Wanted to give you guys an update, as I did the replacement yesterday.
Bought the line replacement kit from Walcks. I have to say the packaging and labeling was first rate. Each of the lines was clearly marked with a tag, ie, right wheel front, etc. And where you had to bend the line to strighten it, there were 2 tags each labeled that stated to bend straighten between them.
The end of each threaded nut was capped with a blue plastic cover, which was there to keep the line clean, but a bit of a pain to take off, especially once you get brake fuid on your hands
.
I started in the rear and worked forward. The rear axle line was pretty much spot on, you could do yourself a favor and buy one of those brake line pliers, which allow for small tweaks if you will. I also replaced the rubber hoses (3) total, the holding clips for each of the hoses into the respective frame mount, and also the line/frame clips - all of which I got from Walcks.
It got a little tricky with the main front line, which wraps around the front of the truck frame - its basically a big U. i did i from underneath and up and it took a while to get it just right.
There are 2 brass junctions on the truck. The rear one is something that can be replaced for not a lot of $. The front one, which has the larger main line feeding it and then splitting into 2 small diameter lines is not easy to find. So I took it off, and cleaned it up with my wire wheel part of the bench grinder. By the way, that wire wheel does wonders and has seen tremendous use all during the restoration.
All of the clips along the frame and front were replaced with new, which cleaned it up and kept the new lines in place.
The pain came when I was hooking up the left front wheel/drivers side, to the master cylinder. The bend was slightly off and I just couldnt get it to fit properly. I also replaced the main bolt that does into the master cylinder, 2 copper washers and rear brake switch from the master. Keeping that bolt loose so that the Y brass junction would move, where the lines go, made it easier. And note that Y union, that has the right diameter holes isnt easy too find either. Not sure where I got my replacement from, but it didnt fit the lines. So cleaned up the one I had on the wire wheel and good to go.
When you do this, dont tighten up the lines until last, you want the movement to allow for proper overall alignment/fit without undue stress. Going back through the system to check and tighten, once your finished, front to rear, is the way to go. Also, I would recomend a brake line wrench to tighten/loosen the threads, I have a S&K set, they worked great (for the rubber hose ends also).
I pressure bled the system last, drivers rear wheel first, and then worked my way forward following the brake line routing. Having invested years back in a pressure bleeder, its a tank that has a bladder in it which you pour fluid in, add compressed air into, and then theres a hose fitting that screws into the master cyclinder (replaces the cap), makes the bleeding easy and provides a solid pedal first time through.
Anyhow, the final verdict is that after almost 60 years, the replacement was due. It gave me an even more confident feeling about the truck, cleaned up the bottom great, and the whole task took atbout 4 hours. The line kit from Walcks was first rate. :thumbup:
