Brake line ??

has anyone ever used a flexible /braided steel/kevlar brakes line from a firewall mounted master cyl down to their front/rear distribution points....is it a bad idea? and if so what would be those reasons.......scott

 

I suppose if it's properly rated - it should be fine. I believe the common theory is to minimize your "rubber" (or flexible) lines since they tend to expand ever so slightly under pressure. You've got FLEX lines in there I don't know of any real problems using one off the master will cause. Matter of fact - now that you got me thinking - the old Hemi Super Stocks used to use rubber lines off the master - because when they squeezed those motors in there you couldn't remove the last plug on teh drivers side - the M/C was in the way - so they put rubber lines allowing them to unbolt teh m/c off the firewall - slide it over and get to that last plug. WOrked for them - should work for you so long as it's the RIGHT line.

 

lot of the 'newer' GM products have braided lines off the master [venture vans come to mind].

 

Scott,
No experience with the lines you named,but the teflon-coated line at the parts vendors is great stuff! Bends smooth and flares great.
Good luck with your project!

 

Flexible line does expand slightly under pressure. Hard line does not. You may or may not feel a difference, depending on the length.

Make sure you secure it well away from the steering shaft and heat.

 

thanks for the feedback all....just pondering the idea.....my motorbike has braided steel all over the place and i dont think i have a problem with it being used there... i know the weight is different but the theory of operation should be the same...we use them at the 4 corners because its a superior improvement....so i'm just trying to reason why one shouldnt use it in the 1st part of the system....

Ralfs56....securing them would be a for sure thing.....heat though has me thinking about the rubber lining of the line around where the exhaust will be....would the braided steel cook the lining?!?!....
how far away would it need to be safe??
it will be for my 51 chevy and i will be using a walton fab firewall mount mc and the lines would be snaked down through the triangular support behind the steering shaft support behind the shaft and connectected on the outside of the frame...do you think that cavity would hold too much heat and if so would some header wrap from the collector (block hugger style ) back a couple feet be enough heat reduction....

 

thanks for the feedback all....just pondering the idea.....my motorbike has braided steel all over the place and i dont think i have a problem with it being used there...

Bikes use a lot of flexible line to account for the extreme range of motion of the handle bars & wheels and to eliminate wet joints. The braided stainless lines are very expensive, so they wouldnt use them if they didn't need to.

Ralfs56....securing them would be a for sure thing.....heat though has me thinking about the rubber lining of the line around where the exhaust will be....would the braided steel cook the lining?!?!....
how far away would it need to be safe??
it will be for my 51 chevy and i will be using a walton fab firewall mount mc and the lines would be snaked down through the triangular support behind the steering shaft support behind the shaft and connectected on the outside of the frame...do you think that cavity would hold too much heat and if so would some header wrap from the collector (block hugger style ) back a couple feet be enough heat reduction....

Thru the triangle opening and outside the frame will keep things nice and cool. Attach them securely and dont let them chaffe on anything. If you've only got a couple of inches clearance from the exhaust, fab up a shield. The goal is to never have the fluid get above 284 degrees (F). Thats the temp that old fluid, saturated with water will boil. Fluid absorbs water over time. New fluid boils at nearly 500.
Header wrap would be a good idea in general, just to reduce heat load on the rest of your car. Lookin good so far.........Good luck!!

 

well after a few months of opinons and more research i have finished mocking up my brake system on the 51 chevy...i used a Walton Fabrication 49-54 chevy mc/booster/pedal ***y and custom length braided steel lines, a few thru the frame fittings, and some really neat banjo fittings for the mc from Pure Choice Motorsports. Napa supplied the very easy to use hand bendable tubing (although i used a couple tube benders too).
www.purechoicemotorsports.com
www.waltonfabrication.com

 

That looks really neat. I mean "neat" as in well laid out.

 

I agree........nice work!!

 

is that hump in the line to take up extra line or does it have some other function I cant think of?

 

thanks i tried to give it a little extra thought!

you got it....20 inch line that i got down to 17 with that hump...