Solid brake line replacement

[Kenny]

Hey guys,

So I have installed my flanged axles and am almost finished installing the all new brakes for the font and rear. Since I have brand new wheel cylinders I am reluctant to hook those old solid brake lines up to it.

I am assuming they are the original lines so I think I should have them replaced. What would be the best way to go about replacing my lines? Am I wasting my time by doing so? Can I just flush them with some solution?

If I do need to replace them, does sasco or stude international sell them pre bent?

Should I just get it towed to a resto shop? Should I hook up the lines bleed it then drive it to a resto shop?

Thanks in advance for the help

[Tom Bredehoft]

You can purchase ready made (although straight) brake lines and install them, bending them yourself, then you will know they will outlast your ownership. However, bleeding the lines (introducing new fluid) is a two person operation, unless you have a vacuum or pressure bleeder. If you've got someone to pump the pedal until all the air is out of the lines, you are home free.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Bothcars4.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'55 President State Sedan
(Under Construction) 134 hrs.
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

[Kenny]

I do have the ability to bleed them but I assume there is 50 years worth of build up in there and I figured it would be best to replace the lines completely. Do I need any special tool to bend sold brake lines? Is flushing the lines enough to clean the lines out?

[52 Ragtop]

Also try www.inlinetube.com or www.clasictube.com both have "some" patterns for lines, and you can send you old ones and they'll duplicate them.

Jim

[Tom Bredehoft]

I'm replacing every line on my 55, most are rusted away, the others are suspect. Any auto parts store has a multi use tubing bender, but if you are careful and don't kink the lines, they can be bent without one. I'm not sure what you mean by solid, unless it's the steel lines as opposed to the flexible ones. They are tubes, not solid. If they are bent too sharply they will kink and be ruined.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Bothcars4.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'55 President State Sedan
(Under Construction) 134 hrs.
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

[Dick Steinkamp]

I've seen teflon brake lines at my local NAPA. Bend them by hand...even sharp bends at the ends...and no kinks.

[259man]

Kenny,

There is a vendor on eBay that sells brake lines already cut to the correct length.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/All-m...em230229862863

I'm in the process of installing new brakes on my '62 Cruiser. When I'm ready the replace the lines, I plan on buying a kit from these folks.



Tom
1960 Lark VIII
1962 Lark Cruiser

[PackardV8]

Interesting article in this month's Avanti magazine about Cunifercopper-nickel brake lines which won't rust and is much easier to work than stainless. They say Brake and Equipment Company out of Minneapolis has them under the Ezi-bendbrand name. I'm looking into it some more for my projects.

thnx, jack vines

PackardV8

[rockne10]

I bought bulk stainless line from Dillsburg Aeroplane works in Dillsburg, Pa and had no trouble bending it by hand. And, it didn't cost much more than bulk steel line from my local supplier.

[StudeRich]

Jack I found those ezi-bend lines at BrakeQuip Products
http://www.brakequip.com/tubes.html

They have a US and Canada 877 order number and on line ordering.

Sound like the answer to our dreams!

I ordered the pre-cut to length, flared lines complete with fittings, but try to bend them on the first try perfectly with the fittings on! ...Oh did I mention that you only get ONE try![xx(]

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[bonehead007]

I sent all of my lines to classic tube, www.classictube.com to have them make stainless lines..Did a great job, matched perfectly. Total cost with shipping was $190.. The old lines were shot, filled with rust. If I had taken the car to a restoration shop, at $95 an hour, better off sending them out and doing it yourself. You have plenty of help on this web site.



New Jersey & Studes Perfect Together

[chocolate turkey]

I also used the NAPA teflon lines that Dick mentioned. They were affordable and bent into a perfect replica of the original, by hand.
Done two vehicles in the last year or so, and most pleased with the results.

Brian K. Curtis,
1925 Duplex-Phaeton ER
1949 1/2 ton pickup
1963 GT Hawk custom
1966 Daytona 2dr

[Cravin]

Did the teflon lines from NAPA come with end connections or did you need to form the tube ends yourself?

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by Cravin

Did the teflon lines from NAPA come with end connections or did you need to form the tube ends yourself?

They come in different lengths with end connections.

I'm sure there are guys out there than can do the double flare thing with no problem. I'm not one of them .

[bondobilly]

quote:Originally posted by Dick Steinkamp

I've seen teflon brake lines at my local NAPA. Bend them by hand...even sharp bends at the ends...and no kinks.

I went to the NAPA site and could not find them. Any links? Do they have the connectors at each end? They sound like something I could use. As far as "no kink" lines. I picked up some small 8 and 12 inch metal line today, big label on them, guaranteed not to kink........I kinked one.