The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Question about JC's premade '54 Chevy brake lines.

The site says that all of the lines for the '54 year are 1/4'", but my shop manual and my own eyes tell me that only two of the lines are 1/4". The line from the master cylinder to the right frame rail that goes to the line divider, and the one on the rear axle. This has me concerned, as I have been told that if I use the universal pre cut lines with the fittings on them to make my lines up and I have to stop hard, the fittings can blow apart, and the site's description of the lines says that if I go ahead and buy the pre-made ones from JC, it won't work? I don't know if I could get someone to make some lines up and I don't know if I'd have money enough to have someone come get the truck, take it to their shop, and do the brakes there..... Anyone know what to do?

I bought a little tube bender and I used all standard lines from a parts store. You should remove each line and keep it in original shape to help make the new ones. Sometimes you can't buy a line that is the correct length. Just get one a little long and form a loop to take up the slack. You will need to clean up all your blocks.

You can pressure test your system before ever driving the truck. You can generate a lot of force sitting in the driver's seat.

So you think that I should go ahead and get the pre-made ones from a local store. I guess so then. I'll go measure everything. All of the original blocks are good and clean.

Well, the good news is that the brake lines come out to around $28 with no need to really make a loop or anything. The not so good news is that the brake line hoses cost almost twice as much as the brake lines at about $44 all together. So that is $72 all together. But I am pretty sure that Autozone has the brake hoses and I have a $50 gift card for there thanks to Ron(WE b Old) so I hope I can get by with not spending too much money.

Just make sure that if you use a union in your lines, that they give you an actual brake line union, like this, and not a compression fitting. Compression fittings are illegal for use in brake line, as they do have a tendacy to fail. Unfortunatly, some parts stores (out local AZ is bad about this) will try to sell you compression fittings instead of the correct unions.

Ahh, so there is a difference. Well, as you know, Ron does work there and the guys there actually advised him to tell me about the compression fittings. I found the union on Napa's site. It looks exactly like the one in the picture.

JDL, your doing a good job especially since you ask a lot of questions and make a good "informed" decision. Your right on the brake line sizes. They work because the "blocks" have the different and correct sizes where the lines go in. No need in spending the big bucks if you don't have to! Look or shop around as your doing and you will save money.
Keep up the good work. We want you to be able to stop without dragging your feet like Fred Flintstone

Yep, that would be kind of hard wouldn't it? I was surprised at how easy it is to bend the lines, I experimented a little with the old lines and I bend one that I had already measured three or four times and didn't kink it.

Jordan,

Don't be surprised if the rear blocks leak where they attach to the wheel cylinders, after many years they get a little touchy when a new threaded end is tightened in. They are really costly but both of mine on my 50' leaked when I assembled everything.

Try new copper washers between the brass blocks and the wheel cylinders (and use new copper washers anywhere you find an old copper washer).

Okay, thanks for the info. Hope to at least get the lines on before it snows so I don't have any more parts in the shed(already crowded) but if it does snow It will keep the wind out.

JDL: those copper washers are usually on the help at the flaps stores. Save yourself some trouble and don't put the lines in the blocks until you have new washers. They are not expensive and usually come about 4 to a pack...Good luck.

Jordan,

One more comment and then I will let this go I didn't see mention of it here as I glossed the posts but make sure you use flare wrenches on the new lines. If you don't you can ruin them very quickly with standard end wrenches.

Yeah, Brad, I asked my mom that when we go to get the stuff if we could get the wrenches. I don't remember how much they cost but it sure would help to have them in the future! A propane torch after washing and drying the blocks out(to prevent fire) and vise grips is not really all that fun.

You guys never cease to amaze. Just did my 53 and ran into everything stated. JC said they were 1/4 in and they were obviously 3/16. So I bought the stock from AZ and they tried to sell me on compression fittings, actually insistent about it, so I cleaned up some old unions I had, which worked well. Yep, the rear blocks leaked and had to do some extra cleanup and replace all the copper washers from the HELP rack. Couldn't find a long enough piece for the run to the rear so I bit the bullet for a 25 ft roll rather than splice. It really wasn't a difficult job to bend everything right, but did find the double flares on 3/16 tube to be a bit of a challenge and the line wrenches are a must seating the new flares. AZ had the flex lines in stock too.
All in all it came out good and I figure I have about 25% of the cost of the pre-made set. So, jdl, do what these guys said and you'll be ahead.
my 2 cents
bob

Thanks Bob. Any thoughts about the wheel cylinders and bleeder screws? Might have a bit of trouble there. I plan to soak the bleeder screws in pb blaster for a while but I have not a bit of a clue as what to do when it comes to wheel cylinders.

All my bleeders cleaned up but one and I had JC drop one in another order. They are only a couple bucks. Not sure but you might find a match on the FLAPS Help rack. The cylinders are easy to overhaul. You'll have to hone them and check for any corrosion where the cups slide. If there is enough to feel with your fingernail its usually not worth the aggrevation to try saving them. I got one at NAPA. My others cleaned up. I don't mind buying new if needed but reuse what I can. A couple $$ here and there adds up quickly.
Just take your time and think it out its not rocket science.
The snows comming soon Good Luck

If you have to buy new wheel cylinders, compare to these Rockauto.com prices (wait for the page to load). They ship immediately from the factory/warehouse, and usually the shipping cost is offset by the savings in sales taxes.

For comparison, NAPA's prices are about 50% higher. Usually I compare prices (and availability) at Rockauto, NAPA, AutoZone, AdvanceAuto, and CarQuest. NAPA has become my last resort because their base prices are usually higher AND, if the item is not in a local warehouse, they charge for shipping.

I just hope I can get the bleeder screws out without stripping/breaking them. Also, I've been looking at them and is it normal for the rears to look like normal one but the front ones just look like a hollow screw or bolt?

Jordan,

Are you able to post pictures? Yes, there are different styles of bleeder screws. On most of my trucks, the older style had been replaced with the modern style screw that you can find in any parts store.

Tim

Yes, I'll try to do so here soon.

Look here and here. I was looking at the pictures and I think it confirms(hard to get a good look under there) that it is not a bleeder screw, but a bolt. Unless the bleeder screw is somehow in a different spot than the rear ones.

The one in the middle is the bleeder, the end of it has been broken off. Also looks like it's packed with either dirt or rust, maybe a mix of both.

Well, that was the other idea.

JDL, when you try to take out the bleeder screws do not use and "open end" wrench. Use a "boxed end" and make sure its not worn out. That will help prevent rounding the head off...If it still doesn't want to budge clamp a pair of vice grips on it once you get it off the truck and it'll twist out...or off!!
Good luck, keep us posted.

JDL,
If you have either a six point box end wrench or a six point socket that will fit your bleeder screws, you'll have a better chance of getting them out than with a 12 point wrench or socket.
Samantha

jordan,

i pieced mine together from the stock lengths of 3/16th available at flaps. bought some connectors and T's & ran to the new brake master power booster, front to rear and vise-versa to the disc's. buy two good flare wrenches to make all connections tight. the local brake shop re-did my double flares where i needed them cut to fit. i put stretched 1/4'' springs over all lines for protection. the surplus springs were about 60cents ea. and came in 16'' lengths, so i stretched them to about 30''. it took about two days.
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=DSC00493_0007.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=2748800-R1-045-21.jpg
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-R1-036-16A.jpg

Edited by carolines truck (24 November, 2008 23:17)

What do you do if it twists off? I don't want to find out but I worked some with them today on the rears and got one loosed but the other one is being a pain, I've done pretty much all I can do for today and will have to let it soak in pb blaster some more and hopefully it will come loose. It is hard to maneuver vise grips in there, I tried.

Clean it up with a wire brush before you put the PB blaster on it. That way it can get to the threads without having to go through the dirt and rust.

And if you have a cordless drill and a socket adapter you can turn the torque adjuster on the drill down and it will act like a small hammer drill. This works great with the small body screws to keep from stripping the head out.

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll use the wire wheel tomorrow, didn't think about that but did think of somehow getting the dirt/rust off and didn't come up with a solution. Think I'll let at least the one I've worked on set until Sunday, and if the others won't come loose easily, I'll have to let them set longer too, may let them set until next week if I have to, but maybe my brother will help, he has a little more experience getting things unstuck. Might be able to get it done and if I can't he should be able too, if I can get him to help, that's the major part.

If you have access to one, a small plumbers torch to apply some heat may also help. I use that trick all the time, works wonders on stuck brake line fittings, too.

JDL; sometimes you just can't win. If it twist out then you can drill a hole in it and try to getit out without boogering up the threads.
I would suggest taking it to a mechanic friend or shop and see if someone will get it out for you......otherwise, if it twist out then you may as well ante up for a new one....if you have to have to have a new one count me in for $5 toward it and call it a Christmas present. Let me know how you make out.

Longbox, got the torch, and two canisters, it just doesn't work well in freezing weather out there, and although I'm warm in two pairs of pants and a Carhart coat it just doesn't seem to get it hot enough. Achipmunk, I will talk to my brother, usually he will be willing to help, especially when it comes to trucks. He said that he found another '54 and might stop and look at it. He is close friends with my neighbors and they have many tools, they work on a lot of stuff. If it twists, what exactly do would I need to replace? If I'm thinking of this right, I'm not sure I like thinking of it but like you said sometimes you just can't win.

Be careful applying heat to front wheel cylinders. Rubber hoses can pop out of the fittings if there's fluid in them. I know from experience.

Thanks Cletis, I've gotten the hoses loose. Although, there's some bad news. I went to stick a wrench on one of the bleeder screws and it literally popped off. Just the weight of the wrench broke it, no force applied. There's still some left though and hopefully(I asked my brother and he said that he'd help) we can get it out. If not,I don't like the idea but I guess I'll have to do some replacing. Thanks Alvin, may have to take you up on that offer.

Do you guys think that if we can't get it out that it would be worth a try to get a screw/bolt extractor?

You could try it, but it would be best to remove the cylinder from the truck first, to allow for more room to work on it. You'll need to drill it out to be able to use the correct size extractor, don't use the size that fits the existing hole, you'll break it off for sure, and once that happens, well, let's just say those extracotrs are virtually undrillable. Chuck it up in a vise, drill to extractor size, and use some heat. If that doesn't work, you may have to bite the bullet and replace the entire cylinder. Fortunatly, yours has the Bendix style brakes, the wheel cylinders aren't too bad on cost. Remember, what you do in replacemnt terms on one side, do the same on the other to maintain even braking forces.

So it is not the hub(don't know if I'm using the right words here) that I would have to replace. I'd just have to take off the wheel cylinder?

Yes.