Brake lines question

[ClassicFordGuy]

Working on restoring a landcruiser and the time has come to make the brake lines that go from the manster cylinder to the front and rear axle. Stopped at Central Auto Parts and they had a 25 ft roll of 3/16 for $14 but it was aluminum then stopped at Advance Auto Parts and they had steel for $25. So the question is, what should I use, aluminum or steel? Seems to me the auluminum won't rust and will be alot easier to bend and fair. Any ideas?

Thanks,

-Rob

[DieselDeaf]

They must be made out of steel. I have never ever seen aluminum brake lines as I don't think they will take the pressure and they corrode just as bad or worse than steel would. You would also get a lot of dissimilar metal corrosion.

That aluminum tubing is probably for heat risers.

[SteveRacer]

Just a thought ...

Don't know what year you're dealing with, but I assume it's an FJ40, or maybe a 60...

In any case, don't try to make the small "crossover" brake lines that go from cylinder to cylinder in the rear drum setup. They are too short and too hard to make without some specialized tools.

It's much easier just to buy pre-made 10" or 12" lengths with the correct 10x1mm flare fittings already on. You can even buy them pre-bent from Man-a-fre or Spectre Off Road. Costs more, but not if you consider how much time it takes to make those fiddly little pipes.

Just recalling from experience working on my beloved '76 FJ40.

best-

-steve

[ClassicFordGuy]

Its an 84 FJ40 with a 3B diesel 4 cylinder. I got it in a dismantled state so there were no brake lines on the rear axle. I'll look up the ones your talking about in the book. I'm mostly trying to fabricate the long lengths of line from the master cylinder to the axles.

I'll call Central back and make sure they weren't steel ones, I've never heard of aluminum ones either. What about using stainless? Would that be worth looking for?

Steve, you wouldn't have any pictures your could email me of the brake line routing on your fj40 would you? If you do I'll take any pictures you have, since I never saw one together I just have the manual to go on for everything. Email is robby.wallace@comcast.net

Thanks,

-Rob

[SteveRacer]

Sorry, no pictures of that. Mine was a '76, so by '84 things might be very different.

On mine the rear drums had TWO cylinders, they both spread the shoes. There was only one brake line to the backing plate, but then there was this crazy jumper that tied together the upper and lower cylinders. It's a short piece that just snaked past the axle flange.

To be honest it was a lousy setup that never stayed in adjustment, and really suffered from prolonged sitting, like a lot of FJ40 projects do. I honed and restored my cylinders a couple of times, which turned out to be pretty foolish considering the labor involved and the cheap cost of brandy-new replacements.

But then again I'm no stranger to foolishness.

I still love the FJ40s. I might get another one someday when I'm rich. Mine had ambulance doors and would go anywhere. Last vehicle I owned with a choke on a cable ... in my opinion, the way it should be. I could fire that thing in -22 degree weather and drive to work ... only to pull a few others out of ditches before they sent us all home. Never had a radio -- the cutout in the dash was a wierd DIN size that nobody heard of back then.

The windshield could be folded down and held on the hood with rubber T bungees. Manual locking hubs and dual shift levers with a rivited plate on the dash to tell you where the cogs were. The only time I got it stuck all four wheels were in the air -- and believe me, I tried. Heater core in the center console. Fuel tank inside, under the driver's seat. An ARB air-locker in back and a limited slip in front and your only limitations were ground clearance and tires.

This was not your mommy's truck.

Best of luck with your resto-

-steve

[ClassicFordGuy]

Wow, I'm pretty new to these things but that sounds pretty cool. I already rebuilt the rear brakes and they are single cylinder that stick through the backing plate like every other later car so no funky lines in there.

-Rob