Brake Lines Connections

[68 SuperRam]

What is commonly used to connect two steel brakes lines together - a threaded brass union - or cut the ends and use a compression fitting?

[Jim Nilsen]

What is commonly used to connect two steel brakes lines together - a threaded brass union - or cut the ends and use a compression fitting?

A double flared male or female coupler with the correct nuts whether it be brass , steel or stainless steel is acceptable. Steel is better than brass and stainless is best if the line is stainless.

Never use a compression type fitting on a brakeline, it is unsafe in any brakeline situation

[68 SuperRam]

Any place to get these - besides a local auto store?

[Tom 72RS/SS]

Try these guys. http://www.rightstuffdetailing.com/2004_pdf/camaro.pdf

[Bowtie1z28]

Try www.fedillusa.com. They have all of the fittings specific to brake lines you could need. The cunifer brake line(special copper/nickel alloy that is rustproof)is very easy to work with and they will also rent you a slick tube flaring tool for $25/week or $350 if you buy it outright. I did my entire brake system with their products plus the flaring tool and every flare was spot on perfect. It took about 15sec tomake each flare. Talk to Tim and he will set you up!

Tom

[megaladon6]

definately use the proper brake fittings/unions.
the link to fedillusa isn't working for me, but if you expect to do a bunch of brake lines and want a great flaring tool that does standard and bubble flares, push-connect and GM fuel line ends, check out mastercool's hydraulic kit. i bought mine a few years ago for about $350. it's still my favorite tool.

[MonzaRacer]

Now dont get me wrong I would prefer to have a flare fitting but in a pinch most NAPA stores sell a steel compression fitting that will repair steel lines as long as they are not rusty.
I tend to not use them on anything heavy nor something that is going to be raced. BUT in all fairness they are pretty much permanant if installed correctly. BUT if your building lines, simple use flared unions or buy rolls of line and a good flaring tool(manual or hydralic, I prefer the hydralic ones) and fittings and make your own. Snap-on, MAc Tools, Matco tools all sell a real nice hand setup. But I am going for a hydralic unit.

[Rick Dorion]

I have the Mastercool and love it. I bought the fittings at NAPA and redid most of the lines on my 'new' 92 Volvo wagon.

[MonzaRacer]

I went and looked up the ratings on the steel compression fittings and the 3/16 , when torqued properly has a raated preasure ceiling(ie max working psi) strength of 17,900PSI and burst pressure of over 23,000psi.
Well beyond the steel lines used for brakes, they are listed as acceptable repairs when limited to one per steer axle and 2 per rear or tag axle.
Dont take this to mean use them, but for repairs or making test lines to validate if a system will function before wasting expensive stainless line, I have and will use them. I have also tried to remove them, and the darn things litterally weld themselves to the line when installed properly.
and after a few weeks in wet environ ment they will hardly ever come loose.

[Jim Nilsen]

I went and looked up the ratings on the steel compression fittings and the 3/16 , when torqued properly has a raated preasure ceiling(ie max working psi) strength of 17,900PSI and burst pressure of over 23,000psi.
Well beyond the steel lines used for brakes, they are listed as acceptable repairs when limited to one per steer axle and 2 per rear or tag axle.
Dont take this to mean use them, but for repairs or making test lines to validate if a system will function before wasting expensive stainless line, I have and will use them. I have also tried to remove them, and the darn things litterally weld themselves to the line when installed properly.
and after a few weeks in wet environ ment they will hardly ever come loose.

I recall a machine called the "extruder" it had more hydraulic lines than you ever wanted to imagine. Built in the 40's it was a mix of every repair that was available at the now moment. It even had plastic hose and push fittings in some places. The times that some of these fittings would give up would defy all logic and reason. compression fittings were the mainstay of most quick repairs until the whole line could be replaced and many just stayed and got ignored until they leaked,some never leaked again. The key to success was the person who installed it and how clean the tubing is where the repair is made. Most splices that failed were always tubing that was questionable and the thickness and surface of the tubing was compromised by rubbing,vibration and age. I will never miss that leaking piece of crap.

The cost of a correct repair is not that much more and falls into the category of , "if you have the time to do the job twice you have the time to do it right the first time" . Some supervisors and managers don't agree when there are 30 people standing on the line doing nothing while you fix the bad leaking or broken line. Emergency repairs turn into permanant repairs all too many times in this world we live in.

Without being there and being able to see the condition of what there is to work with I prefer to error on the safe side.

[smhigh]

Here is the link to Federal Hill Trading Company

http://store.fedhillusa.com/

[68 SuperRam]

Thanks for all the pointers - one last question - I have noticed on some cars - that the lines that come out of the distribution block to go to the brakes - coil around themselves a few times (in a circle) before they head on down to the frame rails - is this necessary - what is the purpose of this?

[Rhino]

When looking at the front braking system on a car, The front lines are split from the same pressure source. Because of this they leave the distribution block at the same pressure. If the lines are not equal in length, it's possible to end up with higher pressure at one caliper.
These coils are bent into the lines to take up extra "slack" and insure the lines are the same length.

[68 SuperRam]

OK makes sense.

Can I use "racing" braided brake lines? I see that Russell - has two lines of brake lines - one is for racing - that they say is not DOT approved? Any reason why? Just curious - I have some lines from Coleman racing - want to know if I can use?

[Apogee]

Thanks for all the pointers - one last question - I have noticed on some cars - that the lines that come out of the distribution block to go to the brakes - coil around themselves a few times (in a circle) before they head on down to the frame rails - is this necessary - what is the purpose of this?

If you meant that the tubing is coiled where it exits the master cylinder, that is a strain relief since the body and frame are not rigidly mounted to one another (unless you've replaced your body mounts with rigid ones). The body and frame will move slightly relative to one another while driving due to vibration and handling forces/torques, so having strain reliefs in the hard lines distributes the movement over a longer length of tubing, reducing the amount of deflection per inch and decreasing the chance of cracking a hard line which will usually happen at the fittings.

Equal lengths of tubing in a brake system is not necessary as the flow requirements are so low, it would take hundreds of feet of tubing to make an apreciable difference due to frictional line losses.

Brake hoses that are "DOT compliant" have been designed and manufactured to meet or exceed the US Federal D.O.T. MVSS-106 specifications set for OE manufacturers. Racing hoses are not required to meet this specification and they typically fail the "whip test" if they are standard braided stainless/teflon hoses without specially designed hose/fittings or any sort of reinforcement at the fittings. You can run either type of hose, but for a street car I would recommend D.O.T. compliant hoses. Better to err on the side of safety IMHO.

Tobin
KORE3

[tomspo04]

Does anyone know where to get the clamp-type brake line mounts for the rear axle? They would mount where the hard line and soft line meet. Thanks, in advance...

Tom