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Adapting dual line brakes


weekend wanderer

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Can dual line calipers be adapted for single line use? I have a 1993 300tdi with solid brake discs single line calipers and a broken front axle. The replacement axle I got has vented discs and my caliper fixings are different so I can't swap the parts around. Any ideas?

Caliper bolt sizes vary. "Old" bolt diameter is 12mm and "new" bolt diameter is 11mm. The overall length are about the same but the unthreaded length varies. I worried about slack if I use new bolts for my old caliper. I can't find any identifying marks on the axles. I'm worried the new axle might be ABS? but I haven't seen any wires coming out. The "new" axle came from a K reg Discovery. If it's any help the original bolts were 13mm A/F with a multipoint head, the new bolts seem to be 16mm with a normal head.

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Cant you just joint the two pipes together?I am sure if you do it just above the flexi's it would be ok?someone else may know better?

I say this with the greatest of respect, but aren't we talking about the bit on the vehicle that stops you from hitting the oncoming car/pedestrian?

I always thought that hydraulics was a bit more complicated?

Sorry to sound like Victor Meldrew, but intuitively I would get the right parts in the first place...............

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I say this with the greatest of respect, but aren't we talking about the bit on the vehicle that stops you from hitting the oncoming car/pedestrian?

I always thought that hydraulics was a bit more complicated?

Sorry to sound like Victor Meldrew, but intuitively I would get the right parts in the first place...............

Thanks for that and I agree, but why don't my bits fit? Everyone I speak to says these parts are interchangeable so I don't know why the sizes aren't the same.

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I've done it the other way round - converted a dual line Discovery to fit single line Landcruiser calipers. I just plumbed both lines into a 'T' above the flexi. Then a single flexi into the caliper. In theory it should work the other way round.

The principle of the hydrualic brakes works on moving a certain quantity of fluid around at verious ratios - you move the master cylinder a long way to displace 'X' amount of fluid. 'X' amount of fluid then moves the caliper piston a very small distance, therefore you have a force gain - in basic terms.

The single or dual lines do not effect this fluid displacement and therefore have no effect on the the braking power. What the dual lines do is give you redundancy in the event of component failure - i.e if you damage a flexi you don't lose all the braking effect on that wheel as you've still got half the caliper working.

Now in terms of legality and insurance, I'm not sure. My mods are fully insurance declared, but if you ran over a group of kids due to brake failure I suppose the modification could be held to blame.

I have some dual line vented disc calipers if you need them.....

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I've done it the other way round - converted a dual line Discovery to fit single line Landcruiser calipers. I just plumbed both lines into a 'T' above the flexi. Then a single flexi into the caliper. In theory it should work the other way round.

The principle of the hydrualic brakes works on moving a certain quantity of fluid around at verious ratios - you move the master cylinder a long way to displace 'X' amount of fluid. 'X' amount of fluid then moves the caliper piston a very small distance, therefore you have a force gain - in basic terms.

The single or dual lines do not effect this fluid displacement and therefore have no effect on the the braking power. What the dual lines do is give you redundancy in the event of component failure - i.e if you damage a flexi you don't lose all the braking effect on that wheel as you've still got half the caliper working.

Now in terms of legality and insurance, I'm not sure. My mods are fully insurance declared, but if you ran over a group of kids due to brake failure I suppose the modification could be held to blame.

I have some dual line vented disc calipers if you need them.....

Thanks for that. I will consider giving that ago, although in an ideal world I would like the same type of axle :D

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