If you ever opened up the braking system of your car, you might have wondered why are brake lines coiled at the master cylinder? Why not keep them straight? We answer all these queries below.
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Has the mechanism involved in the manufacture of your vehicle ever triggered you? Or, have you ever been intrigued by why and how each part of your vehicle is connected?
If the answer to these sorts of questions is yes, then you have landed at the right place. This article will aid you in understanding your braking system better. We will help you understand how and why brake coils are put together and will answer all of your doubts regarding the braking system. If your interest is piqued, keep reading!
You must have thought that the designers and mechanics who worked on the structure of your brake line must have been crazy to put in so many bends and loops. But, those loops are in for a purpose. The primary function of such bends or coils is to add flexibility.
Why Are Brake Lines Coiled At The Master Cylinder?
Your Brakes Are Always Under Stress
When you drive your vehicle, be it a car or a truck, your braking mechanism will have to flex. Most models of cars come with a frame that supports the body of the brake. The body is attached to the frame by rubber mounts.
As a result, there can be a lot of movement between the frame and the body. The master cylinder remains attached to the body, while some of the other components of the brake remain attached to the frame.
When the driver steps on the brake pedal, they flex the vehicle’s brake, which moves the master cylinder but not the other brake components.
Distance Between Master Cylinder and ABS Pump Can Vary
Not all car models are designed the same. Several cars differ in the distance between the master cylinder and the anti-lock brake system pump compared to the others. But flexibility added into the models with coils ensures that the cars remain assembled despite the difference in the distance.
Coils Spread The Impact Of The Brake, Reducing Shock
Without the coils, there will be continual flexing between the brake lines, which would cause fatigue in the braking line, resulting in breakage.
If the coils had not been attached, that is, if the lines had been straight and short, the vehicle’s motion would eventually crack the brake lines.
If the brake lines are designed into a coil, the flexing will be divided into sections. Thus, the impact of the stress on each section would be minimal. As a result, there will be a minimum strain on the line.
How do you coil a brake line?
Brake lines are coiled to prevent them from breaking caused by fatigue resulting from the constant movement of several parts.
The mounting details attached to the components keep moving relatively to each other due to actions resulting from vibration, heat, etc. This creates stress in the brake line, which can cause it to crack. A coil or a flexible line relieves this stress.
You can perform the coiling using a 3/16″ tubing by bending it around another 2-3″ tube in diameter. The easiest way of coiling a brake line would be making one or more coils and pointing the ends in the desired direction.
After that, lightly clamp the brake line to the end of a tube and hand bend it using your hands slowly so that it remains tight to the tube. In case you use a ¼” brake line, the whole process turns a lot tougher.
Do Brake Lines Have To Be Bent?
Bending brakes lines is a necessity if you want your brakes to be durable. As explained earlier, the stress of regular braking can cause your brake lines to crack if you don’t bend the brake lines.
The process of bending brakes is not that difficult, but one needs a little practice to master the art of bending brake lines.
While bending brake lines, make sure you do not forget the flares and fittings. When bending brakes near the end of the line, if you need to add a flare, make sure you do it before bending the lines.
Bends in the brake lines are also crucial for another reason. Logical routing of the brakes can help provide the exact amount of clearance around other engine compartments and chassis components if you manage to tuck them neatly out of the way where they would not be at risk of damage.
Which Line on the Master Cylinder Is for Front Brakes?
The primary port attached to any two of the port master cylinders is closest to the mounting surface. Each port is connected to the front and rear portions.
- The front port could either be left rear or right front.
- The rear port, on the contrary, could be the left front and the right rear.
Why Are There Springs on Brake Lines?
The springs added on the brake lines are meant to prevent fatigue caused due to moving parts. The mounting parts on all of the components have to move relative to each other, which causes vibration and heat.
Springs are added to the brakes to provide relief to them from that. The spring wrapped around the brake hose is generally closest to the compression fitting. The limit the extent to which the rubber can bend, which increases the life of the hose.
Conclusion
Even though the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, it is not always the best way possible. In the case of brake lines, coiling is undoubtedly necessary because coiled brake lines primarily act as shock absorbers; it absorbs the motion between the body and the junction block, which prevents the eventual cracking of the lines at the master cylinder due to stress.
Brakes also play a significant role in determining the overall performance of your vehicles. To increase the performance of your vehicle, you have to make sure that your brakes are at their best. So, make sure that your brakes are coiled to ensure the best performance of your vehicle.
Happy Driving!
