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Brake Master Cylinder question

zr1panterazr1panteraForum Sponsor - SACC Restorations
On my last road trip a couple of weeks ago I was just about home after a great 120 mile loop through some very fun curvy type roads in Southern California. I was exiting the freeway a couple miles from home when my brake pedal suddenly let loose and went almost all the way to the floor. I thought, "Oh $hit" as I approached the stopped cars ahead of me. Fortunately some quick downshifts, the fact that I still had a little brake left at the bottom of the pedal travel, and the light just changed to green I was able to avoid a big problem. Did I mention that my emergency brake isn't installed because I removed it when I restored my engine compartment and have yet to re-install it. I guess that should be next on my to do list.

Anyway, I ordered a new Master Cylinder from Hall. I thought it would be a direct bolt in. When I tried to hook up the 2 brake lines they wouldn't start. The new Master Cylinder came with 2 new brass brake line ends. Does anyone have any experience with the Hall Master Cylinder? I'm guessing that the original Master has metric threads and the new one has American but I'm not sure. Do I have to make new brake lines from scratch and buy a flaring tool, etc…?
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L lastpushbutton (Guest)
I know this souds tooo simple... call Gary Hall.562-534-2629 That is one benifit of buying from vendors.....they can help if you run into somthing.. On your E- brake. I have had many cars without. I once saved my 64 vette door from beind torn off because I did have the ebrake. While I was on the phone to Gary, I would HIGHLY reccomend you get the parts you may need to fix it. WOW, close call Scott... glad you saved it.
George PGeorge PAdmin.
quote:
Originally posted by Scott Bell:
On my last road trip a couple of weeks ago ...I was exiting the freeway a couple miles from home when my brake pedal ...almost all the way to the floor...I approached the stopped cars ahead of me...I was able to avoid a big problem....


glad to read you & the Pantera escaped unscathed

quote:
Originally posted by Scott Bell:
The new Master Cylinder came with 2 new brass brake line ends.


they may be new flare fittings, OR they may be adapters. If you are unsure, call Hall before you cut into the tubing. They should have provided instructions when they sold you the parts.


quote:
Originally posted by forestg:
...Don't forget to put the new fittings on the line before flaring. Don't ask why i know this...


LOL ..... That's OK Forest, let he who is without fault cast the first stone.

your friend on the DTBB
moosomoosoMember
An interesting consideration when flaring brake lines...
I needed to customize my lines when I went to a new master cylinder and booster. I bought a double flaring tool as suggested by my auto parts professional. I kept having leaks at the flares. I called Dennis at Pantera Performance and he told me that the original lines are prone to cracking when you double flare them. He suggested a Rigid single flaring tool from Lowes/Home Depot. It worked. Now I can flare anything on the block! If you're using all new lines, then the double flare is best, but if you're adapting old lines, I'd go single flare.
Also, watch out for a combination of European "bubble" flares on your junction blocks and proportioning valve, with metric or american flares at the master cylinder. A "real" auto parts store should have the Euro bubble flared tubing if you need it.
Mooso.
C comp2Member
If you replace your brake lines with good steel lines you bend yourself you shouldn't have any problem. I just did my entire MGB brake system and double flaired everything. I no longer have any buble flair conections anywhere.

If you do much in the way of brake lines it is deffinantly worth paying for a descent brake flair tool!

http://www.rc-tech.net/MGB/brakes/brake9.jpg
http://www.rc-tech.net/MGB/brakes/gb6.jpg

Gary
C comp2Member
single flair will crack before a double flair. A good flair tool will make the difference too. I used the $30 flair tool and soon bought a more expensive flair tool. The flair from the more expensive tool was noticably more thick, solid and stout. The more expensive flair tool also made it possible to flair them on the car where the cheap tool was, well a fight even in the bench vice. I personally would not ever use the $30 flair tool again unless I had 1 flair to repair and that was it. The hand held flair tool was not perfect but flairing was not hard. The main problem I had with the tool I got from eastwood is the tips are cast steel. You have to change them every flair (back and forth). The threads crack and they get jammed. They don't carry replacement tips. It's not that big of deal; even without threads the tip is pressed into the part so it's not critical but anoying.

If you do very much brake work at all a good brake flair tool is a tool worth buying.

Gary
Last edited by comp2
accobraaccobraMember
Myself I would replce the lines from the master to the next fitting or pint of connection. I never cut corners on the braking system. The master probably has 1/4" or 3/8" IPS Tapered threads. The standard pipe thread. Hall probably gave you brass adapters to go to female flare thread. I think because the sizes of brake lines to the master vary, so an adapter would give you options.

My two cents.
George PGeorge PAdmin.
quote:
Originally posted by accobra:
...I would replce the lines from the master to the next fitting or point of connection...


Good point Ron & I agree. A flare made from old tubing will be a weak link, a suspect fitting. Because the old tubing will be stressed when flared & prone to cracking. Where as new tubing will not.

Your friend on the DTBB
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