brake project question, fitting 23mm MC and hard brake lines? Options

[siverson]

Hi,

I'm getting my project closer to being on the road and have two brake questions for you guys:

1) Anyone have experience fitting a 23mm master cylinder? Everything seems to fit ok (i.e. used longer push rod, pedals bolt up nicely) except the steering rack is in the way of where the two plastic lines from the plastic reservoir connect. Do I need to make new lines, or am I doing something wrong?

2) Right now, I have the master cylinder, new calipers (993TT), rotors and just the one single hard brake lines that runs through the center tunnel installed (the car was striped for painting). The hard lines for the stock brakes obvious don't line up with the new calipers. What should I do:

a) Figure out how to bend new hard lines, and mimic what the factory had done. What type of shop can make custom brake lines (I'm in San Diego)?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) Just run -3 braided brake line everywhere? This I know how to do, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea. Will long braided lines give a weird pedal feel?

c) Anything else?

Thanks for any tips,
Steve

[ArtechnikA]

1) Anyone have experience fitting a 23mm master cylinder? ... the steering rack is in the way of where the two plastic lines from the plastic reservoir connect. Do I need to make new lines, or am I doing something wrong?

The hard lines for the stock brakes obvious don't line up with the new calipers.

a) Figure out how to bend new hard lines...What type of shop can make custom brake lines (I'm in San Diego)?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) Just run -3 braided brake line everywhere?

i've done it. it was a long time ago, so i've managed so repress most of the unpleasantness and am left with the wonderful feel of a rock-hard pedal after a session of lapping at Willow Springs...

first thing - install the reservoir tubes into the MC -first- trying to get the metal parts into the grommets is a MAJOR PITA trying to do it in the car - learned that trick the hard way ...

IIRC - all i had to do on those was flip them around so they crossed in the middle. took some fiddling but i didn't have to fabricate any new reservoir lines. i did this on a '70 /6 so if you're starting with some kind of different plumbing in a later car, maybe this won't be relevant ...

also - i'm beginning to suspect there are a few different flavors of Mercedes 23mm MC and this might be an issue. i wish i'd kept the part number from my install but it was 20 yrs ago...

hard line doesn't run to the caliper - just to the transition mount on the wheel well, where it changes to flex line. i'm pretty sure you knew that, but at the risk of belabouring the obvious...

hard line to the wheel wells is easy - just get the 10,0 x 1,0 EUROPEAN hard line from the FLAPS and bend to fit. they have many lengths. you can make some trial runs using stiff plumbing solder, then straighten and measure. or just wing it with a tape measure.

you don't need a shop to make brake hard line - although i do recommend spending the $10 on a tubing bender tool -also available at the FLAPS.

with radically different MC and calipers you may need to address proportioning - the stock prop valve will almost certainly not be correct. there are lots of good choices but you'll have to pick something ...

you can run AN-3 Teflon line everywhere but this will probably set you back $1000 to do the car. this sounds preposterous until you actually sit down with an Earl's supply catalog and price up alll the line (something like $7.50/foot) and fittings (ballpark $25 each). race cars are plumbed this way - but that's why they have sponsors ...