Brake line fittings help needed please
 

I visited 3 auto part stores today looking for help selecting the proper fittings for a 1/4 inch brake line that I will be flaring from a coil myself. No one at any of the stores knew how to help me. I was told each time to just go buy the pre fitted lines and call it a day. I was able to get the last part store to let me in the stock area where they had a rack of the lines with fittings and I tried out a few to see if the fittings would take to at least have an idea on the master cylinder I bought what fittings to get.

The master cylinder I bought is this one
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...33&jsn=3&jsn=3

I see that the primary is 1/2 " and the secondary is 9/16" but the thread pitch I didnt know so I tried some out and I think the primary is 1/2" - 20 and the secondary looks to be 9/16" - 18.

I think this is right but wanted to check.

Here are pics of the primary

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

And the secondary

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

This is all going into a 66 c10 with front disc conversion and rear drums. I am redoing what was there but in a 1/4" line as part of the rebuild. Here is a pic before I tore it all down

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

Ive tried to diagram what I think the lines will be looking like, but other than knowing that the line is 1/4" that ill be running I am not sure about the size of the fittings that I will be needing and the couplings and T coupler sizes. Here is a diagram I did of the primary. Also the brake hoses that I have bought for the calipers are these. There are 2 end sizes listed, I think I need a fitting for end 2...the 3/8 one?

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...=1029934&jsn=7

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

And here is the rough diagram for the secondary. Im getting a little lost on this, hoping tomorrow I can make better sense of it.

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

You should be able to buy just the brake line fittings-

https://www.napaonline.com/en/search...ualified=false

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

Thanks, I ordered a kit that has most of what I needed I think from Amazon here

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The tee fitting Ill check with Napa tomorrow and see if they can get it by tuesday so I can spend Christmas messing with brake lines.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/WH_702X4

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

I could be wrong here, but with a disc/drum setup I think you will need a proportioning/metering valve coming out of the mc. Since the discs are in contact with the rotors and the drums are not, this valve meters the correct force so as to keep the drums from locking up when braking.

Something like this
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/c...MaAufNEALw_wcB

It should come with a bracket to mount to the bottom of the MC or you could mount it near the radiator. It has two ports to the front discs and a single port for the rear drums.

On my truck, the rear line goes down the passenger side of the frame rail to a bracket (in front of the axle) where the steel line is mated with a flexible hose. The flexible hose then goes over the axle to another steel line which is then teed off to each drum.

Also FWIW, I just went down the route of attempting to flare my own lines. I made the mistake of buying stainless. It was a beast trying to flare those. I ended up punting and buying nickel copper lines with the fittings on them. it was much easier in the long run.

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

Thanks Jeff for the prop valve mention.
I took a closer look also at the MC I had bought on amazon and although it was correct for a 1972 C10 it didnt have a primary cylinder that was larger than the secondary that a front disc and rear drum setup should have, So I did order a new MC that better matched what I needed here..

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/DHB-M76162

and Prop valve here with the bracket

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/RSD-PVK71

Looking to get these installed soon after I get the lines figured out more. I will use 1/4 inch lines of the nickel/copper line on the front(primary) and I think that 3/16 may be best to run to the drums (secondary) but I will call inline tube and the other brake company "the right stuff" and see if they can tell me given my set up which size line is best to run. Also had a question about the coiling design of the lines that I see on alot of the MC to prop valve photos on others trucks. Not sure if thats a must if using a bracket or not.

Also thanks for the vote on the nickel copper, Im going to try tonight and tomorrow and see how it goes.

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

Mine are the exact opposite. 3/16 for the front discs and 1/4 for the drums. The fittings on the prop valve are set for that exact setup. (The rear drums can be 5/16 or 1/4...it comes with an adapter) I used 1/4 for the rear drums because that is what was on my truck originally.

From my experience from a month ago (I bought a bunch of line and fittings and tried to flare them myself) I bought stainless and it was a bear to flare. I One just kept leaking no matter what I tried, so I ended up just buying the copper nickel lines with the pre-flared fittings. That stuff is super easy to bend as well.

Now for the coiling design. The nickel copper bends easily. I just bent it around a piece of pvc pipe. Coiling isn't absolutely necessary. It is done in case the lines need to flex with suspension travel, etc. so that the fitting junctions aren't pulled if the lines are flexed. If you have enough slack, that works as well. That said, I like the look of the coiling and it isn't that hard to do.

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

I spoke with inline tube and also read a few more threads on the line sizes and what you said Jeff is right I had it wrong. From the primary down to the front discs should be 3/16, and the secondary to the rear drums should be 1/4. They also confirmed what you said about the coil giving some flex to the line to help it from being damaged.

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

I will agree that using stainless steel sounds cool and it is good stuff, but to flare it correctly you will need a very good flare tool. I too tried to flare stainless and went to the other also.
Good luck though, ill be rebuilding my entire brake system on mine soon.

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

+1 on the good flare tool.....The ones you rent from the box stores won't cut it....maybe 1-2 flares and it will start slipping on the bubble flare....

Also, msg....when getting the prop valve...get the little tool that keeps the valve centered during the bleeding process. Those valves are designed to close off front or back if it detects a leak to prevent total brake loss.....and it is sometimes difficult to get it to recenter. It gets inserted where the brake light sensor is..

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

I was hoping to avoid buying a $180 tool that I wont be using more than a few times. Ill test out the one I rented and the Harbor freight one I bought today, but Im prepared to spend if it just doesnt do the job. Would be nice if the rentals were that $180 tool.


On the prop valve bleeder I was going to buy this one

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/s...BoCmpAQAvD_BwE

but Im not sure if it will work with the prop valve I bought here

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/rsd-pvk71/overview/

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

If you have the nickel copper lines, they should flare just fine with a rental or HF flaring tool. Its stainless steel that is the issue.

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

I tried the Harbor freight tool and twice it came out wobbly. I didnt try the rental once I opened it up and saw its condition. I cut a 2-3 inch sample test piece and used the 3/16 die. Maybe I am not doing it correctly. I watched a few youtube videos of how this style flaring tool should be used and did what I was seeing in the videos. Ive gone ahead and ordered the amazon tool that looks like the eastwood type for $185. Aggravated.

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

I spent the holiday bending, flaring, installing brake lines for the C20. Using a cheap flare tool worked, but preparing the ends of the line was a necessity. Filing to ensure perfectly level, de-burring the inside and chamfering the outside edge. If I did these carefully, I would get a good flare. Otherwise, it was lop-sided or deformed in some other way. Also it is very important that the brake line goes through that block in the vise perfectly straight. Otherwise, you don't have a chance of a good flare. Use brake fluid to lubricate the pieces contacting the line.

This was using copper-nickle line.

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

Did you use a straightening tool for the coiled up line? Or do you have a technique that gets it straight?

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

I generally bend it mostly straight against my gut as I unrolled whatever length I needed. Then I would put 3 inches or so at the end I was about to flare against the anvil section of the vise and push with my hand and it was usually quite straight. I'd also try to position the cut in a very straight spot.

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

Well all I can say is this $180 tool off amazon is really nice. Ive only done one so far as a test but here are the pics.

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

I was about to bolt up the brake booster and start going on lining things up and hit a snag I think. I have only painted the stripped down interior so far, none of the brackets for the steering column are installed yet and the flooring and firewall have me wondering whats the right approach. Install the brackets and bolt things up and worry about the firewall and after? Or is it best to get all the sound deadener/jute lining or whatever done under the dash before all that?

Anyone that has some advice on that please take a look at the thread I posted on that today.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=799189

Thanks guys!

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

You need a proportioning valve. Two lines in from the master and four lines out to each wheel. A lot of aftermarket set ups mount the valve right under the master cylinder. On my 65 I put the proportioning valve down inside from the rad, on the drivers side, like GM did it on square bodies.

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

proportioning valve

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

Beautiful!!! That tool does the job with no fiddle farting around!

Re: Brake line fittings help needed please
 

Ive now gotten to the rear brake line and Im needing to round up the right fittings for the 1/4 inch line that the rear will have coming off the prop valve. The rear brake cylinders accept the 3/8-24 fitting but Im unable to find one for a 1/4 inch line. There is in my kit a step down fitting for 1/4 inch line but it has a different looking end than the 3/16 line I removed that apparently was the wrong size line. Should I do this step down using these fittings or is there something else I should buy?

Here are some pics of the fittings