I will be doing the brakes on my highly modified model t soon and I don't know what brake line size to use. I have 12" drums on all 4 corners and a 1" bore master cylinder from an old econoline van. Should I run 1/4" line to the t's and 3/16" from there or will 3/16" suffice all around? Thanks in advance
I run 1/4". It was what was on the early Fords and I seem to have better luck doing the double inverted flares on the larger size for some reason.
Id run 3/16" all the way around but thats just me. i cant recall ever seeing any 1/4" in brake lines but then again i have not seen everything thats out there either.
Good advice is to run the same size as master and wheel cylinders. Early Ford was 1/4" all arround. But new system wheel cylinders and master are generally 3/16". I've been using 3/16" on all the cars I've build that way I don't need adapters. The FOGGER
As far as brake line size, the brakes don't care what size they are. Old Fords, pre 48 used 1/4" lines. 49 and up Fords used 3/16". GM until recently used 1/4" in the rear, and 3/16" in the front. Line size does not change the pressure on the wheel cylinders.
^^^^^^^^^^^^ What Enjenjo said EDIT: Technically speaking the smaller line will carry more pressure - which might explain why Detroit went to 3/16" - the advent of disc brakes doubled line pressure.
Bernoulli's Principle states that as the speed of a moving fluid increases, the pressure within the fluid decreases. Want to know more check this out, Its kewl http://home.earthlink.net/~mmc1919/venturi.html Gary
I always do 3/16" all around. A few things good about the 3/16" is that you can make bends with a tighter radius using a tubing bender, and you can make gentle bends or adjustments easily with your bare hands. Get a good tubing flaring tool. It sucks trying to make the flares with a piece of crap tool. When you get a line all bent and cut perfectly, the last thing you want is to have the flare get ruined by trying to use a junky flaring tool. I bought a used old Blue-Point flaring kit, and it's never let me down.
we are seriously getting close to over thinking this run 3/16 or 1/4...whichever works out best for you
In technical terms, there is no "flow" in a brake system. The fluid moves so little that the Bernoulli principle does not really apply.