I have a question about running brake lines to the front of my truck. I’ve never run lines before so trying to figure out what some of you guys are doing as far as location. I’m using nicopp/copper lines. And I have the flaring and bending tools. I’m comfortable bending and flaring the lines. I’m just not sure where to run them. I have a 54’ Chevy 3100. Brake master cylinder has been upgraded to the CPP kit with proportioning valve but still in the stock location underneath. Stock frame and suspension. Upgraded to disc. And running a Chevy 350.
I’m looking to see where I should run the front lines. I’m thinking about running the line along the drivers side rail and teeing at the front driver wheel and then go up to the front cross member, under the radiator support, along the underside of that and over to the front passenger wheel. I know the factory went across the cross member under the transmission. I removed that factory member and put in a removable member in its place to fit the 700r4 transmission. I was looking at avoiding that new removable member just in case there was ever an issue with the transmission.
My questions are: Is this the way you guys ran your lines in a similar setup like I have? When I installed the new motor mount for the V8 it went right over the thru hole for the brake line. Did you guys redrill a hole in a different location so the line still passes thru the frame or did you just bolt the factory bracket to the bottom of the frame and had the hard and flex lines transition there?
Any thoughts on these two questions and/or pictures are much appreciated. Thank you.
I ran the brake lines on my '51 in the stock location, crossing the rear engine mount crossmember to the passenger side, to the right front and rear. Then across the front crossmember to the driver's side. I don't see any reason you couldn't run along the driver's side and then cross over to the right front wheel. You could also run back along the driver's side frame rail and cross over at the rear crossmember to the original location for the hose to the rear axle. Attached are a couple of pics of my brake lines. Also you can take a look at the original locations using THIS and a few following pages as a reference. Since you're not using a stock brake system, you're free to do whatever you need to do. As far as drilling for a division block mounting, do that in the middle of the frame web for least strength reduction.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Drilling and/or welding on frame flanges is bad juju. It creates unwanted stress points that can lead to cracks. You can pretty much Swiss cheese the vertical part of a frame rail without compromising its strength, but stay away from the flanges. I'd recommend running the brake lines inside the C-channel wherever possible for maximum protection, or along the back side of the crossmember under the core support. Jerry
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Thanks for the thoughts and of the pictures so far guys. Pictures always seem to help me visualize better. I have looked in my book to see how the old lines were run. For the most part the plan was to have the line on the inside of the channel. Just trying to figure out crossing over and where to run it.
As far as drilling in to the flanges I wasn’t planning on drilling a thru hole like in the web. My thought was more to attach the original bracket that I had to remove that was on the exterior of the frame and bolt that to the flange bottom possibly. There are other areas in the flange that are factory holes. I could possibly keep the bracket on the outside of the frame and turn it down so it sticks below the frame and then run my line in to that. I Just didn’t know if I wanted to cut another large thru hole in the web like original was or just wrap it around the flange and under. Curious what others had done.
My truck is a Task Force era, 2 ton. The factory lines were all inside the frame rails. From the MC to the Hydrovac, then to a tee mounted near the Hydrovac inside the frame, then to the rear and front along the drivers side frame, then another tee at the left front wheel inside the frame, from there it crosses under the front cross member to the right front. I would think going under the frame rail would be fine as long as it's protected by the axle or other suspension component. Make sure the lines are secure so they don't vibrate and rub.
1957 Chevrolet 5700 LCF 283 SM420 2 speed rear, 1955 IH 300U T/A, 1978 Corvette 350 auto, 1978 Yamaha DT175, 1999 Harley Davidson Softail Fat Boy
When I ran lines on my '37, I went inside the frame rails where I could, then along the sides when I had to cross over. Nothing under the rails or crossmember, never know when you might stick a jack under there. The length won't matter if you have to go the long way around, once full of fluid, the pressure will be the same. Welding small tabs to mount is OK, better then going through in my opinion, and use lots of clamps to keep it secure.
