Been working all day on putting an ECI disc brake conversion on my 49 Fleetline....well, started the day with changing over to dropped uprights and steering arms and cutting a coil, then onto the brakes. Everything fits great and I'm real pleased, but am looking at a problem with the caliper to frame hose. Ordered the whole shebang from ECI to avoid problems and that included the chevy calipers that use a banjo fitting on the brake line on the back of the caliper. I have the caliper mounted properly (bleeder screw on top) and in that position, the brake hose points up and forward....which puts it higher than the bleeder screw and even worse, puts it into a potential/likely pinch between the caliper and the upper A arm on a turn. This can't be good. Anyone else have this setup? How did you run this hose? It would seem better to me for the hose to be aiming down and back...but there are bosses on the caliper around the hose preventing this from being the case. Of course, I could be trying to put the hose on wrong, but I don't think so as the cast bosses pretty much make the hose go on one way. On a similar note, I thought I could use the original mounting bracket on the frame for the hard line/hose connection. Is that what anyone else has used? Any and all input welcome...even comments calling me stupid. I'll just stick my tongue out at you and read the helpful posts...but if it makes you feel better, I can be stupid for ya. Thanks!!!
I will on Monday should I not get it solved...but was hoping to have it all finished by tomorrow. Anyone?.....
Could you possibly have the hoses and/or calipers switched from left to right? I know this'll be a dumb question, and probably get stuff thrown at me - but - what do the directions say?
Sometimes it's necessary to put a new "notch" in the semicircle cast around the banjo hole. Then you can re-aim the hose. Charlie
Nope, the calipers and hoses are not switched left to right or upside down. I think the issue, of course, is really using something that was designed for one car with a certain susension layout on another that is entirely different. It's close toworking, but needs a tweak to be right...and the directions, as are many, quite vague. Thanks, Charlie....that's what I was thinking I would do. If I do that, it will line up real nice and go right where I need it....but I was unsure if notching that semi-circle was really a good idea or not. Die grinder, here I come! Hopefully will have this all plumbed, bled and back on the ground by the end of the day.
It sounds like you may have your problem solved, I look forward to hearing back later today. Can you give me some information about ECI, like how to contact them, are they an Alliance Vendor, etc.? Also, would you mind telling me where you got your uprights and springs (if you changed them)? Thank you
is that even an issue? when you bleed the brakes you are pushing the fluid and air out, I would think that as long as the bleed screw is at the top of the caliper that they will bleed fine. maybe I'm wrong...???
Charlie's dead on about the notch...had to do the same and know a few others who have too. I've gotta wonder if there was a soft-line made for these calipers that had an "L" shaped fitting for the banjo-bolt or something. Bryan
Hose exits on the bottom. I "clearanced" the notch as suggested by Charlie and everything then worked great. The front end is all back together. Just finished my dinner and now back out to mount the new master cylinder and run the hard lines. Gonna make it yet! STVBLT, follow the link given above for ECI. I don't think they are an alliance vendor, but I made that membership back on the cheater slicks from HOTRODRUBBER and matching wide white radials from Coker...both alliance vendors. So far as the uprights are concerned, I used the ones from Fatman Fabrications along with their dropped steering arms. I did not change the springs, but did cut one and a half coils. Looks to have dropped the front end about 5 inches total. I've been taking pictures along the way and plan on doing a "semi" tech post on the things I had to do outside what the vague instructions have said.
The Jalopy Journal
