Getting ready to run my 1/4” brake line on my project and was wondering of anyone has come up with a 90 degree fitting that will work with the factory wheel cylinders and the 1/4” brake line fittings there was post in this thread from 2006 about how ford made a 90 degree fitting but I can’t find it online or in the common flathead catalogs. I do have a 90 degree “T” that was used in that area and I’m wondering if that’s what he is referring to. It threads in and will work BUT I’ll have to plug one of the outlets. It’s users on the torque tube I think. Is there a simple inverted flair fitting?! I’d like to run my lines down the rear rods to keep thing nice and neat. Thanks Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I appreciate the response but the bigger shoes are towards the front and the wheel cylinders in the correct orientation with the bigger bore pointing forward. I’m not interested in changing that up Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I don't exactly understand. On my set up the front shoe is still the front shoe and the front piston of the step bored wheel cylinder is still the front piston. All that's changed is the mounting position of the cylinder. Thus pointing the brake line port to the front of the vehicle making installing the lines a little easier as you can see in the photo.
I can’t see how you could flip them side to side and keep the bleeder on top. It looks like your bleeders are on the bottom. If so, Did you have issues bleeding them? Thanks for the response! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I don’t have an answer to the fitting question but have a couple of points about rotating plates. The thing about rotating the Lockheed backing plates is that doing so will create the need to put the large shoe to the rear. Because of the pivot / anchor points at the end of each shoe, the primary (large) shoe is taking the brunt of the stopping load in relation to wheel rotation. The backing plate doesn’t care if the cylinder is on the top or the bottom. Also, make sure that when placing the bleeder on top that you modify the large center hole position and don’t just re-drill the wheel cylinder mounting bolt holes as the pistons aren’t centered between the mount bolts. Pete appears to have done this correctly.
Yea I did the moon cut so the wheel cylinders fit like they should. I REALLY don’t want to tear everything apart to put the primary shoe to the rear. I read and read and read on this before I started and hate to think it’s not right especially after putting everything together, grinding, fitting, grinding, assemble, taking it back apart to grease the wheel bearings to assemble it then torque it all down. Is this a dealbreaker? Just when you think you got it all figured out.... lol Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
At my age I understand some things are more difficult for some than others. I had no issues bleeding my system with the bleeder on the bottom. The shoes are the same at the pivot holes and switching them was no issue for me. I did not do any Moon cut so I guess my system is wrong by some standards. I didn't tell them they were wrong 12 years ago when I did this and so all seems to be just fine. I have a good solid pedal and I can lock up all 4 if I want, I just try not to do that. I probably should have read some instructions before I did this. Looking at the first photo you posted it looks to me you could just take your hard line and make a half circle coming right out of the cylinder going up and onto the wishbone without any connecting fitting. Is that just something you don't want to do for some reason?
I just think it would be a eyesore to see a looped brake lines on my pickup. Plus them hanging out in no mans land to catch something. If I had a 90 degree adapter I could keep everything nice and tight. Here are some pics of the “T” that I think he is referring to In my original post. It’s not screwed in much at all. I think it could be trimmed down (remove the bracket section of it) and plugged in the one side to get my 90. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I got to double check the threads but I looked and I didn’t see what I thought I needed. Something like this would be great. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
From my research the REAR wheel cylinders and brake hoses and all the other thing I have in my brakes parts pile is 7/16-24.So I need a 7/16-24 iff to 7/16-24 ifm 90, is anyone savy with a fittings catalog? Speedway doesn’t show that fitting in the book or on the website Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Called speedway called summit no luck... looks like I gotta run my brake lines a different way. Time to just sit and just look at it for awhile. I’m sure it will come to me! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
For what its worth I'd say flip your backing plates and install them right side up. With the shock mount cut off like yours there is plenty of room for the brake line and the bleed valve. It worked for me and my shock mounts are shortened about an inch but not removed. Nobody has ever told me my brake lines look dumb.
Dumb question. . . . Why flip the backing plates upside down? Is it because of your spring is in the way of the wheel cylinders?
Rough fit went well then I’ll take one line at a time and really dial it in. Not gonna need those 90 degree fittings after all but see how ugly it is to come over the axle tube, this is what I was trying to avoid. I’m over it.... I can make the lines ok and be that much closer to driving it! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
When you rotate the backing plate 180 degrees, and swap the wheel cylinders side to side, it does place the brake line facing the rear in effort to keep the Large Wheel cylinder piston to the front. That is how I did my rear brakes and it works great. Large shoe to the front, and large piston facing forward. I will add some pics soon.
On my set up with Lincoln backing plates the brake cylinder is too close to the spring perch for the brake line to exit.
i did one once with the cylinders on top like henry wanted them. i made a tube bender with a notch cut in it for the brake line nut so i could start the bend as soon as the line left the nut. it was close but worked just fine
In rotating the backing plate you are only rotating it 180* so all parts stay where they are in orientation. That means the leading shoe is now at the back as is the large bore of the wheel cylinder and by swapping the wheel cylinders side to side you are putting the bleeder in it correct position. If you change the leading shoe to the front along with the wheel cylinder you have now set the brakes up to work best for the car to stop when going backwards. The brake drum is still rotating the same way so the brake shoes should stay where they were on the backing plate as they were originally on that side. JW
If you put some 1/4'' black rubber hose or heat shrink on the rear part of the new line it won't stand out as much. JW
Both of the Model A's I have with hyd brakes have them mounted right side up. No clearance issues at all. Just a fairly tight bend in the steel line. My coupe had them upside down when I bought it but the backing plates had already been notched to mount right side up so I put the on correctly. Don't see any issues doing it that way. My avatar has had them right side up since 1958. Dave
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