Installing a new hardline and it's too short.

[Wade]

Hi. I have a problem and I'm wondering if there may be a clever solution that I'm just not thinking of. I have a '56 deluxe and am in the process or replacing the long brake hardline that runs from the master cylinder to the t piece in the back. In conjunction with this, I'm installing a new dual circuit master cylinder from CSP.
The CSP master has the outlet port for the rear line on the passenger side, which is opposite from the stock master cylinder. I've therefore had to create a bend in the line in order to run it back to the correct spot where it meets the frame and starts heading to the rear. Unfortunately, due to that little extra bend, the line is now too short and ends about an inch from the rear t. If I run the hardline in the stock position along the frame, from front to back, there's no way I can make up the lost length to make it reach the t.

I'm quite frustrated as bending the line and getting it semi-perfect was a pain.

I'm wondering if any of you have run into this problem, and if so, whether you came up with a simple solution. I don't want to run the lines in a non-stock location, to make them straighter for instance, and I'm not really interested in adding a coupler and a short second line. I'm currently thinking I'll just have to have a custom hardline made for me that's 70mm or so longer than the stock line. If that's the best route, does anyone have any recommendations for someone who could make the line?

Thanks a ton for any help or info you can provide.

Photos of my master and the instructions from CSP are below.

Thanks!
-Greg

[hitest]

Midas in Redondo Beach(?) replaced a short hard line for me in a '61 beetle on a Saturday morning many years ago. I can't imagine any brake shop that's been around a while in your area would not be able to make one for you.
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[Clara]

[flemcadiddlehopper]

Or.... you could buy a length of brake line and a flaring tool and make your own brake lines. You could even cut off your old flare nuts and reuse them so your 11mm flare nut wrench won't feel ignored.

Gordo.
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[j.pickens]

Or you can go to your local auto parts store and get a metric union and section of pre flared brake line. Just measure and get the right length. I know my local stores stock this stuff. Just be sure to get the 10mm X 1mm pitch fittings.

And it looks like you are upgrading from single to a dual circuit master cylinder, which explains why your hard line is too short.
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[Wade]

Thank you all. I just ordered a bubble flare tool and a 25 foot coil of 3/16" cunifer line. I'll make the run myself.

It's always good to have an excuse to buy a new tool.

Thanks again. I'll let you know how it goes.

-Greg

[Thompson2]

Without crawling under mine - isn’t that line suppose to go through the round hole in the sheet metal through a grommet?

[Wade]

Thompson,
I'm pretty sure that, with my '56 at least, the long line to the rear and the line to the front drivers side head straight from the master cylinder to the frame "wall" where they then head back through a small rectangle cut out of the vertical metal wall. No grommets at that point. Here's a photo I borrowed from the gallery showing it on another bus.

The only place the rear line goes through a grommet on my deluxe is way in the back just before the rear "t". It needs two back there due to it going through two sheets of metal.

-Greg

[Thompson2]

With that view, the routing makes more sense.

I wonder how they expect you to install the DC MC with the stock lines?

[nlorntson]

[Wade]

I know. I am at a loss for how CSP expected me to connect the stock line to the dc mc. As far as I can tell, there's no way it would possibly fit.

nlorntson, I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your photo. I reviewed a ton of your great shots during this process. Thank you for posting them.

-Greg