Fitting stepdown brake lines

pseftoncomcastnet

I'm installing a set of Inline tube stainless steel brake lines on my 1951 Commodore and am hitting an issue that perhaps someone else has resolved. It is probably not unique to these lines, either.

The new left rear line seems to be exactly the same length as the old lines. But the ancient Wagner wheel cylinders on the car are connected to the old lines with a brass coupling fitting. This coupler transitions from the narrow diameter brake line to a much wide diameter port in the old Wagner wheel cylinder.

The new Wagner wheel cylinders have the same 3/8 diameter as the brake line fitting, so there's no need for a coupler to transition between different diameters, However, the new lines appear to be too short by approximately the length of the old coupler.

Since the old coupler won't fit the next wheel cylinder, I can't reuse it. But has anyone else resolved this problem?

Peter Sefton

 

bob ward

You should be able to buy a 3/8" x 3/8" coupler.

pseftoncomcastnet

Uh-oh - that is what I was afraid of, though I did not have the technical vocabulary to express it. 

No way to find the older design cylinders that aren't dried out/ shelf-worn, I trust.

PS

bob ward

Apologies for the clunky link.

http://www.indfit.com/index_page.html

Open the online catalogue

Flick through to page 13

Item 62W code no. 6215 or similar is what you need.

The male thread screws into the wheel cylinder and seals with a copper washer.

The female thread takes your brake line.

pseftoncomcastnet

I'm going to talk through these issues with Inline on Monday and see what they recommend. I was working from the rear forward and haven't checked out the front cylinder and rear feeder lines from the MC yet, but hope to do so this weekend. Wondering too if I will hit a similar problem when I replace the rotting rear flexible hose with a modern equivalent, given the difference in flaring.

Dreading to look, but, hey, this whole project is a voyage iof discovery.

PS

RonS

As an alternative, you may want to look at CuNiFer tubing. It has been used in many European cars, has a strong pressure rating and bends very easily... about as easily as copper. It won't rust! Compression fittings work well. Down side : pricey. IMO worth the cost. Go on line for a distributor. Federal Hill is one.

Per

Peter, In 2013 I replaced all the brake lines in a '49 Commodore with ordinary 3/16 steel brake tubing, which I bent myself. I used new wheel cylinders, new master cylinder, and a couple of compression fittings. The car has traveled almost 20,000 miles since then with the brakes working fine. Per

pseftoncomcastnet

I can see that I didn't look before I leapt...  The garage floor was very cold and the fittings were locked up with rust, so I didn't pull the cylinders before I ordered. I was amazed when I couldn't just switch the couplings to the new cylinders.

Guess it's another  lesson learned, but fortunately not a super expensive one. Inline Tube will remake the lines to the correct length for a modest sum so long as I send them the old lines and couplings as models. Just the thing I needed to do in the first place.

Thanks, all, for the good suggestions. Very impressed by the 20,000 miles in 3 years Commodore!

Peter S.    .