Looking to see if anyone has a part number or application for what I'm looking for.
I need a flexible brake hose that goes from the hard line on the frame to the rear end. About 15-17" long should do. 7/16 male and female ends. The only thing I could find are the ones that go to each individual wheel cylinder, but they have all been small diameter 1/8 hose. The one I have is 3/16 hose. Nobody lists the hose size in the specs. Ordered one online, and had NAPA get one in. Both small diameter.
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
Thanks Otto. The local hydraulic place here is an Ag supply company and they make big high pressure hoses, but not small brake lines. There has to be an application out there for it. If not, I'll try your resources.
On my 46 I went with US made braided stainless / Teflon lined hoses with clear plastic outer layer that are labeled “DOT approved”for all 3 flex brake lines. Sourced them on eBay…. Made to order in US and quick turnaround…. Pedal is remarkably solid…..that’s a good remark…. Not at the truck/build book tonight so can’t provide supplier name, price reasonable….ie:low enough that I didn’t blink…
On my 46 I went with US made braided stainless / Teflon lined hoses with clear plastic outer layer that are labeled “DOT approved”for all 3 flex brake lines. Sourced them on eBay…. Made to order in US and quick turnaround…. Pedal is remarkably solid…..that’s a good remark…. Not at the truck/build book tonight so can’t provide supplier name, price reasonable….ie:low enough that I didn’t blink…
Oreilly Auto, just put in ( brake hose ) then search through for the length and use the " show more" arrow for details, there's about 5000 of them to look at.
Oreilly Auto, just put in ( brake hose ) then search through for the length and use the " show more" arrow for details, there's about 5000 of them to look at.
Same problem on that that I'm finding everywhere. They list everything EXCEPT the hose size. Got burnt twice now assuming they'd be either 3/6 or 1/4", especially considering they are 7/16 ends, but they show up and are 1/8 hose.
It really shouldn't matter what size they are, once they are full, the pressure in the whole line will be the same. Check Speedway Motors, they have some universal length rear hoses. What size tube do you have? and what size tube crosses the rear axle to each wheel cylinder?
Joe, it's 1/4 hard line to the back of the truck, then down to 3/16 to go to each rear wheel cylinder. I'm not a fluid dynamics expert, so perhaps 1/8 would be OK, but that seems small. Seems like that size hose is meant for each individual wheel cylinders at the ends, and not the one that feeds both. Doesn't seem quite right to go from 1/4, to 1/8, to 3/16 to me.
That junction that you posted from O'Reilly might be OK since it's a junction meant to feed both sides. But I'm currently set up to go to a T fitting that mounts into a bracket to hold everything tight, not a junction hose like that. But I could make a bracket for a junction type hose if need be. What I need has to exist out there, I just need to find it. Was hoping someone here already went down this road.
The other thing I worry about is the durability of the smaller hose. Will it last as long, bending and flexing constantly as the suspension works? Maybe, but it's something that comes to mind to consider.
I wonder what they are referring to as "1/8 inch", if the 1/4 inch line has 7/16" fittings, match the line nut to the tee and wheel cylinder threads and don't worry about the inside diameter of the hose.
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
Ron - According to a 1929-39 Chevrolet Master Parts List, the 1936-39 Chevys used the same flexible hose assembly for both front wheel cylinders and at the rear frame to axle connections. GM# 476719 is the listed part number. There are many of our usual vendors that offer a reproduction hose (with the correct ends and length) to replace the originals. All I found show them using 1/8" ID hydraulic flex tubing in their reproduction pieces. I agree with JoeH that the tubing inner diameter shouldn't be an issue as the flex lines should allow for sufficient volume to operate the wheel cylinders.
Others with more fluid dynamics knowledge should be along to offer more insight.
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
Dan, if that's the case, I have four brand new one's here that I bought to replace the ones going to all four of the original brakes prior to doing the conversion. I never used them. Would like someone with more knowledge than I have in this area to confirm it would be OK.
My '37, I think this is a '70-'79 Firebird/Camaro rear line, the axle is from a '79 Firebird. I went through all my receipts a few years back and threw out the ones faded I couldn't read anymore, so not 100% sure what it is, but knowing its a Trans Am axle, I suspect thats what I used.
Steel, copper, aluminum, stainless steel tubing is designated by the outside diameter. The hose could easily be known as a 1/4" hose because of the thread fittings being the same as the 1/4" steel fittings but the inside diameter of a 1/4" hose WILL NOT BE 1/4". If you are searching for a hose of a certain diameter, it will be classified by its inside diameter, a 1/4" hose will not be the same as a 1/4" tube.
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
Slightly off topic, but what does that cooler looking piece do? Is it for oil or transmission fluid? Seems a nice idea to put it someplace with lots of cool air flow around it.
Ron - I did a little digging through the web and found this YouTube video - Brake Line Size: Tech Tip Tuesday that I think provides an answer of sorts to your question on if these 1/8" ID flexible hydraulic lines will support your braking needs. Please ignore the ferd in the back ground.
In the video it specifically mentions using "AN3" sized flexible brake lines with 3/16" hard line tubing. According to further info I dug up, "AN3" flexible brakelines have a nominal inner diameter of 1/8" (approximately 3.1 - 3.2mm) which matches with all the currently available hydraulic flex lines we've been discussing.
Perhaps this helps in deciding what to get/use?
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
Mine has a crossmember welded to the frame, not the bed, and the cooler is for the transmission. No fan, just setting out in the wind. The truck is light weight with little load on the transmission, so no forced air is needed to keep it cool. I looked at a remote A/C condenser, but Vintage Air didn't recommend them even though they sold them.
I'm trying to decide on my rear shock setup, whether to install a crossmember like yours and mount them inboard of the leaf springs, or mount them outboard of the leaf springs and straight up to the frame like some of the trucks were set up from the factory. I like having the tipped-in angle like yours, but the factory didn't bother with that on some trucks so I assume it works OK running them straight up to the frame as well.
Just an update to this thread for anyone else who may see it in the future. I called Brake Hoses Unlimited for a quote on a custom flex hose. He informed me that there aren't any 3/16 flex hoses any more. Everything was standardized to 1/8. So he couldn't even make a replacement for what I have. Will just go with that, since it's all that's available. It's a very small difference, but I just didn't want to run three different I.D.'s.
