Brake lines for front calipers
 

Hey all,

Read through the disc brake reference thread, but didn't see what I was looking for.

I'm after some info/photos of the brake line setup for the front of the truck for those that have done a disc brake conversion. I have an 85 front end under mine, but it's been awhile since I had any brake lines on the frame, so I can't remember how it was routed before, and how much it needs to change with the new setup.

I'm trying to figure out the following:

• How the softline connects to the hardline
• Where the softline should mount to the A-arm
• How the softline should route to the caliper
• Additionally, if someone has recommendations on what softline to use I'm all ears.

Any photos people have of how their softlines are mounted/run would be awesome!

Thanks all!

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

Heres some pics of the 61
We did. It has a 79 front end under
It with 1 1/4 rotors
This is the pass side looking back

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

Ah okay, so bolting it to the A-arm is all the mounting it needs huh? I assumed it had some hard mount at the junction, but appears not.

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

It will need a mount at the hard line. a bracket and C-clip. Ours is not complete yet. But gives you an idea of how to route the lines. These are stock lines from NAPA about $16.00 each The clip is already on the line and a small bolt holds it to the A-arm

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

Ah okay so in that photo on the right there will be some bracket you'll make and hang off the frame?

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

I am using the same parts as you mentioned. The new lines have a metal part attached that fits into a hole in your upper control arm. The line is long enough to fit in a hole in your frame. The line has a clip on it to keep it up against the frame and you will have to find a nut that will fit the line on the inside of the frame. I got a couple of them at Fasteners in town. Your small line off the metering block will screw into the new line. You will probably have to make new lines for your front brakes and definatly will for you rear brakes.

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

Factory disc trucks have the lines on the front side where the drum brake ones had them to the rear of the crossmember. When I converted my C10 panel, I made new lines for the front and mounted a bracket in the approx. location that a stock disc brake setup would have. This routes the soft line from the front to the rear and keeps any tight bends out of it and allows freedom to move as the suspension cycles up and down.

Sorry for the blurry pic but this is the bracket I mounted.

http://gallery.lisaandmike.org/album...l/PICT6259.jpg

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

Not sure how the 85 front crossmember mounts compared to the 63....but you can see the factory soft line mount here in this pic. Hard line will meet it on the back side of the frame. As stated above...just has a c-clip to hold the line in place.

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

THanks for the photos! Does anyone have a shot of just the bracket? Does it just have a hold in it, or is it shaped in any certain way?

Also, anyone have a shot of the end of the softline that connects to the hardline? I'm guessing they're unique as well, and a universal line from Summit wouldn't work? From what has been said it appears it has inner and outer threads?

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

Mine is welded to the frame and just has a round hole in it for the line to come through. Once the line comes through the c clip attaches. I'll check and see if I have any better pics of the tab.


Heres a few more of the tabs on the crossmember (upper a arms removed in the pics) and a good diagram showing the hard line and the soft line connection. Tab goes between them.

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

Sweet, thanks again!

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

There are a handful of places that sell weld on tabs, where you pretty much mount as needed. Summit has a large selection....do a search under "brake line tab" and it'll pull up a bunch....cost around $3-4 each

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

The '71-'72 hoses are shorter and will attach to the tab on the crossmember as in 1963c-10's pic. The '73-'87 hoses are longer and attach to the uper control arm and then pass thru the frame where the hard line connects. This is basically what 64tantruck showed in his pic. IIRC there is an oblong hole in the '63-'66 frames that can be used for the brake line.

Re: Brake lines for front calipers
 

I think an issue that should be discussed is LENGTH and ROUTING of the flexible line to the front calipers. There is so much variation in geometry here that it makes it very hard for a guy to install the lines and know for sure its right. And let's face it. It has to be right.

I just had a Brand New braided steel flex line fail...... And the truck hasn't even hit the road yet. Just rolling in and out of shop. If I had taken a maiden voyage it would have been really bad, and the braided stuff is supposed to be better than rubber. So naturally now I am very interested in getting this part right. It failed right at the crimp, as if the line was stressed too much. But it was all brand name stuff from the guys we all know, as a kit.