i bought a tubing bender, cutter and flaring tool all from harbour freight for pretty cheap already.

again thanks for all the tips and help!!!!

I usually buy a variety of different lengths, then cut one end off and reflare it to the needed length.... often forgetting to slide the fitting back on before i do the flare..

CooleThenEthan,
I'm a "New Guy" to the bolt forums, but I've been working on restoring my '57 for the past year.

The first thing I updated on my TF was the breaks. Soup to Nuts - updated to Power dual reservoir with all new double flared lines (3/16th all around), new wheel cylinders and pads.

One thing I will add to your list is the 'Wilwood - Residual Pressure Valves' (or check valve). There're two types, 10 psi or a 2 psi. If your going with disk I believe you'll need the 2 psi. All of this is only if your master cylinder is level with your wheel cylinders (under the drivers seat). If your MC is mounted on the firewall you can skip all the above.

I kept my drums for now so I went with the 10 psi valves and cant say enough about them. My truck stops on a dime.

Thanks,
Jim

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzevxg5a/
web page

Fedhill http://www.fedhillusa.com/?page=home makes brake lines in all sizes that can be bent with your hands and the best flaring tool I've ever used. They are a little more cost but well worth it to me.

You might want to check these sites out to show you where to plumb in the adjustable
proportioning valve (Summit Racing) $39. and the 2 & 10 pound residual valves ($18. each).

http://www.ecihotrodbrakes.com
http://www.mpbrakes.com
http://classicperform.com

From these sites you can figure out how you want to set up your components....get a double flare kit...skip the bender ......READ THE DIRECTIONS....practice a little...I'd buy a coil of 3/16" line....you'll need it by the time you're finished.

Also, don't plan on doing the job CORRECTLY in one day. Hopefully you have a disc/drum dual chamber master up front. If you don't you'll need a mount bracket and correct master. I use the 60-70's corvette disc/drum master.

Take it one step at a time after thoroughly checking out the info on the above mentioned sites. The front discs put you way ahead of the game....now all you've got to do is get everything matched up and you'll be amazed at how great your truck will stop.

BTW...I am not a fan of using a power booster...manuals will get the job done with a lot fewer problems. Hope this helps.

Dave

any 3/16'' is just fine

here is a tip::
rock guard.................
find at a surplus type store some long lengths of 1/4'' id expansion springs. kinda like what you might use on screen door and stretch them longer. use to cover the 3/16'' brake lines. i stretched a 12'' spring to 2-1/2 feet. It leaves a nice rock protected covering. they were about 75cents each and took maybe 8 to do my whole truck.


http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=579990-R1-016-6A.jpg

http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=579990-R1-012-4A.jpg

http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=579990-R1-036-16A.jpg

ok guys bent all the brake lines and went smooth now i just have to buy the fittings and a T. Now what is this about a check valve? do i need one? i snaped a few shots of my master cylinder and booster setup, although something tells me it's not stock lol

i'm still having trouble figuring out what rubber brake lines to get for the front. i think my calipers are from a Ford ranger but dont know for sure.

[img]http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o235/marcelo54/fiddy4011.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o235/marcelo54/fiddy4012.jpg[/img]

Couple things that I see that I would be concerned about. 1st, if you only have rear brakes, the line is on the wrong side of the master (rears should be on the larger side of the master (more fluid)) the actuator rod is welded in the center. That seems a little dangerous for me. And if I recall, that was used from the throttle linkage from an AD truck (if memory serves me right.) Take a look at my installation I am doing. Sort of similar. I would always suggest using new parts for brakes. Avoid using used hardware, and brake parts (your life depends on it) My project journal is at http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/journal.php?s=&journalid=22733&action=view if you go back a couple pages you will see the installation I am doing. (Just my 2 cents worth). The only things I would change is add the residual valves 2lbs for the front Disk 10lbs for the rear drum, get a proportioning valve (adjustable or fixed) move the brake lines to the proper ports on the master and replace the actuator rod with some new threaded rod and ends.

hey sonic thanks alot for your comments. i checked into the residual valves and i guess i'll pick them up but is the proportioning valve really a MUST?! i'm trying to keep the budget down. i'm doing a driver/rod type deal not a full resto know what i mean?!?! i still have to get rubber front brake lines and fittings. any luck finding cheap lines for yours??? only thing i've found are these:

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/5059,352_DOT-Legal-Brake-Line-Hose-Kit.html

but i dont really need stainless braided, i'd be happy with regular old rubber.

One thing that is driving me crazy is not knowing all the custom stuff done to this truck prior to me buying it. disc conversion with what calipers i have no clue, mistery power booster and master cylinder, ford rear out of god only knows what, a 4 speed floor shift borg warner tranny again no clue what from. So i'm having a hard time with some things.

by the way i checked out your page, nice work looks like we have similar projects going on. i have pics and updates just like you but on another board:

http://www.killbillet.com/forumdisplay.php?f=7

under "54 chevy truck project"