Brake line questions - Why the spiral in the hard line?

[djawahir]

Hi guys,
I'm doing a V8 conversion on my FJ60 and I want to clean up the engine bay a little bit. There are 2 hard brake lines that come out of the brake master cylinder and route over to the passenger side of the firewall. These two brake lines spiral a bunch of times before they go into the routing block mounted to the frame.

What is the reason for the spiral shape of the brakelines? Is it for cooling? bubble prevention? what??

(I'd like to custom route hard lines that don't have that spiral thing and I was wondering what, if anything, would get affected...)

 

[Mace]

think of the body being mounted on rubber bushings to the frame and then think spring

 

[Randy88FJ62]

My frist thought was cooling but I realize Mace nailed it. I'm sure you can reduce it but be careful and allow from flex and vehicle dynamics.

 

[dgangle]

The coils isolate external stresses from the structure of the line itself caused when the body and frame flex differently/independently.

EDIT: I type slow. Already answered........

 

[ntsqd]

Only sure fire way to eliminate the coils is to put an anchor on the firewall and use a brake hose from the frame to the anchor. I've no idea how exactly this might be done in OE type rubber brake hose, but I'm sure that it can be done. Early Broncos come stock this way.
Other hose option would be to use -3 braided stainless hose and the various adapter fittings. Again, I can guess how it might be done, but I haven't done it.

 

[djawahir]

Wow, that's friggin' brilliant! I knew you guys had the answers!!!

I'll have to figure out what I want to do with my brakelines now...Maybe I'll do flex hose and a fixed anchor point on the body.

THANKS A MILLION!

 

[MANUCHAO]

if you are doing for aesthetics I can understand..but I would not bother.....that's just me.... how's that conversion coming along ???

 

[RustyJones]

A spiral arrangement, allows the coiled line to be resiliently elongated. ( That sounded Dir-Tee )..

I think it's alot of things come into play. For one that one simple solution. Cooling of the lines, Flexbility, Spreads out pressure ( Longer lines more fliud, Brakes are cooler )? I'm No expert, thats just my novice observation.

 

[D'Animal]

The coils also absorb the vibration. Just like you air compressor sitting in the corner of your shop. If you hardlined it, the vibration would crack the line at the fitting over time.