New Brake Lines-- Spriso Motorsports Style, a Tutorial

[spriso]

Tangoterje wrote:

Old thread, wake up!

Michael, would you have a pic of the front brake piping on a NA engine? You wrote you simply cross over to passenger side, instead of going into the wheel well.

Here is a post from my "Project Sting-Grey" build thread which shows the latest version of how we did the brake lines. It does not matter if one line is longer length than the others.

Hope this helps,

Michael


Before we could put the body on the frame, the brake and clutch systems needed to be built as they would be difficult to do after the body was on the car. As many of you know, we love rebuilding the brake lines to make them as simple as possible, and this car had another evolution on that process.

The Datsun 240Z 7/8" master cylinder was mounted to the firewall, as well as the standard clutch master cylinder, and new lines were built-- I like to get the out of the engine compartment to clean up the look:





These poke thru the inner fender, and start their transition, either forward for the front brake lines, or to the rear for the rear-- the clutch line will follow the front brake, but instead of going across the firewall, will go around the front:



Since the brake lines are outside of the engine compartment, they are armored with stainless steel brake line spring.

And across the front:



And back through to the other side-- clean and simple, and really cleans up the firewall.

[spriso]

Tangoterje wrote:

Pressure switch: A Z-owning friend of mine said he wouldn’t delete the switch because he thought it served another purpose in addition to the warning light: If pressure is lost at one side (snapped brake line for instance), then the slide inside the switch would go towards that side and physically block the outlet, preventing fluid and pressure loss. Any truth to this?

Yes, in theory that is what that switch is supposed to do. However, most of them we have opened up have been full of rust and are no longer functional. We eliminate that switch on our brake line conversions.

This was one that we cleaned out on a project-- just beware they can be a bugger to get re-sealed:





If I was building a new brake line setup for my car, then that switch is going into the garbage.

Michael

[iloveredmeat]

Michael, That is absolutely awesome and informative.

I don't know if I'll have the wherewithal to do this on my car, but if I can I will!

Thanks,
pm

[tangoterje]

Thank you for the photos and info. Looks great! Good idea with the brake line spring.

I don’t think I want to route the front brake lines outside the car though, so I’ll just try to find a neat way to cross over.

Bonus question: I’m installing MK63 calipers in front, and as the total piston area is 17% higher than stock, I’m installing 13/16 rear wheel cylinders too, which happens to have a 17% larger area than 3/4 too. Beautiful, right? I’ve kept my 3/4 master cylinder though. Do you think a 17% increase on the brakes also would need a 13/16 MC, or is the pedal stiff enough from factory that it can cope with it?

I’ll of course just try it out and see, but figured I’d ask here.

[spriso]

I would be upgrading to the 7/8” Z master cylinder with those larger brakes… you will find that the 3/4” master will have way too much travel to feel right.

Michael

[TNlizard]

Thank you for the photos and info. Looks great! Good idea with the brake line spring.

I don’t think I want to route the front brake lines outside the car though, so I’ll just try to find a neat way to cross over.

Bonus question: I’m installing MK63 calipers in front, and as the total piston area is 17% higher than stock, I’m installing 13/16 rear wheel cylinders too, which happens to have a 17% larger area than 3/4 too. Beautiful, right? I’ve kept my 3/4 master cylinder though. Do you think a 17% increase on the brakes also would need a 13/16 MC, or is the pedal stiff enough from factory that it can cope with it?

I’ll of course just try it out and see, but figured I’d ask here.

[ppeters914]

Tangoterje wrote:

Old thread, wake up!

Michael, would you have a pic of the front brake piping on a NA engine? You wrote you simply cross over to passenger side, instead of going into the wheel well.

Here is a post from my "Project Sting-Grey" build thread which shows the latest version of how we did the brake lines. It does not matter if one line is longer length than the others.

Hope this helps,

Michael


Before we could put the body on the frame, the brake and clutch systems needed to be built as they would be difficult to do after the body was on the car. As many of you know, we love rebuilding the brake lines to make them as simple as possible, and this car had another evolution on that process.

The Datsun 240Z 7/8" master cylinder was mounted to the firewall, as well as the standard clutch master cylinder, and new lines were built-- I like to get the out of the engine compartment to clean up the look:





These poke thru the inner fender, and start their transition, either forward for the front brake lines, or to the rear for the rear-- the clutch line will follow the front brake, but instead of going across the firewall, will go around the front:



Since the brake lines are outside of the engine compartment, they are armored with stainless steel brake line spring.

And across the front:



And back through to the other side-- clean and simple, and really cleans up the firewall.

Now that Sting Grey resides in my area, I was fortunate to see these changes up close and personal. Very, very nice. Just wish I had the tools and talent to do it, especially after my less-than-optimal experience with the Classic Tube stainless steel lines. Classic Tube, the company, has been great. The product, in my case, not so much.