pflaming Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 (edited) Attached are some of the brake lines off my truck. Can someone identify them from the bottom up. The two top ones ran along the rear axle, the one with the wrap came off the master cylinder, from whence did that little line come? The engine? I understand the wrap for it allows for frame torquing. Is a full circle wrap required? Are there other means to do the same thing? OK, got the correct line into the MC. Now what goes into the end of the MC? Some sort of plug or is it a special one. I took this stuff apart several years ago. . . Got to work the 'search' thing again. New learning curve. Edit: My MC has two outlets, on the bottom and on the end. Must have been made for other applications. VPW did not know of this MC. Edited November 19, 2017 by pflaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 I just took these pics a couple of days ago to help another member. Maybe they'll help you too. I did my best to duplicate the lines that came off my truck when I redid my brake system. The coil in the master cylinder line would help the line flex with the engine as well as provide a small amount of cooling if needed. I used a piece of pipe clamped into a vice and wrapped the line around it to match the original loop. That line then feeds into a junction fitting with 3 outputs. In this photo the line coming at the camera is the feed in from the master cylinder. The one on the left goes out to the rear axle. The top one and right side line go to the 2 front wheels. I'd have to crawl under there again to confirm, but from looking at this picture it appears that the line coming out the right side of the juction goes to the left front and the top line follows the frame up and across the front cross member to the right wheel. Merle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 I'm guessing that little one is the oil pressure feed line to your gauge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallytoo Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 I'm guessing that little one is the oil pressure feed line to your gauge. exactly what i think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted May 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) Wally & Dave: CORRECTO! What I displayed in the picture is the tube that goes through the firewall to the gauge. I found the other piece which goes straight down from this piece and goes into the side of the block. Thank you. Now I will have a 'steele' tube to the guage and not a plastic hose. These pieces were in the bed, they had after market oil and heat gauges under the dash. My fuel line is in three pieces, can't explain that. edit: Will that line self-bleed or do I put it on loose and tighten the nut when the oil arrives? Edited May 11, 2012 by pflaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 edit: Will that line self-bleed or do I put it on loose and tighten the nut when the oil arrives? Assuming you are talking about the oil pressure gauge line, you don't need to bleed it at all. Oil will go into it until the pressure in the line matches the oil pressure in the block and that is all you care about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted May 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2012 (edited) These ideas came form "Okie". These are MC bleeders, Question: I am thinking that he/others used this method to route the MC fluid exiting the MC back to the top of the MC to prime the Master Cylinder. Question: What if one would put an air hose to the MC to bleed the lines? With a line pressure control what might go wrong? Or use a bicycle tire pump with a pressure gauge. Pics 4/5: I got a box of old car tools from a friend several weeks ago. This bleeder valve was in there. Edited April 17, 2018 by pflaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted May 12, 2012 Report Share Posted May 12, 2012 These ideas came form "Okie". These are MC bleeders, Question: I am thinking that he/others used this method to reroute the MC fluid to prime the Master Cylinder. Question: What if one would put an air hose to the MC to bleed the lines? With a line pressure control what might go wrong? Or use a bicycle tire pump with a pressure gauge. Pics 4/5: I got a box of old car tools from a friend several weeks ago. This bleeder valve was in there. ( The last thing you want to do is use air pressure. You're trying to get the air out, remember. Pressure bleeders use hydraulic (brake fluid ) to purge the system. They may use an pressurized air chamber seperated by a bladder from the fluid chamber to move the fluid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted May 12, 2012 Report Share Posted May 12, 2012 ( The last thing you want to do is use air pressure. You're trying to get the air out, remember. Pressure bleeders use hydraulic (brake fluid ) to purge the system. They may use an pressurized air chamber seperated by a bladder from the fluid chamber to move the fluid. I made my own power bleed system with a cheapo yard weed sprayer and a welded up fitting stuck on the hose. total cost $12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted May 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 gdad: Got a picture of that 'sprayer'? "Air pressure . . . .":o sometimes we forget the obvious. I was under my truck for a bit today. I did not realize how close the master cylinder is to the steering gearbox!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 here ya go, just replaced the wand with the welded fitting, filled it with brake fluid, pumped the pressure up and BINGO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted May 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) Let's see if I got this correct: "just the facts!" the brake fluid from the sprayer goes into the top of the master cylinder. You pump up the fluid til you get pressure, the work the bleeder valves to exhaust the air. Do one wheel, check the pressure and etc., etc., etc. Gonna make me a rig. The biggest expense is the extra brake fluid. Which brake fluid did you use? I read, if I change to a modern fluid, I need to flush the old lines. With the 97 wrangler brakes, I need to be certain all is clean before connecting new lines to those. H,m,m,m,m! Thanks Edited May 13, 2012 by pflaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 Let's see if I got this correct: "just the facts!" the brake fluid from the sprayer goes into the top of the master cylinder. You pump up the fluid til you get pressure, the work the bleeder valves to exhaust the air. Do one wheel, check the pressure and etc., etc., etc. Gonna make me a rig.The biggest expense is the extra brake fluid. Which brake fluid did you use? I read, if I change to a modern fluid, I need to flush the old lines. With the 97 wrangler brakes, I need to be certain all is clean before connecting new lines to those. H,m,m,m,m! Thanks The opperation is how you describe. I don't think you were on the forum yet when I did my brakes, but I had a leaky cylinder that caused me all sorts of issues. I went thru a LOT of fluid, but really only had about 1 pint extra to run the power bleeder. I used DOT 5.1, I've seen all the reasons to use and not to use 5.1 vs. 5 or 4 or 3, but I used 5.1. I've heard you REALLY need to pay attention to what was in vs. what you are gonna put in. If you notice the plug I made for the MC, the fill line goes down a little bit, that makes sure you have some air head space. You can always add a little by hand after to the level you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted May 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 48dodger: I did not realize it's been six years!!!! Side note / I bought this truck on a lark. My brother has a mega corrugator business and proabably 50 + trucks, etc. His first truck was a 52/53 Dodge. When I bought this for $250 I was going to put a big red bow on it and put the truck on his drive way midnight some Christmas eve. I had no intention of working on it. When I told this to close friend, he said ". . . he has more than enough, its a good truck, keep it, fix it up, and enjoy it!!!" So without any mechanical knowledge I started . . . and here I am!!!!! For me it's a GREAT retirement hobby. Many thanks to all for your patience with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 Paul was on here 4 years before you.....48D sorry for my large mistake....jeeze no need to be a jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 I used DOT 3. After I bled my brakes I made the mistake of not cleaning nor removing the fluid from the bleeder I made. Next time I wanted to use the bleder I discovered that the brake fluid had truned all the rubber parts in the bleeder to mush. This may not be the case with DOT 5? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 I cleaned it, but it might be mush now.....haven't looked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Elder Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 Paul.....................time for some new skills. By a tube bender and a flaring kit and get rid of the old lines with new secure, not corroded, not dinged crappy old brake lines.......you'll be happier and safer in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted May 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) Frankie: Most agree with you. I've postponed this but now it's do or don't drive. So I'm trying to get into Fed-hill's web page for some conifer. On a long shot, do any of you have conifer tubing left over? If so, I will buy your extra and help you make a new empty space on your shelf. Maybe I have an extra part and we can exchange and both win. Just as an afterthought: Would a parts exchange system work? I hope this won't take off a finger!:D Edited May 13, 2012 by pflaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 Paul; Frankie is right. I would say with a high degree of certainty that reusing your old brake lines is just asking for trouble. I am sure that there are many others here that will echo this. When I got my truck last December I thought great it is 99% intact and it is dirty but not rusty. I thought I would just have to clean things up and it would all work. Well that was wishful thinking. Of all the various components of the truck the braking system and the fuel system have proven to be in the worst shape. The lines all looked intact and Ok from the outside......well not so. I doubt whether they would have even held the pressure. Upon close inspection they turned out to be full of rust and corrosion. Trust me ... no amount of flushing would have kept contaminants out of the system. Do yourself a favor and change out all the brake and fuel lines and hoses. I am 100% certain that this is time and money well spent. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 ... So I'm trying to get into Fed-hill's web page for some conifer. On a long shot, do any of you have conifer tubing left over? If so, I will buy your extra and help you make a new empty space on your shelf. Maybe I have an extra part and we can exchange and both win. When I did all my brake work I was living on the north side of the LA metro area and I found a brake and hydraulic supply in the San Fernando Valley that had conifer brake tubing. They were the shop that made up the aeroquip stainless steel braided hoses for all the street rod types. It seems likely to me that there would be a similar business in the Fresno area so you might be able to purchase the tubing locally. Paul was on here 4 years before you.....48D Actually, other than for a couple of beta testers, the oldest join date you will see on this forum is Oct 2006 because that was when it replaced the "old forum". If you see a member with Oct 2006 for their join date there is a very good chance that they were hanging around here before then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 Here's your link for the cunifor tubing: http://store.fedhillusa.com/316475mmtubingandnuts.aspx Auto parts houses should be carrying this item. The store I work at carries it in 3/16, 1/4 and 5/16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted May 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) I disected a piece of my old brake line. It had fluid in it when I took it off and I thought it would be clean inside. It is NOT. There doesn't seem to be any pitting so that maybe good news but the cleanliness. I could wipe the first layer away, then I took a tooth brush to get that 'loose' layer off, then a sharp little flat bladed screwdriver to find copper/steel. So off with the old and on with the new. I worked the outside really hard with a steel wheel brush and the outer surface is also quite good. But the 'cholesterol' means the flow is restricted, if the fluid flows. It may just 'pulsate' with each pedal movement. I put conifir tubing in Fresno, ca and found 15 sources. It's not that I do not trust I'm just curious. I think these lines would be just fine, but if some of this buildup would break loose a cylider might not like it and some day someone will sell this truck and to have the old lines replaced will make a new buyer more confident to purchase. Edited April 17, 2018 by pflaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted May 14, 2012 Report Share Posted May 14, 2012 Paul; Yes.....internal corrosion in tubing (and pipe) is a wicked thing. You can cut ten coupons and they may all look fine.....but move 3" down the line to another spot.... maybe near a fitting or a bend...and cut another. Bingo! there it is. If any water has made it into the lines and sat for a long time then for sure you will have some form of corrosion there. And all it takes is one weak spot. In my former career I spent quite a bit of time tracking down and repairing corrosion damage to underground petrochemical pipelines. Internal corrosion (and erosion) is particularly nasty and very hard to pinpoint. I once had a pipeline dug up at an intersection of 2nd Street in Long Beach. The City inspectors had a fit because of the traffic issues this excavation caused. When we cut a coupon out of the affected area and I tore the bottom out of the pipe with a pair of needle nose pliers they shut up real quick. The pipe was a 16" OD .375" wt. gas gathering line and the defect was located right under the crosswalk. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 lol....I put the rolly eyes smilely guy!!! I'm not a ...oh wait...is a "jack" a good thing? Your comment just made me wonder cuz I knew Paul was here before me. (see, rolly eye smiley guy) 48D ok, eyeroll=sarcasm=not friendly to me. I've moved on. its all Dodgy goodness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.