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Line Locks...?

Blue90

Blue90

1/2 ton status
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Aug 27, 2004
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Alright here's the deal, I've got the triple stick set up in my rig and want to be able to do front digs with out feathering my brakes. So everyone points me in the direction of line locks, and i'll be honest I have no idea how they work, where to get them, and so on. :confused::o

Could someone school me on these and give me some direction on what brands and kits are better than others?:confused:
 
i got a setup from summit, its a b&m. the cost for the parts was about 80 or 90 bucks. when it works its good, but it doesnt work all the time. i was using it as a parking brake but i think i'll take it off & go w/ the HAD transfer case unit. i actually talked to one of the tech guys at summit & he gave me the part #'s i needed.
 
Chaddy said:
Lets be clear, line locks = cutting brakes.

Chris, call Ben.
Click to expand...

Not the same.

Line lock you must depress the brake peddle and push button for the line lock to lock.

Cutting brake you pull the lever, don't have to touch the brake peddle. Also most of the time you can control what wheel you want locked up.

Line lock
sum-76000033333333333.jpg

Cutting brake
NEAL,-Cutting-Brake,-Steering,-Two-Handle,-dune-buggy-for-sale_120537054340.jpg
 
Do you still have drums on the rear? If so just use the factory e-brake cables coming off each wheel and extend them all the way to the cab separately (2 cables the whole way) then use hand e-brake levers from your favorite cars in the junkyard and viola! cutting brakes just like a VW!
 
I have had Jegs (house brand) electric line locks on my rig for years, one for the front brakes and one for the rear. Cheap and easy to install and they have always worked, though I just use them as parking brakes (don't have a twin stick capability).

I'm sure a true cutting brake would work better, but for how easy and cheap line locks are they could be an attractive option.

They are basically a valve in the brake line that you can turn on and off. Push the brakes and the fluid supplies pressure to engage the brake, flip the valve closed and it keeps the pressure applied to the brake (doesn't let the fluid/pressure return to the reservoir). I would have to check but you could probably use it the opposite way also, as in closing the valve to either the front or rear brakes then applying the pedal. The closed valve would prevent engagement of the brakes in that line.
 
Chris FYI when your truck is in low/low/low your brakes cannot hold you anyway, you can very easily drive through them.

I would do a line lock, but you don't need it to do front digs.
 
Cutting brakes suck on a spooled or locked rear. I went to the local tubing supplier in town and bout a $5 ball valve and AN fittings. Ran the rear line into the cab.
 
Blazinaire said:
Do you still have drums on the rear? If so just use the factory e-brake cables coming off each wheel and extend them all the way to the cab separately (2 cables the whole way) then use hand e-brake levers from your favorite cars in the junkyard and viola! cutting brakes just like a VW!
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I have no e-brake, I did the Disk Brake conversion on my 14 bolt and decided not to go that direction.

6.2Blazer said:
I have had Jegs (house brand) electric line locks on my rig for years, one for the front brakes and one for the rear. Cheap and easy to install and they have always worked, though I just use them as parking brakes (don't have a twin stick capability).

I'm sure a true cutting brake would work better, but for how easy and cheap line locks are they could be an attractive option.

They are basically a valve in the brake line that you can turn on and off. Push the brakes and the fluid supplies pressure to engage the brake, flip the valve closed and it keeps the pressure applied to the brake (doesn't let the fluid/pressure return to the reservoir). I would have to check but you could probably use it the opposite way also, as in closing the valve to either the front or rear brakes then applying the pedal. The closed valve would prevent engagement of the brakes in that line.
Click to expand...

Good point...I wonder if that would work.?

kgblazerfive said:
Chris FYI when your truck is in low/low/low your brakes cannot hold you anyway, you can very easily drive through them.

I would do a line lock, but you don't need it to do front digs.
Click to expand...

Yeah i know, I've done digs just as is right now, but to be honest i don't like fighting the brakes while im holding them....ya know?

ktmoutfront said:
Cutting brakes suck on a spooled or locked rear. I went to the local tubing supplier in town and bout a $5 ball valve and AN fittings. Ran the rear line into the cab.
Click to expand...

sooo....I have a detriot in my 14 bolt...will that make it impossible to use cut brakes...?




Okay, overall tons of good info so far guys:waytogo:, but I'm still a bit hung up on what I should go with. So I have a few more questions...

How exactly does cutting brakes work?
I get that you don't need to apply the break,...soo how does it make pressure?
How hard is it really to install a cutting brakes system?
 
blue90 said:
How exactly does cutting brakes work?
I get that you don't need to apply the break,...soo how does it make pressure?
How hard is it really to install a cutting brakes system?
Click to expand...

I believe they're basically like two little master cylinders (non power assist of course) and each one controls one of the rear calipers when you pull on the respective lever. That way if you want to do a front dig and turn left you can lock only the rear left and let everything else pivot around that. IME a Detroit will stay unlocked if no power is applied to it, I've heard otherwise but I have plenty of experience with Detroits and they always stay unlocked for me unless that axle is being driven.


As far as line locks go, I have a Jegs electric one on mine and it's done exactly what it's supposed to and was only $30-40 (don't know what they are now).
 
38377k5 said:
As far as line locks go, I have a Jegs electric one on mine and it's done exactly what it's supposed to and was only $30-40 (don't know what they are now).
Click to expand...

Do you use yours for a parking brake? or for something else?
 
Generally cutting brakes are plumbed to a single wheel can be locked up (such as either the left rear or the right rear). No personal experience but for trucks doing front digs just locking up both rear tires seems to work best. I've seen people try to just lock up one side (i.e. lock up left rear for a left turn) and it doesn't seem to make much of a difference as it just drags the tire around.

With a rear welded or spool diff then obviously you can't lock up only the left or right side indepentently. With a Detroit or Lock-right once you disengage power to the diff then it should work since the diff will basically act like it's open.

Not sure if was reading the comment above about pulling through the brakes in low-low, but if talking about locking up the rear to do a front dig it doesn't matter because the rear would be disengaged anyway and obviously wouldn't pull through the brakes.
 
Okay just a thought, but what if I were to but two line lock kits (one for the right and one for the left) technically that should work just like cutting brakes right?:confused:
 
Well, it would be more complex and put your line locks into harms way. The rear comes to a T at the axle then runs out to your calipers, so you would have to either set up some split lines higher up, or put the line locks down on the axle where they could potentially be damaged.

Unless your system is already completely different from the norm anyway.
 
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