brake line routing

[yekrahs]

I am getting together a ss brake line project and was wondering about the line routing. I think I would like to eliminate the T fitting and run a line from the MC to the left caliper and then loop over to the right. My question is if this will affect the braking or create uneven wear due to the left caliper actuating first? Is there any reason that I should not route the lines this way and go with the stock configuration? thank you for the input.

[Nessism]

Go for it. Some modern bikes route their brake lines that way. No problem from a functional standpoint. Be sure to constrain the line as it loops over the wheel to make sure it doesn't hang up on anything.

[yekrahs]

Great and thank you! It is nice to get the go-ahead from a master, and thanks as well for the ss line thread! cheers!

[Brendan W]

BMW used to run a steel pipe under the front fender - corrosion magnet.
Strictly speaking your unsprung mass is going to increase by ahem! grammes.
There was a young gent of 70+ in the local bike shop last week asking if they knew the weight of the inner tubes fitted to his trials bike. He's still racing.
Why are you crossing over to the left and coming back to the right?

[yekrahs]

I was going to route down through the speedo cable guide and then use the stock line clamps to hold the loop...but nothing set in stone yet. My only over thought concern was that possibly the left caliper would actuate slightly before the right causing some sort of problem.....

[Brendan W]

Strictly speaking you are right about a delay. The master sends a wave down the line and yes the nearest caliper sees it first. Wave speed will be about 1000 yards per second so if you measure the hose you can calculate the delay and countersteer to offset it

[Steve]

Why is there any need to countersteer?

If one caliper applies a bit before the other, the only way that it will make the bike steer is if it deforms the fork assembly.

I don't see that as a likely possibility, though. On many of the larger touring bikes, the right-hand lever only operates one of the front calipers. I know that I have squeezed it HARD on occasion and my bike never even gave a hint of thinking of changing direction, let alone doing it. Yeah, in their infinite wisdom, some safety-minded weenie of an engineer decided that it would be a good idea to take advantage of some bikers' bad habits. Because the rear brake does so little, and many riders of "another brand" follow the "hit the rear brake and lay 'er down" school of thought, as well as the "don't touch the front brake, it will put you over the bars" mentality, they decided it would be a good idea to join the rear brake with one of the front calipers. That way, when you follow your bad habits and only apply the rear, you get some front brake action, too. Makes it a lot harder to skid the rear wheel intentionally, and is probably a bit safer, overall, but I would rather have the normal front/rear split between hand and foot.

Yeah, if applying just one brake caliper makes your bike steer, I think you have some other, more-important issues that need to be fixed.

.

[salty_monk]

I've been running mine that way for several years....

[Turtleface]

I ran mine to the right side caliper, and looped it over to the left side. No perceivable difference from the factory t-setup, other than the much improved feel at the lever from replacing 30 year old rubber lines.

[Turtleface]

Oh, I should mention, much easier to bleed properly.

[derwood]

Saves 1 line and less fittings, but performance is the same, there is no hydraulic delay, confined fluid,there is no flow. (pascal's law)
I haven't found it any "much easier to bleed properly", au contraire, (that's french for "on the contrary") actually air tends to get trapped in the loop over the fender, if you have that issue you can detach the end-of-the-line caliper and raise it above the fender it bleeds easier.
The nice part about the splitter is it is a cool place to hide the hydraulic brake lamp switch, should you decide to use one.

[Brendan W]

Why is there any need to countersteer?
.

You don't really think I was serious - I keep forgetting that. My bad - is that the phrase ?
My wife warns new aquaintances to take half of everything I say with a pinch of salt and ignore the other half entirely.