Front cross over brake line assistance please

[Mark H.]

I am installing new front cross over brake line in our '66 coupe. Anyone have experience or advice with this? Appears to be fairly straightforward. Thanks!

[Joe L.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

I am installing new front cross over brake line in our '66 coupe. Anyone have experience or advice with this? Appears to be fairly straightforward. Thanks!

Mark------


It's very straight-forward and not very difficult, at all. You will likely find that the pre-bent line will not fit exactly right and you may have to slightly re-configure it to fit. After you have the line clips installed, you can make very slight adjustments to the ends so that they fit properly at the frame bracket where the flexible lines attach.

I fully expect that the line workers at St. Louis had to do the same thing with the original lines.

[Mark H.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

Mark------


It's very straight-forward and not very difficult, at all. You will likely find that the pre-bent line will not fit exactly right and you may have to slightly re-configure it to fit. After you have the line clips installed, you can make very slight adjustments to the ends so that they fit properly at the frame bracket where the flexible lines attach.

I fully expect that the line workers at St. Louis had to do the same thing with the original lines.

Hi Joe. Thanks very much for the reply. Regards.

[Mike M.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

Hi Mark
A little tidbit that you may find of interest.
Early '66's had a single unique "attaching clip" that pressed into the "center" of the front crossmember (Pic in the latest revision of the '66 JG).
Later production changed to the '67 configuration of "two clips", one centered on each side (half) of the line. These were the clips that wrap around the line and are bolted to the frame, like those used elsewhere on the frame.
A specific conversion point has not yet been confirmed.
HaND

[Rob M.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

Hi Mark
A little tidbit that you may find of interest.
Early '66's had a single unique "attaching clip" that pressed into the "center" of the front crossmember (Pic in the latest revision of the '66 JG).
Later production changed to the '67 configuration of "two clips", one centered on each side (half) of the line. These were the clips that wrap around the line and are bolted to the frame, like those used elsewhere on the frame.
A specific conversion point has not yet been confirmed.
HaND

I know that someone on the board is doing research on this very subject. From what I last heard, he has the change narrowed down to cars built on around the 1st of May, 1966.

My car was built on May 5th and has the second design.

[Joe L.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

Hi Mark
A little tidbit that you may find of interest.
Early '66's had a single unique "attaching clip" that pressed into the "center" of the front crossmember (Pic in the latest revision of the '66 JG).
Later production changed to the '67 configuration of "two clips", one centered on each side (half) of the line. These were the clips that wrap around the line and are bolted to the frame, like those used elsewhere on the frame.
A specific conversion point has not yet been confirmed.
HaND

Mike-------


...and I think there was a very good reason for the change in location of the clips. With the clip at the "apex" of the "V" there is a very good possibility that the line could collapse or "pinch off" at this point. With two clips and moved above the "apex" this possibility is greatly reduced.

[Duke W.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

Make sure you use a 5-sided "tubing wrench" to tighten the B-nuts.

Also, I recommend tightening, then loosening the nut at least three cycles before the final tightening.

In the past I've have leaks until I followed the above proceedure when installing a combination of both sides new or one side new and one side not changed. These flared fittings do not alway have perfect geometry, and multiple tightenings will cause the cone and flare to conform to each other better for a leak free joint.

If you are assembling a joint with the same parts as before leaks are less likely.

On a frame off job where all the pipes are removed and then reinstalled using whatever combination of new/used pipes, it's good idea to pressurize the pipes from the master cylinder outlet pipe end with air to at least 100 psi, then spray each joint with soapy water to verify that there are no leaks.

And triple check that joint along the LH frame rail since it's nearly impossible to get to once the body is back on the frame.

Duke

[Jim S.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

I know that someone on the board is doing research on this very subject. From what I last heard, he has the change narrowed down to cars built on around the 1st of May, 1966.

My car was built on May 5th and has the second design.

I think it is Tim Ehlers , or more likely, Carla !

[Mark H.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

To all...thanks for the replies. Very helpful. I have an early '66 and thus, the clip in the middle. Question: do you recommend any type of sealant applied to the threads? Thanks!

[Joe L.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

Question: do you recommend any type of sealant applied to the threads? Thanks!

Mark------


Absolutely not. There is no need for any sealant and the only thing it can do you is harm. For this type of fitting, the tubing nut serves only to compress the flare against the seat (at the base of the female threads). There is absolutely no sealing that takes place at the threads. If the fitting leaks, it means that the flare has not compressed properly against the seat. If using stainless steel lines, this is common (that's why even though I recommend stainless steel for almost everything, I don't recommend it for brake or fuel lines). If this problem occurs, there's no sealer that will solve it.

[John H.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

To all...thanks for the replies. Very helpful. I have an early '66 and thus, the clip in the middle. Question: do you recommend any type of sealant applied to the threads? Thanks!

Mark -

The seal occurs at the mating flare surfaces, and the fitting threads are straight machine threads, not tapered pipe threads; no sealant is necessary.

[Mark H.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

Thanks for the advice and the great technical detail on my questions. Let me ask you this: do you have any suggestions on the best way to get this front cross over brake line inserted into position?

I don't have the new one in hand yet, but thought I might practice taking the old one out and back in for practice.

[Joe L.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

Thanks for the advice and the great technical detail on my questions. Let me ask you this: do you have any suggestions on the best way to get this front cross over brake line inserted into position?

I don't have the new one in hand yet, but thought I might practice taking the old one out and back in for practice.

Mark------


I don't think you'll need any practice. When you get the new line, simply remove the old and install the new.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

Mark------


I don't think you'll need any practice. When you get the new line, simply remove the old and install the new.

Yup.

Did this recently on the orange 72 which is not drastically different. Very easy. It has taken longer to type your questions and read our answers than it will to install the new line. Just install from the front and you'll be fine.

Patrick

[Ronald L.]

Re: Front cross over brake line assistance please

Referencing the change in clips for the brake line, April 28~ still had the one-center-clip usage in place...