Brake line fitting questions.....

[J.Cagle]

I need to start working on my truck again and it's time to start adding new brake lines. I have no experience in this so Im needing some help. I swapped the front and rear end out of an '84 into my '64. I know I can just go to the local parts store and buy new rubber lines that go up front and on the back, but what about the hard lines? Is it better to buy a roll of tubing and do it myself? Im guessing thats my only option since things have been swapped around. What size line, and what size fittings will I need? Any advice would be great! Thanks, Jared

[70cst]

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[J.Cagle]

Really figured someone woulda had some pointers for me.....

[1963c-10]

I just measure the lengths that I need and bend them by hand. I start with the driver side rear wheel and plumb it to the "t" on the rear end. Then just work your way back to the master cylinder. If you have any of the old lines that run down the frame, that will save you some of the work on the lengths.

[jimmydean]

I was watching Trucks or something last weekend and they showed the tube straightener for coil tube. I will be running all hard lines for fuel, brake, and air and it's MUCH cheaper to buy a coil.

http://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS-Performan...23180/10002/-1

[chevy_mike]

Originally Posted by jimmydean

I was watching Trucks or something last weekend and they showed the tube straightener for coil tube. I will be running all hard lines for fuel, brake, and air and it's MUCH cheaper to buy a coil.

http://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS-Performan...23180/10002/-1

Only if you are doing a LOT of vehicles. That straightener is $200 by itself. Add the line and fittings you need. It adds up quickly. I could use 5' pre made lines, bend, cut (use the fittings that came on the line) and reflair the ends and do about 5-6 trucks for the price of that strightener.

Doing lines, mainly the double flair part takes practice. It's almost Zen like. I have done so many, I can about do them blindfolded but it took a lot of learning to find the tecnique that worked for me.

The biggest mistake many make with converting to discs is using the original front frame mounting tabs for the flex lines. These are on the backside of the crossmember. To correctly run flex lines for discs, they need to be mounted to the front side of the crossmember, so the line moves correctly and doesn't get pinched or overflexed. Here is a not great picture of the bracket I made and you can kind of see the line routing to the caliper. This route keeps gradual bends and allows for turning and up/down motion.



Buy a good qualilty flairing tool. Make sure you put a taper on the inside and outside of the end of the line before making the flair. Lack of doing the inside taper is a major cause for cracking the end of the line when flairing. Practice, practice, practice... then practice some more. Unless you are doing gental bends, make sure you use a tubing bender so you don't kink or collapes the line. This takes a little practice too. BTW, did I mention practice?

Brake lines need to be taken seriously and if you are not sure of your skills or tools, take it somewhere.

[64shortbox]

I haven't done this yet but I plan on buying a roll of brake tubing from these people. I also plan on running my brake line down the drivers side of the truck for the rear brakes to clean things up a little. You can also rent a double flaring tool kit and tubing bender from Oreily's. It's actually free. They charge you the full price up front for both but when you bring them back you get all of your money back. BUT make sure you check how many days you have to bring the tools back because after a certian time frame they start charging you a rental fee. However if you aren't finished you can bring the tools back & rent them back again for free unless someone is waiting for that particular tool. I would buy a good tubing cutter like a Rigid, the cheap ones will tend to walk and make a sprial cut.
I have done brake lines in the past and it's not that difficult but is time consuming. I would use a piece of gas welding rod or a straightened coat hanger for a target, then when you are happy with those results bend & cut your brake line to match. I would bend first then cut off your excess & double flair. Hope this helps.
Here's the link: http://www.fedhillusa.com/

[J.Cagle]

Originally Posted by chevy_mike

Buy a good qualilty flairing tool. Make sure you put a taper on the inside and outside of the end of the line before making the flair. Lack of doing the inside taper is a major cause for cracking the end of the line when flairing.

How exactly do you do the tapers? Im guessing there is a tool for this....

Thanks sooo much for all the help guys!

[64shortbox]

A good tubing cutter has a deburring tool that folds out of the housing and you use this to deburr or taper the INSIDE of the tubing.

[jocko]

yes - the coat hanger tip is good gouge. I prefer straight length tubing and bend from there rather than a roll, but that's because I'm a freak for straight lines, don't like spaghetti and I'm not very good at straightening coiled line.

As for line size - it should go as follows:

from rear port on mc: 3/16" line to the front disks
from front port on mc: 1/4" line to the rear drums

[markeb01]

I’ve always used the longest premeasured lengths available with the fittings on both ends, and bend/flare them myself. I agree that quality tools are essential for best results, that and a lot of patience. If the longest available premade lengths are not enough to reach end to end just add a double female fitting to connect two hard lines.

Here are a few suggestions that work for me:

Avoid the green/black vinyl coated hard line available at most national chain stores unless you intend to bend it by hand and use the original flares. Silver color galvanized line is still available at many of the smaller independent outfits. With the galvanized line I haven’t kinked a piece of tubing since I was about 15 years old. I cannot bend the vinyl coated tubing without kinking it, and I’m using European rolling benders.

Also, I can’t remember the last time I ever messed up a flare until I worked with the vinyl coated tubing. I found it impossible to form a flare that wasn’t off center. Others find the green/black tubing delightful, but I’m not one of them.

When you’re at the bench forming the flares, take a felt marker and make a big note to yourself to always check for the fitting before forming the flare. The most common mistake is forming the flare then realizing you forgot to install the fitting first. Cutting the flare off to install the fitting frequently shortens the tube enough to ruin the piece.

Use the coat hanger trick to create a template for the new tube you want to create. When you’re ready to start making bends in the finished tube (especially if there are multiple bends) use an extra piece of coat hanger and form the identical turn with the bending tool, trying to match the pattern. It is very easy to form the bend backwards, 180 degrees from where you wanted it to end up. If you form the extra coat hanger first, it will provide a visual reference of the preferred tool orientation so the bends always head the right direction.

Good luck with your project..

[aerotruk63]

I've used cheap flaring tools with some nice results, then i used a buddys Snap-On flaring tool kit. Heaven!
Out of desperation and without a tube bender, I used the trailer ball on my hitch. Maybe it's the galvanized tubing I was using, but man made it every easy for complicated bends.

[J.Cagle]

Thanks! Another question.....I still have the factory proportioning valve off the suburban that was my donor vehicle. Should I use it, or buy a different kind? And where should I put it at? The suburban's was on the crossmember on the drivers side.

[Rich 5150 69]

if you have trouble with flaring or double flaring especially, aneal the end to be flared with an gas enriched torch, makes it so much easier....!

[Captainfab]

As long as it is still functioning, use it. You can mount it where ever you like. Some guys mount it up beside the master cylinder with a bracket, and others mount it down on the frame or on the crossmember under the radiator.

Originally Posted by J.Cagle

Thanks! Another question.....I still have the factory proportioning valve off the suburban that was my donor vehicle. Should I use it, or buy a different kind? And where should I put it at? The suburban's was on the crossmember on the drivers side.