Ford 8.8 Help

[ASJackman]

I just got a Ford 8.8, but before I start cutting/grinding things off, do I reuse the brake lines? It has soft lines coming from the calipers to hardlines, and then to a T-juncture which has another soft line coming off that to go to the frame. I've searched for this answer, but couldn't find it. Does it directly link up to the XJ line?

 

[Stumpalump]

On my 98Xj To 98 explorer 8.8 disk brake set up I used all the ford break lines. The hose from the t screwed right in to the XK hardline coming off the frame rail.(nice). The tabs for the softlines going to the caliper I tac welded to the axel tubes but wait untill you have your spring pearches and u-bolts in place so you can get them not to rub and have some slack for movement. I actually grould a notch in the bottom of the spring pearch so the line would tuck up and not rub. You want to work the break line and T up on the tube and drop your hard line down from the frame so you won't stretch the break line especially if you have a ton of lift. I used a real thin cuttoff grinding wheel on my 4 1/2 grinder(home Depot) I have to mention because its the first time I used a cuttoff wheel on my 4 1/2 inch grinder and it was awsome compaired to the wimpy die grinder. I suck with my acetelene cutting torch so the wheel was great.

 

[Stumpalump]

I should mention that I pulled both calipers loose and removed the calipers hard and soft lines all together and set them aside. Then grab the whole shooting match and set it back on and tack the tabs when you get everthing set. I think on the passenger side I welded a bolt to the tube an used a nut but the drvers side with the T I got whear I liked it and just welded the tab. I can grind or break it off if I need to do a field repair down the road on the lines.

 

[RedHeep]

If you have too much lift, the driver's side caliper hose (the one with the t-fitting) won't reach to the rigid line on the framerail.

I used the brake hose from the lift kit, bent up some brake line and used two passenger hoses to the calipers. I spent too much piecing it together at the parts store. Currie makes an excellent kit that should have what you need.

http://www.quadratec.com/products/CE-6013.htm

 

[ASJackman]

If you have too much lift, the driver's side caliper hose (the one with the t-fitting) won't reach to the rigid line on the framerail.

I used the brake hose from the lift kit, bent up some brake line and used two passenger hoses to the calipers. I spent too much piecing it together at the parts store. Currie makes an excellent kit that should have what you need.

http://www.quadratec.com/products/CE-6013.htm

Thanks for the replies, at least I know that the line will link up directly to the XJ without any problems, but I have the RE 5.5" kit that will be installed, will I need to use the two passenger side soft hoses? They look like the same length, so I'm confused... have any pictures of the whole brake setup?

 

[Stumpalump]

Since the break line is the same for the Exploder I also read you can get an extended break line from an exploder lift. If you piece togeter two driver side caliper lines or get a longer one you can move the T further foward and up on the axel and I think this would be the best and you will only need that one short line. The problem of lenght is buy the time you go undr the spring pearch you have to mount the T on the upper backside of the tube so if you incrase the caliper line on that side you can move it to the top front and point it right at you Hardline on the frame rail.

 

[RedHeep]

If you use two passenger side hoses, you can weld a bolt to the spring perch, mount the end of the flexible hose, run a hard line to the junction block on the jeep hose from the framerail and use the breather fitting from your old axle to hold the block in place. Reattach your breather hose to the fitting on top of the brake junction block and be done.

I would think piecing together all those explorer driver side parts is more work than getting two $15 hoses and some brake line.