Do not like how low the brake hose is in relation to the split wish bone. Do not want to buy fancy thru frame connector. So I came up with this mocked to scale sample before hacking into the frame. Here’s the underside for wrench access to brake line nut. Frame still strong enough?, what do you think?
With the size of the frame rail where you are doing that you still have plenty of strength. Still more strength than an unboxed rail, even with the cut out. Looks like you could still make the fittings accessible with an even smaller opening if you wanted.
It’s 7/8” wide in the photo. Greatly reduced from original lay out of 1 1/2” wide. Thumb and finger still fit’s @ 7/8”.
Get a brake hose that takes a 5/8-18 nut, make a short brake line that just extends thru frame, make an extra deep socket, tighten the short line in hose, put it thru the frame, slip the jam nut over the line and tighten with the socket, tighten a tee on the short line now protruding thru the frame, and hook up the other two lines. Does away with the big oval hole in the bottom of the frame, holes in the sides are OK.
I didn't want to go through the frame as bleeding those lines can be a real PITA. I welded brackets like you showed in your opening post and used shorter lines. I ran the SS lines under the front frame horns from the M/C under the floor And around the side of the crossmember and the U bolts.
@Bandit Billy the reason why I wanna go up is to not have the bone come in contact with the brake hose under extreme road condition. Here’s suspension under full static compression.
I am in total agreement with you! That line hitting those bones is going to abrade and wear, that could have serious consequences. I have found that the closer the frame mount is to the center of the backing plate, the shorter the brake hose (flexible bit). I bought a longer set initially and switched to these shorter lines for similar reasons. I have often wondered why not run the hard lines across the axle (behind the axle and inside the flange to protect it) and up the backing plates to the wheel cylinders in a continuous SS hard line. It would look cool with no hoses to the frame. You would just need to install a flex hose (like on a rear axle) between the axle and the frame to allow for suspension travel.
Crumple zones? If you’re concerned about strength you could fabricate a doubler to go around that hole and spot weld it in place.
I did mine as per your original post. Having done so, we did have to orientate the brake hose a little to keep it off the wishbone. On yours, can’t you turn it anticlockwise 1/4 turn on the ch***is to lift it above the wishbone ? Or use a slightly shorter hose ?
***uming that the nyloc on the panhard rod not engaging with thread of the bolt is because it is still in mock up stage.
I'd be comfortable with the frame strength like that. It's already been suggested a doubler could be introduced; a feature could be made of that, eg riveted (probably faux), or a cover plate. Doubler with matching cover? Chris
Another idea; the hose bracket does not have to be 90 degrees to the frame. While these are close to horizontal; even a few degrees could shift the hose's movement to avoid the wishbone.
After being under the weather these last two weeks, I’ve changed my mind. Perhaps it was watching Frank Lloyd Wright’s last blue print during his death made me think thinning isn’t a good idea. Anyway’s, I just twisted the hose to creat an S shape vs the more pleasant looking C shape. As shown before After
It's been said "sometimes the answer is staring you in the face"! So Johnny, what can we help you with next? Us old deuce owners need help from time to time.
@Bandit Billy to the tubing bender. Just kidding. That is the lay out I’m going to do. Crossing my fingers it’s one attempt.
I did one in that cheap copper alloy stuff you get at NAPA and it was close for a first attempt. The second one was in polished stainless. I like to polish the line first, bend it and then repolish the mars the bender (the tool and the user) added. My bender is ****, one of those with the 3 or 4 size gutters and a handle that folds over the top. I always have to remind myself where the mark I made goes to get the right bend. I find bending tubes is almost artistic, you feel it more than tell it. I masked off my painted crossmember, do that! That bend was one of the trickiest on that car. I started with the center section and a piece of SS that was too long. I made that bend around the u bolts and then made the move up the crossmember by hand, one side at a time. More pipe bender to align it with the front brake hoses and the t joint (a chrome plated Harley Davidson item). Before the final bend, cut the tube to length, add the fitting, and flare the line. Then put it back in the tubing bender and make the final bend. Test fit and polish. I'm here. Work out day. Just wrapped it up. Now it's time to sip my iced coffee, check on the HAMB and wait for the Vicodin to kick in. Sorry to make you boys wait. You have to put an ampersand (@) in front of the name, once you start typing the name it will auto fill or give you choices of names that start that way.
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