moving on to lowering the 48 Coupe and 1 more brake line question

jrenda

well tackling bit by bit.  Thanks to member Ken U-Tx I will have the pieces needed to reinstall the new master cylinder.  

I was installing the new hoses yesterday and was looking at how the lines appear to be run.  Since this is a single master cyl I am guessing that it doesn't much matter BUT is there a proper path for the brake hoses?  It looks like the driver's side (front and rear) run off of 1 line while the passenger side runs off the other. i would have thought the front brakes would run off 1 line and the rear off another?  Or maybe I am just not seeing the lines correctly - it was dark and I had an extra beer.

As for lowering, I don't want a taildragger but I do like the stance of the car lowered.  Since I have to be in there to redo all the brake lines I might as well lower it if I can with simple parts.  I measured the leaf springs which seem to be 2in wide - is this correct?  Am thinking a set of 2in lowering blocks and possibly the Aerostar front springs?

am I way off here?

- jason

SuperDave

On both of the 49's I have lowered ( four door and a two door) with one inch blocks I made. Coupled with the fact the original springs were in place.. the cars have a very slight lower rear. A plus is that I used the original U bolts. The cream Tudor on my avatar is the last one I did. I didn't lower the Convertible.

jrenda

thanks guys.  Managed to get all the old brake lines off yesterday.  Hitting the local auto parts stores for lines to do up over the next couple nights.   I may hold off on lowering for now.  Part of me wants to and the other part knows that if I go down that road it will lead to new shocks front and rear and new coils in front - not only adding $300 or so to the bill but taking time away from getting it running.  The suspension stuff can be done at a later date. Of course I'l still probably do it since I generally avoid anything rational.

Jon B

Yeah, for heaven's sake just get it on the road.  You can fiddle with the lowering blocks later!

By the way, I'm not sure whether the StepDowns still had the safety brake system (wherein the foot pedal activated the emergency brake if the fluid leaked out) but if so, you will want to check the adjustment on that.  Check your shop manual to find out.

50C8DAN

As far as I know Hudsons had the triple safe brakes at least through the stepdowns, not sure about the Hashes.  I know since the system on my car saved my butt a couple of years ago!