My 1981 Tiga has red plastic clutch hydraulic line. I understand that was common back in the day. Is this tubing still available? How about the fittings? Is a special tool needed to attach the fittings to the tubing? Thanks
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My 1981 Tiga has red plastic clutch hydraulic line. I understand that was common back in the day. Is this tubing still available? How about the fittings? Is a special tool needed to attach the fittings to the tubing? Thanks
If it is not braided Teflon of hard line throw it away as fast as you can.
Plastic lines are junk. Period. IMHO
The cost of a few feet of the right stuff is cheap compared to what losing the clutch at the most inconvenient time you can think of.
Years ago, Peter Denty had them. You can contact James Denty, he may be able to help if you want to go original. Not sure I would use the red plastic. You are better off with the braided SS brake hose and SS fittings you can buy from Pegasus among other places.
Joe
It's a Girling part that was supplied on the Lotus Elan and Ford Cortina. The hose will melt instantly if they get too hot from the exhaust heat. Most owners replaced them with full hard line or went with braided stainless hose.Quote:
Originally Posted by cgscgs
Edit: you may be in luck:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-CORTINA...item20d9efb754
Regards,
Dan
Are those the right fittings for our master cylinders and slave inputs??Quote:
Originally Posted by DanW
Just seems like a glorious search for no good reason unless you're going to Pebble Beach.
If you are using the original girling masters and slaves that use the 3/8"-24 inverted flare fittings (aka bubble flare), yes.Quote:
Originally Posted by rickb99
Well Steve, you may be right, but that junk plastic line has worked trouble-free for 32 years. Just seemed like it might be time to replace it.
If you are really into the red, take red heat shrink and cover a teflon/braid hose.
Yea, too much work but that way you'll get a red clutch hose !
Proper installation (I.e. with a clutch pedal stop either at the pedal or the slave) will not create enough pressure in that line to require the use of steel braided line. As cgscgs says, works good lasts a long time.Quote:
Originally Posted by cgscgs
Back in my FF days, I used 1/4" OD high-strength Nylon tubing for my clutch lines. I used SwageLok fittings. Never had a failure in almost 15 years of use.
The only reason I went away from that is that my later cars came with SS braided Teflon tubing, and I saw no reason to switch.
DaveW,
Did your fittings seal inside or on the face of the MC and slave?
Thanks, Chuck
That was so long ago (before 1984), I don't remember for sure. However, I think they seated on the taper at the base of the MC threads. I don't remember using crush washers back then.Quote:
Originally Posted by cgscgs
For a long time, I also used Swagelok fittings with an o-ring in the base that threaded into and seated on the machined flat surface of the MC. So, it might have been that setup instead.