Brake lines

[svyolo]

I got my ACS A-600's yesterday. 2.8 ounces each. I weighed the Matco part, 2 pre-made Summit -3 brakes lines and adapters. The A-600's are about 4 oz less, cheaper, eliminate several fittings that could leak, and declutter both sides of the firewall. Hopefully I can use the Summit lines for the parking brake. Doing all that now.

[gregc]

I installed a set today. At the same time I moved my parking brake off the firewall. The result is a much cleaner setup with fewer lines.

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A couple of pictures. I mounted the parking brake to the bulkhead at B. Flexible lines from the master cylinders to right angle bulkhead fittings and then hard lines to the brake valve. The copilot side goes directly to the flexible line that goes to the gear leg. The pilot side needs a 180 degree loop first. The bracket acts as a doubler and provide the attachment point for the push-pull cable. The only real drawback I see is that i will have to remove the floor or add an access panel for maintenance on the brake valve.

[Nev]

Photos please..... interested in this setup.

[svyolo]

I will bolt the parking brake to the firewall tomorrow and shoot a couple of pics.

[svyolo]

One of the factors that isn't that intuitive is that any type of brake line attached to the caliper rotates and moves in an arc. When you tighten the fittings, the lines are fixed. They don't allow for the line to rotate, unless there are some swivel fittings folks use that I am not aware of. I am sure somewhere they exist. Putting loops, or a big arc in the line, will help to minimize stress on the lines at the fittings.

The fittings at the top rotate, and move in about a 40-50 degree arc over 2-3 inches. The lower fittings rotate the same, but only move an inch, maybe a bit less. No matter what you do to the upper fittings, unless you have some type of swivel fittings, there is quite a bit of stress on the line, at the fittings. The A-600's eliminate that problem.
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The lines going into the lower fittings move quite a bit less. Not as much of a problem.

Like Whee said, there are several ways to add a sight gauge. But those also create more failure points. I will think about it, but for now I am happy to reduce failure points, and check brake fluid level occasionally.

[Nev]

.....brake line attached to the caliper rotates and moves in an arc.

Is this at the pedals on the master cylinders?

[svyolo]

Yes, master cylinders at the pedals. The upper fittings move a LOT. Upper and lower rotate about 40 - 50 degrees as well, but once you cinch up the fittings, the lines are fixed. I only found one routing that I liked, and I wasn't in love with it.

I am only using brakes on the left side. It gets pretty tight with parking brake lines (in and out), and lines from the reservoir on the same side. It is a little easier with brakes on both sides as you can put the reservois on one side and the P brake on the other.

I personally like the A-600's and am going to use them.