drop bar brake line routing

Hi all. I am in the middle of a fork seal replacement on my 75 MkIII and I'm thinking it would be a good time to replace the disk brake lines as well. I have a flat bar and I really don't like how the brake line gets tweeked around coming up from the hard line and twisting up over the bars then back down and coming up from under the master cylinder. I would like to bypass the hard line all together and just run a stainless brake line from the midsection straight up behind the headlight to the master cylinder.

Now the questions:

Has anyone done this?
If you have drop bars or a flat bar I'd like to hear how you routed the brake.
Is there any reason that anyone would not reccommend doing this?
DOes anyone have a part number or a source for such a brake line?

Thank you!

Captain B said:

Hi all. I am in the middle of a fork seal replacement on my 75 MkIII and I'm thinking it would be a good time to replace the disk brake lines as well. I have a flat bar and I really don't like how the brake line gets tweeked around coming up from the hard line and twisting up over the bars then back down and coming up from under the master cylinder. I would like to bypass the hard line all together and just run a stainless brake line from the midsection straight up behind the headlight to the master cylinder.

Now the questions:

Has anyone done this?
If you have drop bars or a flat bar I'd like to hear how you routed the brake.
Is there any reason that anyone would not reccommend doing this?
DOes anyone have a part number or a source for such a brake line?

Thank you!

Click to expand...

Why do you want to replace the hard line? Why not just get a standard stainless braided line for the correct handlebars?

I have a braided-stainless front brake line. Runs from the M/C to the bracket and hard line behind the left fork leg. I eliminated the hard line at the lower triple clamp. Line length is about 30" with a male fitting on each end.

swooshdave said:

Captain B said:

Hi all. I am in the middle of a fork seal replacement on my 75 MkIII and I'm thinking it would be a good time to replace the disk brake lines as well. I have a flat bar and I really don't like how the brake line gets tweeked around coming up from the hard line and twisting up over the bars then back down and coming up from under the master cylinder. I would like to bypass the hard line all together and just run a stainless brake line from the midsection straight up behind the headlight to the master cylinder.

Now the questions:

Has anyone done this?
If you have drop bars or a flat bar I'd like to hear how you routed the brake.
Is there any reason that anyone would not reccommend doing this?
DOes anyone have a part number or a source for such a brake line?

Thank you!

Click to expand...

Why do you want to replace the hard line? Why not just get a standard stainless braided line for the correct handlebars?

Click to expand...

As I said : I have a flat bar and I really don't like how the brake line gets tweeked around coming up from the hard line and twisting up over the bars then back down and coming up from under the master cylinder.

Danno said:

I have a braided-stainless front brake line. Runs from the M/C to the bracket and hard line behind the left fork leg. I eliminated the hard line at the lower triple clamp. Line length is about 30" with a male fitting on each end.

Click to expand...

Thank you Danno that is what I was hoping to hear! I think I found one from Norville that will work. Is this the correct one?

http://www.norvilmotorcycle.co.uk/069167SS.htm


EDIT: Actually I think we are talking about different things. It looks like I need a male fitting at the M/C and a female fitting at the lower fitting. I want to put a braided line that runs from the M/C straight to the lower fitting (so that it connects through the lower fork area into the line with the spring-like guard aroud it.) Does that make sense to anyone?

Good practice tries to keep the flexible lines to a minimum and uses rigid wherever there is no movement. That said, you're fairly safe with braided stainless but you will need to make sure that it won't chafe or trap anywhere.

Are you just intending to replace the top line and the rigid section between the clamps or to go direct to the caliper ?

If you have the standard caliper then the Mk111 rather needs the rigid section running between fork slider and mudguard bracket as there simply isn't room to take a hose through.

These fittings are all UNF so you're in the right country to source the braided hose. Best thing is to order up the nipples and a slightly longer length of hose plus a supply of olives. The hose is inexpensive and easy to cut to length. Provided a new olive is used, the connectors can be re-used.

Any supplier of braided line for moderns should be able to supply UNF fittings as well.

Edit - Just read yours !

There's no problem in using a through-coupling in the lower yoke (tree) but obviously the cost increases as the connectors are the expensive part. While you're at it, you really ought to replace the old rubber hose below as well. If you make it yourself, you can re-use the plastic protector (or something similar such as the spiral protector designed for the stainless hose).

Captain B said:

Danno said:

I have a braided-stainless front brake line. Runs from the M/C to the bracket and hard line behind the left fork leg. I eliminated the hard line at the lower triple clamp. Line length is about 30" with a male fitting on each end.

Click to expand...

Thank you Danno that is what I was hoping to hear! I think I found one from Norville that will work. Is this the correct one?

http://www.norvilmotorcycle.co.uk/069167SS.htm


EDIT: Actually I think we are talking about different things. It looks like I need a male fitting at the M/C and a female fitting at the lower fitting. I want to put a braided line that runs from the M/C straight to the lower fitting (so that it connects through the lower fork area into the line with the spring-like guard aroud it.) Does that make sense to anyone?

Click to expand...

The fitting shown on the left on the Norvil site (minus t.he red compression nut) is what I have on bth ends. Not sure what they hae on the other end, but it looks similar on both ends and they have extra fitings screwed on.

If I intended to run a full length braided line between the master cylinder and caliper, then I'd want to fit a male/male adaptor to both the master cylinder and the caliper first, and then fit a braided hose with a female swivel fitting at each end, as the 'set' of the hose can easily be adjusted before the fittings are fully tightened.

79x100 said:

If you have the standard caliper then the Mk111 rather needs the rigid section running between fork slider and mudguard bracket as there simply isn't room to take a hose through.

Click to expand...

I know some owners fit the braided line around the outside of the slider (which I personally think looks untidy) and there's the chance it will chafe against the slider unless it is adequately protected.

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm wanting to keep it stock from the lower yoke down to the caliper (just switching to braided on the soft part) and above the yoke I'd take a braided line all the way to the M/C instead of through the hard line and up over the top. Hope that makes sense. I just have to find the right braided line with the right fittings. I was hoping someone would say they've done that or seen it before and it worked out OK. I just don't want to do something that has been proven not to work.

Captain B said:

I'm wanting to keep it stock from the lower yoke down to the caliper

Click to expand...

Captain B said:

I just have to find the right braided line with the right fittings.

Click to expand...

You will probably have to get it custom made, or you could make the line up yourself, as it's not that difficult (and you trust your own workmanship?).


Going by what you have said, the lower end of the braided line needs a female 3/8 UNF swivel fitting to connect it to the male fitting on the lower hose?

For the master cylinder connection, I'd suggest a male/male adaptor (with a copper sealing washer) and a swivel fitting?


A male fitting could be used without an adaptor, although a copper sealing washer may still be necessary on a short male fitting as they are not always long enough to seat against the internal M/C taper before the hexagon on the fitting is hard up against the master cylinder?
A long male 'bulkhead' fitting has enough thread length to seat against the internal M/C taper, so there's no need for a copper washer.

Alternatively, as the master cylinder is machined flat where the fitting screws in, you could use a 3/8" straight or angled banjo and bolt fitting?

Awesome 8)

I run flat bars on my 850. The stock master cylinder is too chunky. I cut the beak off it and ditched the Lucas pressure switch. Tapped a new hole and fitted a union with a micro pressure switch and run a braided stainless line down to the caliper. Also sleeved the MC bore to improve lever feel and effectivness.

Mick

ML said:

I run flat bars on my 850. The stock master cylinder is too chunky. I cut the beak off it and ditched the Lucas pressure switch. Tapped a new hole and fitted a union with a micro pressure switch and run a braided stainless line down to the caliper. Also sleeved the MC bore to improve lever feel and effectivness.

Mick

Click to expand...

Pics?

Here is. Damn thats getting a bit grubby in there, time for a tub methinks.