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Brake upgrades using factory parts for GMT-400(88-00 OBS), and 94-99 DODGE 2500/3500

Will L. said:
It would be cool to see 60-0 (or whatever similar you can do in your area) stopping results before and after.

Also if your going to do the pressure tests on everything, please post those too. Ya never know when that info of real life testing comes in handy for the next person doing this fix.
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Measuring stopping distance 60-0 is impossible for me to check here, way too congested and hence dangerous. Let's just say my brakes aren't nearly as good as they were several years ago when I was towing an 8,000 lb race trailer and they sucked then too. Right now they're just not safe. After it's all done I can try to do that.
 
Will L. said:
Wow, That sux.
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Well yes it does. I put new OEM hoses on the front 3 years ago but the rear has never been changed. I have another car vintage 1970 and it's brakes were getting weak. The calipers had been rebuilt but the hoses had not been replaced. The rears were actually balooning internally! That happens with clutch lines a lot too. So it's possible that this is part of my problem as I've never checked.

I really would like all SS braided Teflon hoses though.

Next is a call to Inline for a couple of reasons. It's hard for me to beleive that gently folded SS brake line that arrived in a 45" box really has a full length line which can go from the ABS Pump/prop valve which is in the engine compartment at the top near the firewall
all the way to above the differential where the hose makes the jump to the axle. Maybe it's in two pieces? The wheelbase is 131.5"
 
Oh and I've done that for years as well on sports and vintage exotic cars but ... looking at the installation on this vehicle I don't think I can make this work properly without that center securing bracket clamped to the hose. It keeps a lot of bad things from happening to the hose. IMHO the hose could even do with being an inch longer on the body connection end. It's stretched pretty tight at full lock.
 
If you take in the factory hose they can duplicate everything- including brackets. And if you want it longer at the one end, just tell them. The premade from Russell would’ve been nice, but since they have to go back anyways- just do custom.
 
THEFERMANATOR said:
The russel stainless hoses are shorter than the stock ones because they route differently than stock.
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OH? I took a shot at the Russel hoses thinking they themselves might be misinformed. But they did tell that they would not fit.
Those fronts are really a lot shorter? The rear one is not as much shorter but I don't know if the could work.
 
THEFERMANATOR said:
The russel stainless hoses are shorter than the stock ones because they route differently than stock.
Click to expand...
So do yours snake up and through the upper A-arm directly to the brake line union instead of running to the outside and around the upper ball joint to the front brake line connection point.?

With my left wheel all the way to the left it does reach OH and is about 1 " from the the A-arm but I don't know what it would do when that wheel was turned all the way to the right?
 
Will L. said:
If you take in the factory hose they can duplicate everything- including brackets. And if you want it longer at the one end, just tell them. The premade from Russell would’ve been nice, but since they have to go back anyways- just do custom.
Click to expand...
Where would you take or send the factory hose to get it duplicated? If Somebody gets a set done, that should open the door for the rest of us
 
One interesting thing about the rear brake design is that the main line coming from the front is 1/4". That then gets coupled to the drop hose with same size hose as feeds the brake calipers up front which is sized for 3/16" brake line. So for 18" both rear cylinders are being supported on a single 3/16" sized hose. I would think that the 1/4" size should be maintained right up to the Tee split? But none of the drop hoses seem to do this? I wonder what practical effect this has on rear brake performance?
 
jrsavoie said:
Where would you take or send the factory hose to get it duplicated? If Somebody gets a set done, that should open the door for the rest of us
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I have my doubts about a local shop being able to duplicate the hose entirely, with the clamped on bracket. In my experience they just don't do that stuff. I could possibly take the ones off of an el cheapo set but that's a huge PITA. So I have no doubt that they could just do the simple front hoses as a round banjo to the brake like accepting fitting on the other end. Not sure about the rear.

Inline can make the hoses or you can just buy the pre-made ones the show in their catalog. They have them at 27" for the front which is an inch longer and my guess is that isn't a problem. Then use rubber lined hose clamps (a pair) to secure them to the top of the A-arm where the metal bracket did. $25.00 For the rear they sell a drop line that is 18" for $25.00 They even have a 1/4" version instead of 3/16"!

The fronts have the round banjo head and Earl's sells the proper square one 9977031ERL. So you can just pick you own end fittings instead and them pick the designated hoses separately. It's more money that way but you get it pretty much exactly right that way. Check their catalog for hot rod stuff. They have everything except for the Earl's square banjos.

I could use my Russell rear hose but it's a 3/16" hose, so is my oem. I got these as an open package buy for $26 but I think I'll send them back and do everything exactly like I want with the Inline stuff and Earl's banjos. You can also utilize any ones hoses with their solutions outlined in their catalog as they specify total length with fittings as well as the hose length required.
 
Clarification:

The 18" drop down from Inline is 1/4" only on the bulkhead fitting ... :(
It also is not able for online ordering anyway and today is the last day for free shipping.
Their full 3/16" version SSR15 won't work but once again you can put one together from the pieces.
 
Also keep in mind the factory rubber hoses bend and flex differently than stainless braided. Mine come straight off the frame mounts, over the a arms, and connect straight to the caliper. They're tight, but have worked for 14 years that way.
 
THEFERMANATOR said:
Also keep in mind the factory rubber hoses bend and flex differently than stainless braided. Mine come straight off the frame mounts, over the a arms, and connect straight to the caliper. They're tight, but have worked for 14 years that way.
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Thanks for that. The Russell kit I got has fronts that could never do that and I wasn't comfortable with the potential for interference by going through the A-arm as it looked like a lot of rubbing could occur, so I used Inline's adapters and the new line will route just like the OEM one and get secured right under the upper ball joint on the outside of the knuckle. I'm working on a cushioned hose clamp solution now for that.

There are three 3/8" holes in the OEM securing bracket which is quite robust. I'll have another look today but I doubt you need 3 bolts there. So I think a pair of clamps should do the trick.
 
staatsof said:
Thanks for that. The Russell kit I got has fronts that could never do that and I wasn't comfortable with the potential for interference by going through the A-arm as it looked like a lot of rubbing could occur, so I used Inline's adapters and the new line will route just like the OEM one and get secured right under the upper ball joint on the outside of the knuckle. I'm working on a cushioned hose clamp solution now for that.

There are three 3/8" holes in the OEM securing bracket which is quite robust. I'll have another look today but I doubt you need 3 bolts there. So I think a pair of clamps should do the trick.
Click to expand...

It turns out only one of the three holes are utilized. I wanted to find out the bolt size and thread but I'm concerned about removing it at full lock and then being able to get it back in. In my present situation I cannot take a wheel off to do this. :grumpy:

Anything involving lifting the vehicle or very heavy items I have to farm out.

So this is a frustrating situation to solve at the moment.
 
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