What should I do with my brake lines?

[Mastiff]

Here's the deal. I have the original rubber brake lines with my 4" lift and a drop bracket off the frame. The line from the prop valve is all bent to hell and just basically goes through mid-air from the valve to the bracket.

I wanted to make the setup a little less lame, so I went and got the longer NAPA rubber brake hose, and then I also ordered some real nice pre-bent steel lines to go from the valve to the rubber hose.

My problem now is that the pre-bent steel line is impossible to install. On the driver's side it needs to snake behind a cross-member and the motor mount. It might be impossible anyway, but it's especially impossible because I have the ORD steering box brace installed which appears to interfere with the factory steel line routing. If the factory routing goes under the little notch out in the brace, we can forget about snaking the steel line through there.

So what are my options? I'm pretty much stuck. The steel line I bought is kinda bent up at this point, but I could probably still use it if I could figure out how.

Any suggestions on what I should do? Is it possible and safe to run braided flexible line from the proportioning valve to the rubber hose? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Mastiff]

Nobody has ever installed a drop bracket for their brake hoses and then changed their mind later? /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[heavy4x4]

Here's what I would do:

Go to the parts store and buy a couple of pre-made brakeline sections of small enough length so that you can get them in and around your ORD brace, frame, etc. These pre-made pieces will already be flared and have the flare nuts on them. So, all you do to connect them is get the flare union (should have it at the parts store too). Then, get under your truck with the smaller sections, and bend them up to fit around things (you can bend them by hand, just use your thumbs to push the tubing and go slow, you won't get any kinks). Once you've got your pieces bent up, connect them together and attach your brakeline. If you take your time, it could be a very clean install. I had to do this for the whole rear brakeline assembly on my suburban (however, I used a small tubing bender that I got for $7).

Good luck.

 

[Mastiff]

I ended up doing something very similar. I was going to use some 24" flexible braided steel lines in the middle and just keep the ends, but they didn't have the fittings I needed, plus the stainless steel lines I bought could not be flared by anyone locally.

So, I ended up just copying the lines I had in regular steel and building them in two sections each with fittings in the middle. The right side was still a bear because the crossmember is so wide, but I eventually got it through and connected them together.

It's not pretty, but the connection is made and it's up in the frame rail out of the way unlike before.

I have it all together but I didn't have the nerve to try bleeding it and checking for leaks yet tonight. I dread that sinking feeling when I push on the brake pedal and all my new connection spit fluid. /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif

 

[Mastiff]

Re: What should I do with my brake lines? - PICS

For the archives, here's the completion pics of the project with the longer rubber brakes lines and two piece steel lines from the prop valve. There might still be a little leak at the prop valve with the new line. Of course it's the one on top buried behind the ORD bracket that I can't see and can barely turn. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[CyberSniper]

I ran new lines from the combination valve to the calipers... and the steel lines are one piece. I don't know what your guys' problem is. /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

It wasn't "easy" per se, but it wasn't that bad either. The worst part was bending the line at the combination valve and getting the line the right length to bend it so it passed through the frame.

 

[Mastiff]

My problem was that I ordered pre-bent stainless steel lines. They are way stiffer than regular steel and you can't really bend them with your hands. I might have been able to get the driver's side in, but the ORD bracket interferes with the factory routing.

The passenger side is a prett big pain. I'm not sure how you could snake a full length piece through there, but I suppose it could eventually be done. The half length piece was bad enough and I had all the pre-bends out of it by the time I figured it out.