• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Front axle center drop brake line ?

Robb_In_AZ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Arizona
The snofighter D60 is under the 90 XJ and I am thinking about running a center brake line to the middle of the axle and then out towards the calipers pretty much the way we do it with the rear axle. I then dont have to worry about lines being too long or too short and all that.

I looked at the MC and there are 2 lines coming out of it. fine.

I looked at where the lines go from there and there is some kind of distribution block or proportioning "block" where the 2 lines go in and then there are 3 lines going out, 1 to each front brake and the single to the back axle.

whats the recommended way of running the front brake lines for a center drop ?

connect the 2 front lines into one line and then back from one line out to two lines again?

just plug one of the front brake line ports in the proportioning block ?

what do you guys do ?


thanks.
 
what do you guys do ?


thanks.
i'd venture that most people just run longer brake lines, although this is an interesting idea. perhaps even more viable with a wishbone 3link setup...

i :dunno: if it would work well or not but im interested to find out. nice topic :cheers: subscribing.
 
I had longer brakes lines before on the d30, and one of them snagged on "Something" pulled hard and folded/ creased the hardline a few inches above where it and the flex line met. It broke right in two when I unfolded it. lucky I was at home rather than on the trail

I would rather just run the line (or lines I guess?) to the center of the axle where Ill have a limiting strap and the travel distance should be limited compared to the axle ends
 
Just plug one port and you'll be fine. Lots of guys will run a hard line down the UCA with short ruber line on both ends the T off to each wheel. This is a great way to get away from ripping lines off or too short of lines...andy...miobi.org
 
You will need to run a larger line if you connect the two fronts together. You need a certain amount of volume to operate the front calipers. It would work if you run a "t" off the two lines coming out of the distribution block then a larger line from the distribution block to the "t" fitting in the center of the front axle then you can run regular size lines to the calipers.
 
Get a distribution block from an XJ or ZJ with ABS; it has 2in/2out.

No need to run larger line anywhere; it will still move the same amount of fluid.

I use a 12" flexible rubber hose from the frame to my upper link up front, a short piece of hardline, and a 1982 Dodge W250 front brake hose. It's about a foot long and ends in a distribution block you mount to the axle.
 
Ford Dana44's came standard with a single flex line to the axle, then with steel lines to the knuckle, then a flex line to the wheel.
 
I had longer brakes lines before on the d30, and one of them snagged on "Something" pulled hard and folded/ creased the hardline a few inches above where it and the flex line met. It broke right in two when I unfolded it. lucky I was at home rather than on the trail

I would rather just run the line (or lines I guess?) to the center of the axle where Ill have a limiting strap and the travel distance should be limited compared to the axle ends

Not really an answer to your question, but...
On my brake lines I got a Spring from the hardware store and attached it near where the brake line comes through the fender well. Other end goes on the top of the loop of exess brake line. It holds the excess brake line up out of the way, and lets out slack when the axle droops. Works for me, and cost under a buck.

Jeremy
 
I'd worry about the loss of both front brakes (70% of your stopping power) if you spring a leak. I know with one leaking, your brakes are weak, but with zero pressure to both fronts, you'll be scrambling for the "E" brake post haste.

What's to stop you from plumbing two lines parallel to the center of the axle and running left and right from there? No need to join them and split them again, just side-bye-side down to the axle and across from there.
 
I'd worry about the loss of both front brakes (70% of your stopping power) if you spring a leak. I know with one leaking, your brakes are weak, but with zero pressure to both fronts, you'll be scrambling for the "E" brake post haste.

What's to stop you from plumbing two lines parallel to the center of the axle and running left and right from there? No need to join them and split them again, just side-bye-side down to the axle and across from there.

If your front brake line springs a leak anywhere after the master cylinder, you'll still have the same problem.

Where do you think you were going to put that "T" to split the lines? It wouldn't have a check valve anyway to keep all the pressure from going to the path of least resistance...
 
If your front brake line springs a leak anywhere after the master cylinder, you'll still have the same problem.

you might still have some pressure until the fluid runs dry because the MC moves more volume than the individual line will flow. I'm all about having any warning (all be it small) I can get when brakes are in question.

then again, maybe not-- I guess you don't get much pressure when you open a bleeder screw, huh..... nevermind.

I'm assuming the question about the "T" wasn't for me since I didn't think that was the way to go:thumbup:
 
I've un-bolted my front axle so many times, I'm glad that my calipers had individual lines, so I could just hang the calipers from the body and not have to bleed my brakes when I put it all back together.

When I ripped a brake line, I threw some vice grips on it, and continued for the rest of the weekend like that with no problems, then just bought another $23.99 line from AutoZone when I got home.

seems pretty straight forward.
 
You ripped a brake line? That sucks. :D

I don't think I've bled my front brakes in over a year and a half now, and that was only cuz I changed the master cyl...I dunno. My jeep tends to gravity bleed pretty easily anyway so I usually just crack the bleeder and come back a few minutes later. :)
 
'Did a CJ buildlike this:
Ran the front line from the MC down the fire wall, made a pretty little corkscrew where it passed to the frame(not an issue on the XJ), and stopped it just above the leaf spring mount. Ran a flex line down the top of the leaf spring(and made these cute little plastic stand offs to keep it centered above the top of the spring:D) Put a "T" on the axle tube right next to the spring mount, then ran a flex line to the drivers side from the "T", a hard line to the passenger sidespring perch, and another flex line from there out to the caliper.
'Threw away the stock proportioning valve, added an adjustable valve to the rear line set mounted on the fire wall next to the MC.

If I were doing it on a long travel XJ, I'd do the same setup, but run the flex line down the passenger side upper control arm(to get it away from the exhaust). If you feel like you want(or actually need) a residual pressure valve, you can get inline valves that plumb in to a standard flare.
 
Just a trail fix tip... A BB (like from a BB gun) .177 will fit perfectly inside the hard line right at the prop valve and seal the messed up brake line at the prop valve, and when you get home you can just take the BB out. Works great when you have brake line issues.
 
Back
Top