How much brake line does it take to do an old Ford?

T

Tim Ayers

Well-known member
Hi All:

In a few weeks, I'll be doing the brake lines on my '28 AV8 hot rod. Looking to order the parts. How many feet of brake line does it take generally?

Also, what is everyone's take on copper nickel tubing being sold? Seems like it's easy to work with.

Thanks,

Tim
 
I bought this kit when I did my '40.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015YGR0FM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Had a good bit left over. I upgraded to a dual pot master and ran individual lines to the front so I used a little more than a stock replacement would.

Only thing I didn't like about the nickel/copper is trying to get it strait for the long runs down the wishbone in the rear. But that would be true for any line bought in a roll.
 
I used copper nickel on an off-topic MG about 10 years ago. Still have the car with no issues.

~ Carl

PS - Tim I'm building a '30 just over the river. :)
 
One roll might be enough. I only use cupro nickle. (kunifer) It's good stuff. Ensure it is the right stuff for brakes. I use 1/4" and mimic the stock 40 style and use all the ford type unions and fittings.

Mart.
 
Tim Ayers said:
Thanks all. So, two 25ft rolls?
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Two rolls seems like too much tubing. One roll should ne enough. We had an assortment of pre-made tubing at work 6" to 60" from 3/16" to 3/8" You cut it too fit and your at least starting off with a perfectly straight piece of tubing and one nice factory flare.

If you have not bent and flared tubing before you are going to have some failures. I've done a lot of it, but a lot of years go on between each job and I loose the touch as to where to make the bend and have the tubing end up perfectly tight against where I want it to rest against.

The quality of the flaring tool makes a huge difference in how nice your seats turn out. Use a junk flaring tool and you get a junk flare. As far as tubing benders you want the one that will make the tightest bends possible. There are some nice combo benders that will+ that will do both 3/16" and 1/4" bends.

Too help me do a decent job each time. I made up a little collection of short bent tubes in 5 degree bend increments. It worked out really slick to get the bends at the right angles and end up in the right spot. As soon as I figure out how I was using them 15-year's ago I 'll post some photos. I had them setup so I could transfer a mark on the little practrice bent piece of tubing to the new one I wanted to bend. I'd match of the mark with the end up the bender and after bending the tubing ended up exactly the length I wanted between bends on the first try.

Start with your longest piece first which will be the one down the rear radius rod.. if you screw it up it can be used as one of the shorter pieces. Design the system so the pieces are on the backsides of parts. Like the rear radius rod, you want the line protected on the inside of the rod. Running it down the outside, something could always flip up off the road and cut the line. When I was young hit a manhole cover in the dark with a a 65 Mustang fastback. Somebody had lifted it part way off the hole. My front tire hit it flipped it up and tore the entire exhaust system out from under the car. With a single system master cylinder you need to always be thinking about protecting those lines.
 
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Brake lines should only be steel. Copper or copper bearing tubing is prone to damage from vibration. This is particularly important in the older single circuit systems. If you plan to install yourself, buy or rent a double flare tool necessary for safe connections.
 
I've done 4 cars with stock lines from local parts store. I take closest length and only rarely have to make a kink to fit.
 
I buy mine in 6 ft sticks and on all the 35-48 customer chassis I plumbed I used about 4 sticks per chassis. I do stainless with AN fittings and with just a single flare I have very few do overs.
 
Krylon32 said:
I buy mine in 6 ft sticks and on all the 35-48 customer chassis I plumbed I used about 4 sticks per chassis. I do stainless with AN fittings and with just a single flare I have very few do overs.
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Interesting. Thanks. Does it take a special flairing tool to do stainless tubing?
 
AN uses a 37 degree flare and regular automotive is 45 degrees. When you do stainless you do a single flare but it is backed up by a compression sleeve that's held tight against the flare by the nut that screws on the fitting. I use a RIGID flaring tool designed for stainless. One tip, never cut your stainless with a tubing cutter as it hardens the end and makes it hard to flare, always use a small cutoff wheel then file the edge and ream out the inside of the tube. I've been doing stainless lines on all my own and customer chassis for over 30 years.
 
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I did my AV8 with four pieces from NAPA and used stock Ford fittings/hoses. Standard lengths were real close, and with the right bends fit well.
 
RalphM said:
I did my AV8 with four pieces from NAPA and used stock Ford fittings/hoses. Standard lengths were real close, and with the right bends fit well.
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I was in Napa here one day to buy brake line tubing and every single piece they had were bubbles flares. Not one piece with regular double flare on it. Check the flare types when buying a piece of tubing.
 
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