Vintage Mustang Forums banner

Disc Conversion and original brake lines

2K views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  Say398 
#1 ·
Hello everyone,
I am looking for suggestions on my current build, a 66 mustang with a V8. I installed an mp power brakes conversion kit to a dual master cylinder and power brakes, but I am having lots of problems getting the original brake lines to fit. I am really bad at bending the brake lines to line up correctly. I have a OEM tubing bender but its a pretty tight space and I cant get the right curvature. Is there an easier way to do this or is my inexperience getting the better of me?

Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
I haven't bent lines yet, but many who have will be here shortly. This board is great.

Welcome.:wink:
 
#3 · (Edited)
When swapping from drum brakes to discs the end of the steel line where it attaches to the chassis must often be relocated towards the front of the car so you need a longer steel tube. The tubing is easily flared and bent using an inexpensive double flaring tool and tubing bender from Harbor Freight.
If you're not comfortable flaring and bending the tubing you can buy an inverted flare connector and a short piece of pre-flared brake line at the auto parts store.

https://www.harborfreight.com/double-tube-flaring-tool-kit-66534.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/tubing-bender-3755.html
 
#4 ·
You're like a walking, breathing, living, posting Chiltons manual,....seriously.

You've always got good info.:wink:
 
#6 ·
Hmm, which parts of the brake lines are you struggling with? The original lines as they go to the calipers, or the lines between the master cylinder and the distribution block?

I converted my '66 to discs many years ago and used the original lines for the connection from the distribution block to the calipers. The original line is retained in its bracket on the frame rail and is connected to a longer soft flex hose, which is then connected to the caliper. So that should be fairly simple IIRC.

If you're concerned about the lines going from the MC to the distribution block, well, you'll need at least one new line anyways, right? I found that buying a short pre-formed length and using adapters on the larger end as needed was the best way to go, because I am terrible at flaring lines.

If you want a smaller radius bend in a line than your tubing bending tool can provide, wrap it around a socket of your choosing. The smallest radius bend I would recommend is the diameter of a 9/16" socket - wrap it around anything smaller and it'll start to kink. I put the sockets in my bench vise to keep them steady and then wrap the line around them there.

Brake lines are a giant PITA but you'll get the curvature right eventually! Usually I buy a spare line (since they're only a couple bucks anyways) so that I can use it as a "trash" line trying to figure out how to make the right shape, and then I bend the second line into the right shape no problemo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Israel
#7 ·
I am not the best gear head here by far, but I am good for bending tubing and pipes.

For small projects, I have used the following info to calculate the different bends and length:

https://www.swagelok.com/downloads/webcatalogs/EN/MS-13-43.PDF

I do not have the bender listed in there, a cheap HF as recommended by others is quite fine.

Hope this help!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top