BlackRV7

BlackRV7

Well Known Member
Gang, While at SNF I would like to buy replacement line for the brake line Van's supplies. What line am I looking for and do I need alternate fittings. Making the shopping list..........

Dana Overall
Richmond, KY i39
RV-7, Black Magic
http//rvflying.tripod.com/id30.html
 
Enjoy the show don't blow your money

I recommend buying new, braided Teflon brake line that is commonly used buy the hot rod and auto guys. You are going to need a certain length and I don't think SNF vendors will have it. It is after all not really a "aircraft" AN spec certify part. I got mine from an industrial hose house that made every kind of hose and fittings.

Here is what I am talking about: -3 hose with -3 AN fittings:
http://www.bakerprecision.com/earls19.htm

These are pre-made for brakes and gages, but you can get just the hose and ends:

Hose: http://www.amstreetrod.com/610006ASR.php4
Ends: http://www.amstreetrod.com/HoseEnds.php4#SpeedSeal

Ends are steel and not sure about angle of cone (45/37) degree. When I had mine made up he had the 37 degree (common aircraft) and 45 degree (common with automotive/industrial). I think most of the hotrod and racers have gone to "AN" 37 degree fittings. DOT brake lines are typically "Banjo Fittings and Pipe thread.

Either way there are pipe thread fittings and adapters to match the hose fitting. You can go with the the -4 hose (which does have aluminum fittings) but that is over kill. The steel fittings on the -3 are small and not heavy. Just know what you are getting on the fittings and that they match the mating fittings.

Keep in mind you will add some weight with the braided steel hose, even though they are small, but I think its worth it. The ridged aluminum one work great from firewall down the gear leg, but the flexing that goes on near the caliper makes me nervous. The stock aluminum line works (Van use to use plastic), but there have been several broken ridged lines next to the caliper. One resulted in a brake fire, but fortunately the damage was contained. You could elected to have half and half, part ridged and part flex braided line near the caliper. I went with all braided since I did not want to have an junction with extra fittings.

Good Luck, enjoy SNF

George
 
Last edited:
If you know exactly what you want

At the top of this link there is a guy who makes brake line kits for the Lancairs. He'll make anything if you tell him what you want. Be advised tho, they are *NOT* cheap. But he does excellent work. I have a kit for my Legacy and I would never trade them. That Tygon stuff is just plain crude. No wonder there are brake fires from melted tubing...

http://www.lancairlegacy.com/news.html
 
I'm rich darn it!

aadamson said:
he does excellent work. I have a kit for my Legacy and I would never trade them. That Tygon stuff is just plain crude. No wonder there are brake fires from melted tubing...
Click to expand...
You rich Lancair guys, $300, $500 for some brake lines? OH MY! :eek: I think we can do better going thru a race shop that makes brake lines, by an order of magnitude of 10 to 20. I think you can get them for about $35.00 each or less, may be $60 at most for custom made ones to order. HOWEVER if anyone wants to send me say $300 for some RV brake lines I'll take care of you. :rolleyes: Seriously nice looking stuff and sure he uses only the best stuff, but the car / industrial stuff is excellent. Just my opinion. George.
 
George...

If you looked george, that *was* a *race* shop! The name of the place was "captain hook racing"!

And to be specific, It is not *some*, it's 12 lines, pressure tested, with all the AN fittings to convert from the dang tygon tubing and brass fittings. From the reservoir to the parking brake valve, to the cylinders on both sides and then thru all the bulkheads and to the brake calipers.

I tried buying them locally from a race shop, made of the same stuff and they were *more* expensive around these parts. For the entire kit
 
Last edited:
Like Jeff referenced above, Earls is a manufacturer of brake lines and fittings. You can make your own lines by purchasing the right parts and the appropriate assembly mandrels. They have good quality stuff, including aluminum end fittings for the custom brake lines. I used them on my bike.
 
I had mine made at a local speed shop

You can probably get them made locally.

I gave the local speed shop the fitting size (3?), the lenght, the the fitting type (we used words like straight female AN fitting).

The guy at the speed shop made sure that I was aware that a "special avaition" flaring tool would be needed.

They look great and they are exactly half the weight of the Vans hoses. :D Good luck.
 
Are you replacing all of the lines or would it be OK just to replace the last 12" or so with braided, which is typical for spam cans with fixed gear?

That's what I'd do if I was building another RV, because IF there is a brake line problem, it is going to be in the last few inches, and a short braided line is very easy to replace...

K
 
Quote of the day

I just got some quotes for custom brake lines and it was about $35-$40 each.G
aadamson said:
If you looked george, that *was* a *race* shop! The name of the place was "captain hook racing"!

And to be specific, It is not *some*, it's 12 lines, pressure tested, with all the AN fittings to convert from the dang tygon tubing and brass fittings.

I tried buying them locally from a race shop, made of the same stuff and they were *more* expensive around these parts. For the entire kit
Click to expand...
Ok Ok Ok , geee. 12 lines. I get it, by all means check your guy out. Bottom line is most car racing shops and hot rod shops have the "speed-flex" hose and -3 fittings (steel and aluminum). The cool part about the steel is they come at different types, straight, 45, 90 degree and other off sets that the aluminum ones don't. Like I said they are so small the weight is not a big issue.

12 LINES! That is what I mean, you Lancair guys are RICHIE RICH Guys. :D

G

PS aadamson, you realize that the fancy speed-flex line is extruded Teflon? hose with stainless braid-protection (like Aeroequip 666, but -4 is the smallest in "aircraft" Aeroequip). It is a solid "plastic" hose with braid. This is like what Van used before, the solid "plastic" Nylaflow tube, but with out the braid. Van switched to solid aluminum because the Nylaflow, which you are calling tygon (a big no-no for brakes), was its melting point. If you got the calipers too hot (riding the brakes) you could melt it (and some did). Other wise it was light and worked well. Van still uses it on the low pressure supply side of the brake system. Really it's like the speed flex just with out the braid. Teflon (PTFE) of course has superior heat limit (about 400F) than, as you say, "DANG" Poly or Nylaflow tubes. Nylon is not a good for that much heat, but had awesome pressure capability.
 
Last edited:
Pegasus Racing

Try these guys

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/

Owned by an RV builder. No, not me.

I got my lines from them. I used the connections that don't require any extra tools to assemble, that way I can build them on the plane and get the length correct. Can't rememeber how much they cost but it wasn't much.
 
Money for my RV

N916K said:
Try these guys

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/

Owned by an RV builder. No, not me.

I got my lines from them. I used the connections that don't require any extra tools to assemble, that way I can build them on the plane and get the length correct. Can't remember how much they cost but it wasn't much.
Click to expand...
The price, $4.29/ft, is about $1.30 (typo $130) more than other's charge? However the fitting prices are OK. Not sure if it is apples and oranges? It does make a good point in the sales text for the hose: "Only steel, stainless steel or high pressure brass fittings should be used with brake lines."

I am sure he is a super RV'er but I have my own RV to support, not his. :eek:

George
 
Last edited:
gmcjetpilot said:
The price, $4.29/ft, is about $130 more than other's charge? However the fitting prices are OK. Not sure if it is apples and oranges? It does make a good point in the sales text for the hose: "Only steel, stainless steel or high pressure brass fittings should be used with brake lines."

I am sure he is a super RV'er but I have my own RV to support, not his. :eek:

George
Click to expand...

$130 more??????? How are you running the brake lines? It only cost $70 for the material to make two brake lines.

Sorry I mentioned the guy built an RV, didn't know he would be attacked for it. :mad:
 
gmcjetpilot said:
The price, $4.29/ft, is about $130 more than other's charge? However the fitting prices are OK. Not sure if it is apples and oranges? It does make a good point in the sales text for the hose: "Only steel, stainless steel or high pressure brass fittings should be used with brake lines."

I am sure he is a super RV'er but I have my own RV to support, not his. :eek:
Click to expand...

I think they are not really trying to compete in the custom hose market, however they have decent prices for premanufactured hose assemblies:

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=3
 
Local Supplier almost enywhere.

We have replaced almost all of our lines with steel braid. It looks good and we get them cheap at the local hydraulic repair shop. Same place that the guys with tractors and such go. Made to order in about 5 minutes. We have never had a failure as these lines are high pressure hydraulic lines and up to the task. We have everything from fuel pressure to manifold pressure in braided lines.

In fact we just replaced the lines on the brake pedals and from the tubing on the gear leg to the brake caliper. They flex, hold pressure, temperature rated and look good.

The only caution that I can think of is making sure that the fitting angles match the AN Fittings. Additionally make sure that the interior lining is rated for fuel and hydraulic oil.
 
Typo

N916K said:
$130 more??????? How are you running the brake lines? It only cost $70 for the material to make two brake lines.

Sorry I mentioned the guy built an RV, didn't know he would be attacked for it. :mad:
Click to expand...
Sorry obvious typo. $1.30, No one is attacking you geeee :confused: , it was a joke, meaning I want to spend my money on my RV not support someone else's RV, chill. Write me off the list you can chew my butt. Their price is higher, so what. For 6ft you are looking at less than $8.00 a line. My purpose was to help the originator of the thread and point people to the lowest cost vendors. If that offends you, oh well. You can't please everyone all the time. :D George
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.