Questions on brake and fuel lines.

[Bryan]

22 hours ago, MarcDeSoto said:

Los Control, I've never heard of different sizes for the brake lines, but I'm no expert.  I found some brake line for the front of the car.  Not sure whether it's my DeSoto lines or from a old 48 Dodge parts car I had.  I want to know where does the switch go?  Under the frame, in front of the frame?  Does anyone have a good pic of the front frame of their car showing brake or fuel lines?  

 

 

Here's mine. Took a lot of pictures I didn't post.  

[MarcDeSoto]

Bryan,  these are not pics of your 48 Dodge, are they?  These are pics of Los Control's pickup, I think.  

[Bryan]

19 minutes ago, MarcDeSoto said:

Bryan,  these are not pics of your 48 Dodge, are they?  These are pics of Los Control's pickup, I think.  

Nope, my concrete,  my cardboard, my car.  

[Los_Control]

I love you @MarcDeSoto sorry I caused more drama then needed ...  We are talking about brake lines ... I never meant to upset you.

 

Just a job that needs to be done ...

My house has 3/4" water lines from the street to under the house ... then it drops down to smaller 1/2" lines to the faucets.

Same with my gas lines, is 1" from the alley to the house, then it drops to 3/4" & then to 1/2" to each gas unit in the house.

Would be the same with brake lines ... starts with 5/16 from master and drops to 3/16 going to the wheels. (On my truck)

 

Seems to me the outlet  size on your master cylinder would tell you the size of line needed ... same with the wheel cylinders.

Maybe it is 3/16 all the way.

I am only saying you may need to brush up on brake lines and build your own.

[MarcDeSoto]

Don't Worry, be happy! Los Control and thanks for your input!  Bryan, I guess a 48 Dodge is a bit different on the location of the switch.  I believe mine is on the top of the front cross over frame near the radiator support like a couple of others said.  That's where there are two holes that would fit the switch bolt hole and hook.  It looks like the fuel line and brake line share brackets when going across the front of the frame.  Could you shoot a couple more pics that show how the brake and fuel lines on the front passenger side of the frame?  Thanks!  

Edited January 9, 2022 by MarcDeSoto

[Bryan]

[MarcDeSoto]

Bryan, excellent pics!  They really are better than a thousand words.  Marc. ?

[harmony]

20 hours ago, MarcDeSoto said:

Thank you Frank and Joe.  Since you have a DeSoto, albeit, a Suburban, and Joe has a 47 Chrysler, I think you must be right on.  I also watched the 1948 Mr. Tech filmstrip on the hydraulic system and it shows a drawing of the brake lines, which shows the switch on the left front part of the frame.  I wonder what that hook thing is for?  Maybe there is a hole in the frame that anchors it and the bolt hole to bolt it tight.  

The "hook thing" goes into a hole and that keeps the whole piece from spinning when you bolt it down.  Yours might be in a different spot than my Chrysler but mine was on the pan inside of the radiator, just about a couple inches from the bottom of radiator on the engine side, close to the corner, below the generator.  It's in a ridiculous spot because the brake line coming up from the front left wheel isn't even visible when it goes into that junction.  It's hidden under the "anti-rattle" fabric that hangs off the bottom of the inner fender.  Even by removing the generator it's a brute to access the brake light switch and the wires and all 3 brake lines at that junction.  

[MarcDeSoto]

Thanks, any pics!  What do you mean when you say "mine was on the pan"?  Did you mean on top of the frame?  

[harmony]

I forgot to take a picture before I took the junction off, so here is a picture of what that area looks like now. Keep in mind that the generator belt is loose and it it tipped up as far as possible.  It just looks like there is lots of room down there.  The large hole is tapped ( 5/16" I think) The small hole ( small red square ) is where that right angle "hook thing" locks into. 

I moved the junction/brake switch forward of the rad and mounted it on the inner fender.  I also ran the brake line going to the front right wheel along the bottom of the radiator.  This way it is protected from gravel etc.    I try to keep my car as original as possible, but trying to not cross thread the brake lines into the junction would have been past my "threshold of aggravation" I think.   Like I said you can't even see the nipple going to the front left wheel.  Each line had a small bend in it just before it went into the junction and there simply isn't enough room down in there to even get the tool down in there to bend the lines.  Let alone get that bend perfect so it enters the junction straight on.

[harmony]

1 minute ago, harmony said:

I forgot to take a picture before I took the junction off, so here is a picture of what that area looks like now. Keep in mind that the generator belt is loose and it it tipped up as far as possible.  It just looks like there is lots of room down there.  The large hole is tapped ( 5/16" I think) The small hole ( small red square ) is where that right angle "hook thing" locks into. 

I moved the junction/brake switch forward of the rad and mounted it on the inner fender.  I also ran the brake line going to the front right wheel along the bottom of the radiator.  This way it is protected from gravel etc.    I try to keep my car as original as possible, but trying to not cross thread the brake lines into the junction would have been past my "threshold of aggravation" I think.   Like I said you can't even see the nipple going to the front left wheel.  Each line had a small bend in it just before it went into the junction and there simply isn't enough room down in there to even get the tool down in there to bend the lines.  Let alone get that bend perfect so it enters the junction straight on.

Sorry about that last pic being a neck twister.  It wasn't supposed to show at that angle.

[MarcDeSoto]

So a little modification there.  Thanks so much for your pics and explanation.  I wonder if I should buy new jackets for the brake and fuel lines or just slide the old ones off and reuse them?  

[Bryan]

New! New!  ?  Amazon.com : brake line protector

[harmony]

39 minutes ago, MarcDeSoto said:

So a little modification there.  Thanks so much for your pics and explanation.  I wonder if I should buy new jackets for the brake and fuel lines or just slide the old ones off and reuse them?  

As Bryan's link shows, you can buy new covers.  However I thought you were going with preflaired lines.  The original covers are too tight to fit over the flair.  I don't know about the stuff Bryan just linked to.

[MarcDeSoto]

Oh thanks.  I never thought about that.  I guess I'll have to go without the line covers.  

[harmony]

1 minute ago, MarcDeSoto said:

Oh thanks.  I never thought about that.  I guess I'll have to go without the line covers.  

On the line that goes from the MC to the differential, on my Chrysler, it runs under the frame when it kicks up just before the differential.  Originally it had that cover on it right at that point.  So I decided to route the line above the frame and under the floor pan.  There was about an inch and a quarter room there so it not only keeps it out of the ray of flying gravel etc, but it looks cleaner too. 

As to one of your questions earlier, on that same line, I also ran into the problem of finding one line to cover the entire length.  So I went with a 60" plus a 30" and a coupler and it worked out a perfect length for me to get from the MC to the rubber flex line that goes to the junction on the differential.

[Bryan]

You could run split loom black plastic that would offer some protection. They are pretty tough, and would be easy to install.   Amazon.com : split loom tubing

[MarcDeSoto]

OK, I took the brake lines off of my brake line switch and installed where it goes on top of the frame near the radiator on the driver side.  Does it look like it's on right as far as its orientation?  Also, does it matter which hole the rear brake line goes in, upper or lower?  

 

 

 

 

[Bryan]

Mine has rear in lower.

[harmony]

Mine is the same as Bryan's. Bottom line goes to the rear brakes. As for the junction, I think you have it the same as mine was.  The front left brake line goes into the junction opening across from that tab that keeps the junction from turning.