Wilwood Tandem M/C-pros and cons of plumbing separate front feed lines

[flipper58]

The Wilwood M/C I will be installing (with proportioning valve kit) has 2 out ports for the front brakes so that you can run a dedicated line to each front caliper. I think that would be the better way to plumb the front brakes simply because in the event of failure of one side (which might be remote) you would still have the other side. Does that make sense? Any cons to that connection?
Thanks,
Phil

[weq92f]

Hmmm... It's not all positive.

Imagine this: Once side fails while you are doing a very hard stop. If your reaction is very quick, you might avoid a spin/rollover, but the truck will go out of control most likely.

With a single feed, you'd simply have no brakes all of a sudden rather than dealing with the result of loss of one side only.

Twin engine pilots train for engine failure on take-off run but many still crash when it happens for real. It's about what happens in the moment of need, not exactly a good analogy, but...

-klb

[leftybass209]

It's just a trade off of pros and cons. If manufacturers had a legitimate concern for the issue you stated (or if a regulating body could find concern), they would have integrated that from the factory, or at least made it optional.

One wheel braking is dangerous, that's why the safety mechanism is done in pairs with a dual MC.

[sprint_9]

I dont think it works that way, if you blow a line the other side will lose pressure out of the blow out and you will be left with rear brakes only. You cant maintain hydraulic pressure with a hole in the system.

Instead of running one line out of a standard type proportioning valve and then down to a tee, from the tee to each wheel. You instead have the tee build into the proportioning valve.

[HO455]

I believe Sprint9 is correct. In order for it to be completely separate you would have to have separate feeds from inside the master cylinder. Or a complex set of check valves. I believe they offer it with the dual feed is so the race car folks can run the exact same length of brake line to both front brakes so both cylinders work at the same time. But check with Willwood to be sure.

[Eastonspeedworks]

I ran both front lines on my truck the first time and this time I ran a single to a tee. There's no difference in braking but the brake lines are much cleaner and less likely to fail. And if you lose one side you lose them both. My cpp stainless braided hose broke on one side and sent me into a busy intersection a couple years ago

[flipper58]

Thanks all. Very interesting responses. The decision is not so simple as I now see.
Phil

[weq92f]

Assume="make an @ss..."

My bad!

I too have experienced loss of pressure in a '94 GM F-Body with Baer big brake kit. The braided line on passenger front gave out under hard braking. Fortunately nothing bad resulted that day other than brake fluid all along the side of the car, but it was a very scary event. I was intentionally hard braking in a safe area, testing/breaking in the hardware.

-klb

[Andy4639]

The front two line connections are both in the same stroke area of the cylinder so if you loose pressure to the front side of the M/C you will loose both front brakes. Putting a tee fitting in the front is how the factory did it less fittings to keep from leaking.