The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Opinions on Best of Brake Lines

Workin on a '50, 3604 long bed. I've had the front brakes with the cylinders still attcahed sitting on the shelf for a couple of months while I rebuilt the rest of the front end. I finally got around to disassembly and clean up last night and when I opened up the wheel cylinders to clean them up and hone them, I found black muddy sludge in the cylinder. I rebuilt the master cylinder last month and it had clean fluid in it and I didn't see any sign of water in it. Got new hoses of course, however, I am now very leary about leaveing the old steel lines on since I'm sure they are contaminated and I wouldn't trust just flushing them out.
Which brings me to the question. There are dozens of premade brake line suppliers out there, which ones have you guys had good or bad luck with?? With out having a really good double flaring tool I really would rather spend my time on something else rather than making up lines. I've had to many screwed up double flared ends and had to cut an inch off and try again. Pretty soon the line that you had all bent up nice and pretty gets to short. So, I think I'll just buy some premade lines.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I bent all the lines for the 47 big truck. I didnt have to reflair and thing. We had a kit that we bought from a swap meet and it has the one the went from left to right across the front cross member. The rest I just bought stock sections of line from the parts store. On our truck truck the one going to the rear is real long, so i just used a coupling nut to connect two of them. There are also several factroy blocks in the frma rail that you go between. There is nothing craved in stone about the line being a certain length. If it too long, use the bending tool and make a couple of 90's, or make a U shape series in it. You should find that by using the lenght from the store you can fill in any place you need with a minimum of splices. You should have the old ones, just sit down with a new peice and match the bends.

Both our 52 3/4 tons have compression fittings in there lines, in several places. I though this as someone sloopy attempt to repiar them. after looking at the two truck, they seem to be in the same places and may have been put there in the factory. Both trucks came from several hundred miles apart, so its unlikly that the same place could have repaired them.

I think it took me about half a day to bend and install the lines and the hydro-vac system. I looks a lot harder than it is. I know I stalled around for a while before I jump in and did them. Had no trouble with them since bleeding. Did have a couple of small drips around the brass blocks, you have to really put the metal to tighting them. You can buy the 3/4T premade lines in kits from Chevy Duty. I think Carters kits are only for a 1/2 ton, but it mostly the same lines, just more of them on a bigger truck.

Denny,
I just made brake lines up for my 4t6. I bought 25' of line. Don't know if they will leak as I don't have it all hooked up. I've heard here that you could bend up your lines and take to a brake shop for flaring but I double flared my own. I think I will take them back off and wire brush with a brass wheel and clear coat. I played with a scrap piece and it looked nice. Pics below
Dan
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2141598560071274430agewIk

I copped out and bought mine from Classic Tube in NY.

I did that partly because I wanted stainless (and stainless is harder to bend), and partly because I suck at bending tubing.

They've got the patterns for the 3/4 tons; many of the other vendors do not.

I build all of my own brake lines... just take your time with a "good" flaring tool, and they will come out just fine.

I bought lines from NAPA. You just buy the length you need, they come in different pre-flared lengths, and they are made to not kink when you bend them. No flaring tool, they look real good. :p

Denny,
I did what Brendan did and bought pre-formed stainless. If you get the pre-formed steel you might want to clearcoat them before install to prevent rust. Tried to save the originals for a pattern but they were like tissue paper in some places and broke in my hand. And to think I drove the ol boy for three years before the rebuild.
One thing to note: the pre-formed I purchased came packaged in a plastic flat about 3 feet long. There are s few long runs so they bend those lines for shipping and I had to unbend them and use a bending tool regardless.

In the old days we had a tool made of a spring. It was like a door spring with the ends flared larger. You would slip the spring over the brake line and then bend the tube. The spring would keep the bend uniform and less chance of kinking the line.