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Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:14 pm

Ok guys I know this may be a bone head question but here it goes.
I need/want to replace the rear brake lines on my 68 wagon with Stainless steel braided lines. What length line is needed for the left (driver side) and what length is needed for the right (passenger side).
The main line coming from the MC connects to a brass tee coming out of the left side of the tunnel, the line to the left is obviously shorter then the line on the right. Will the brainded lines run from the tee to the trailing arm then solid from there to the backing plate on the drum brakes?
Also anyone know of a good source to purchase, I know CIP1 has some available.
Thanks,
Choptopt3

Wed Feb 23, 2005 1:43 am

The flexible lines should be the same length left and right, it's the (hard lines) that are different in length. You should have a hard line that runs over the tunnel from your tee fitting to the right hand side which is longer than the right hand side. I've seen empi sell the braided lines at some retailers just like earls steel braided lines.

Wed Feb 23, 2005 10:56 am

Your sig says '68, but is IRS?? The brake lines are different for the 2 sides of an IRS. There is a steel line coming out of the Tee and goes over to the right side. Then there is a flex line with female fittings on each end, to another steel line.
The left side flex line is male on one end, and female on the other.
The Right side flex for an IRS is made of NLA, but there is a bus line that is close.

Wed Feb 23, 2005 4:20 pm

Heres the deal and this is where it gets confusing.
I have a rear Swing sub frame with the IRS pivots welded in and IRS trailing arms. The brake line mounts are a mix of IRS and Swing. Swing on the sub frame and IRS on the trailing arms to the drums.
This is more than likely what is causing my problems, I have measured the lengths and looked for the appropiate line but no luck.
I may call Anthony at ISP and see if he can help.
Choptopt3

Wed Feb 23, 2005 4:30 pm

Yeah, I think you are going to need the lines for an IRS, and not swing axles. I bought a pair of swing axle hoses on ebay the other day for $10 plus shipping. But, the right rear for a T-3 IRS is not available from what I can find. RMMW used to list a 211 number for it, but they are gone now.
Mid America MotorWorks???

Wed Feb 23, 2005 5:56 pm

Thanks I'll give them a try and see what I can find.
Choptopt3

Wed Feb 23, 2005 5:56 pm

There is a short steel line that goes over the top of the tranny nose. This connects at a bracket that has a female end flex line, that the steel line goes into. this goes on down to the trailing arm to another bracket where another steel line connects and goes to the wheel.

Wed Feb 23, 2005 7:47 pm

On a T3 IRS, the left hose has a male end which screws into the T-fitting from the master cylinder and a female end which screws into the hard line running along the trailing arm to the brake cylinder. As mentioned above, the right hose is different in that it has two female ends.

Things get complicated when you switch to IRS, because the mounting tabs on the pan for the hose/hard line connections are now in the wrong place.

With not too much work, you can modify your plumbing so you can use T1 IRS hoses on each side. Remove the short hard line which runs from the T-fitting from the MC to the left mounting tab on the pan. Now take your Bug hose and screw one end directly into the T and the other into the hard line running along the trailing arm to the brake cylinder. Get a right hard line from an IRS Type 3 and a T-fitting like the one on the left side, plug one of the three outlets, then weld or screw a small bracket to the pan where it would be on an IRS car. Attach your modified T to this bracket and attach the hard line from the left side T. Now install your hose as on the left side. I had to do something similar to this to mount braided lines on my IRS Squareback, but since the mounting tab was already in the right place, I just drilled a hole through it to mount my modified T.

Wed Feb 23, 2005 9:09 pm

When I put the S/S hose brake hoses on the back of my IRS equiped notch, I used a swing axle hose on the right side. At least that is what I was told it fit.

Now seeing as it takes a pair of one type and a pair of another type which you only use one each of......... leaves me with another pair in my swap meet box.