TR6 TR6 Brake Line Question

[MadRiver]

Howdy all. I've got a brake line question for everyone. Any advice on how to install a replacement for the line that runs from the PDWA to the rear of the car on a TR6? The front part of the line (which runs from the PDWA to a union about half way to the back of the car) was in bad shape.

I'm making a new one, but it's a tight fit down to the frame, and then through a frame bracket together with the fuel line and an emissions line. Any tricks of the trade - or horror stories learnt through experience - would be most welcome.

Thanks!

 

[Tybalt]

You should be able to use the exisitng tube as a bend template. If not, when I have something that is a tricky bend job and i have no exisitng template to work from I use a similar length of as close to the same OD thin wall copper tubing as the steel tubing and hand bend a template tube. I don't really worry about ovality or minor wrinkling at the bends, but do try not to make a hard kink at the bend. You can use wooden dowels to help determine bend radius from the old tube and make sure of the tube directional clocking (yes, I have bent tubes in the wrong clocking and said baaaaad things when ever that was done). My guess is the the bend radii is probably going to be 3 d (range of ~ .53 to ~.62" or if a bit of an outlier at 4 d (range of ~.72" to ~.81"). Nominal 1/8" ID copper tubing has an OD close enough to -3 (i.e. 3/16" OD) hydraulic line tubing to make for a well scaled bend template.

For bending tools with -3 tubing you are kind of limited in selection. I have one of these for the small size stuff but would not use it with steel tubing above a -4 (1/4" OD):

Imperial: Tube Benders

Tube Benders

www.amazon.com

And then for the larger stuff such as this I have a a selection of some Imperial FHA and FHB lever style benders but they are one size only per bend tool:

https://www.amazon.com/Imperial-Tool-364FHA06-Lever-Bender/dp/B001HW88ZE/ref=rvi_d_sccl_4/132-3814794-1438118?pd_rd_w=rz6ef&content-id=amzn1.sym.f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_p=f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_r=5Q5BW8R0XC9WCTRN0CCG&pd_rd_wg=y3hmz&pd_rd_r=757cf513-c784-4188-8c20-e2ad4490cbdf&pd_rd_i=B001HW88ZE&th=1

Supposedly there is an FHA-364-03 bender out there but I've never seen one.