Brake lines

[woody]

Currently running the FJ80 brake master cylinder and stock Toyota clutch masters/slave. Front brakes are stock minitruck (but will change eventually to vented Cruiser stuff) and the rears are Monte Carlos.

10mm x 1.0 fittings for most of it...considering running adapters and 3AN braided lines from the calipers to the frame, and adapting back...anyone done this successfully? Thoughts?

Also looking to run a 10mm banjo at the clutch slave (clearance) and adapt that to a 3AN 12" braided line, then hardline across, then back to 3AN/hose/3AN-10mm

Seems like a ton of fittings and connection points, but also seems like an easy means of getting longer braided lines into the equation...

Been chasing part numbers on both Amazon and SummitRacing...

$29 for a 24" 3AN braided line with a 90 for the caliper
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CPASAK/?tag=ihco-20

$7ea for the fitting at the caliper
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014B9JN8/?tag=ihco-20

decisions decisions...

 

[Lil Rich]

I have a bit of experience with it. There is an easy way to run all your lines but generally 3 methods that most Rock Crawlers use. Price, durability, and function, just like anything else comes into play. Since we are not racing for 1000 miles you can get away with some stuff that most others cannot.

For me it is Function and Durability that I rely on. I will spend a little more on my system, but I will never have to think about it again. For this I am running Hard Line everywhere I can (Axles, Links, Chassis, etc), Running Steel Braided Soft Line elsewhere. My system has rear bias, single line to the front axle, splitter to each caliper at the housing. The rear is more complicated and has a single line to the cutting brakes, and then a line that goes to each rear caliper with routing down the upper link. I have 6" braided lines at each heim, and 12" line at each caliper. I also had to convert from Ford 1 Ton Calipers to -3AN, -3AN male to Flare female, throughout many locations in the chassis. I wouldn't worry about multiple fittings as our slow speeds and easy access to parts of the vehicle make for easy maintenance and leak checks.

You could run Steel Braided throughout but I have found that this is more expensive and doesn't translate well for function. As you hit the brakes the line will move and be manipulated through pressure of the system. This makes for soft brakes and in Crawling, (especially for me with more motor) great brakes are highly coveted. Even the willys had soft brakes and it made difficult obstacles even tougher. At times I would finish a hard spot and need to get out and walk around to take the stress off my left leg. Generally speaking though, many people run these parts and don't have a problem. Ignorance is bliss...

The most affordable is plastic line. Surprisingly, these lines do not have issues with movement or manipulation, they function great and are cheap, but their reliability is an issue when driving through brush or dealing with long term effects. When they get old or near heat, they become brittle and break easy. I had to change the entire system on the willys from Plastic to Hard Line because I was constantly braking lines while trying to break open new trails. I would even break the line by accidentally brushing up against the line with a tool, hand, strap, Kids feet, etc. Granted, these were probably about 4 years old or worse, but it was a head ache until I eventually changed out the system.

 

[woody]

I've got a 25' roll of hardline arriving today to plumb the main stuff, then run braided to each component. Sounds like -3AN is the option....will get ordered when you return

 

[ColoradoBuilt]

For anyone wanting to do -3an with all hardline and short peices of braided, I highly recommend looking at wide open designs. They have assembled a kit of fragola parts that includes the soft lines, tube nuts, etc. I only need banjo adapters and tubing. I used 3/16 stainless tubing throughout my buggy. Bought in a coil from summit and bought an eastwood tubing straightener ( which works awesome). I also bought a flaring tool from then that made easy work of the stainless.

 

[Mace]

I've used 3an stainless braided lines whenever I have needed to go from metric to 'Merican. My 40 has a ton of the lines in it due to the 1 ton axles. All hard line is the 10MM metric fittings adapted to -3 stainless braided teflon hose. With the links that means 4 stainless braided sections per end. 2 to the calipers, one from axle to link, and one from the link to the frame. Actually, there is one more because of the Hydraulic parking brake in the rear. So 9 hoses total.

It does tend to end up costing a bunch, but for the price, you can easily get lines made almost anywhere. However, it's a system that has held up over the years when others haven't.