Routing The Brake Lines Through The Swing Arm On A 6th Gen. Vfr

[2FAST4U]

This is something Seb and I have been discussing. He said he's seen it on older VFR's but not on a 6th gen. Since he'll be using aftermarket brake lines, his concern is whether or not an adapter will fit onto the proportioning control valve (piece F-14 in the schematic below.) He said the adapter goes from NPT (bike side) to -3 AN size (brake line size). It's the first one on this page:

http://www.anplumbing.com/shop/index.php?s...less!_Steel

So what do you guys think? Is it doable? Thanks!

[SEBSPEED]

Anybody care to hazard a guess? I'd be interested in putting an entire kit together(or just the rear part) if this pans out. I'm sure it can be done, just not sure how, and not willing to take my own bike apart for this at this time(too much going on already!!)

[2FAST4U]

C'mon, guys! Dan (toro1)?, Doug (fotomoto)? Rick (SAFE-T)? etc., etc....

There's a lot of brainy guys out there when it comes to stuff like this! Help us out!

[Darth Bling]

C'mon, guys! Dan (toro1)?, Doug (fotomoto)? Rick (SAFE-T)? etc., etc....

There's a lot of brainy guys out there when it comes to stuff like this! Help us out!

If my memory serves me correctly, one of the lines has a regular banjo bolt on the end of it. The other line has a block on the end of it which one of the hard lines screws into.

Since I've delinked my brakes, I'm not using that brake line with the block on the end anymore. If you want, I can find it and snip the end off for you and send it to you. That way you can figure out what end you'll need to put on it to make it connect back up with the hard line.

[zRoYz]

There are kits aval now already made, from memory the hard line being a hydraulic fitting is a very strange size & to do what you want you would need to make custom parts as there isn't anything fitting wise ready made. I went through this when all I wanted to do was cap off lines when I delinked brakes that go from front of bike to rear & couldn't find a exact match at any hydraulic fitting outlet.

The ready made kit info bellow:

NEW HEL Performance Brake Line Kits Available For The CBR1100XX 96 - 03, VFR800 98 - 00 and VFR800 02 - 03

Exeter, Devon, UK - HEL Performance have produced two new stainless steel brake line fittings to allow the manufacture of complete 10 line brake line kits for the Honda CBR1100XX and the VFR800s. These new products, cnc machined from solid stainless steel bar, will offer any motorcyclist with the linked braking system employed on the CBR and VFR the option to upgrade to HEL Performance stainless steel braided hoses.

The new fittings, one double take off and one single take off, include a mounting hole (6mm) to allow these new hoses to be routed and installed as per the original oem set up.

NEW HEL Performance Brake Line Kits Available For The CBR1100XX 96 - 03, VFR800 98 - 00 and VFR800 02 - 03

These beautifully machined pieces mean that HEL Performance can now supply a complete stainless steel replacement brake line kit for any motorcycle fitted with hydraulic brakes - from 1971 right up until 2004...

The fittings are machined from 303 stainless steel and are an excellent addition to the ever expanding range of products offered by HEL Performance Products.

NEW HEL Performance Brake Line Kits Available For The CBR1100XX 96 - 03, VFR800 98 - 00 and VFR800 02 - 03

These fittings are only supplied as part of the above brake line kits which are available with immediate effect from HEL Performance Products and it's worldwide network of distributors.

[SEBSPEED]

NEW HEL Performance Brake Line Kits Available For The CBR1100XX 96 - 03, VFR800 98 - 00 and VFR800 02 - 03

Well, that's wonderful, but Steve wants to do the rear only, and I'm not spending $400 for a full kit when I can buy hose and fittings for $100 and do it myself.

How about drilling out the threaded portion of the oem piece and tapping a new thread for a new fitting? The banjo would be easy enough to deal with(thanks Tim for the clarification!), just need to get the proper fitting into that block now!

Tim, if you can set me up with that piece, that would be super. Do you still have my address?

[JZH]

I doubt it's an NPT thread, as that is a taper thread. That means it seals using the taper and teflon tape, whereas brake lines are almost always flare fittings that seal via the flare. Flares are straight thread. And probably metric... (NPT means "national pipe thread", and it is a US-spec.)

I have some Goodridge adapters I bought for my NC30 somewhere, but I can't recall what thread it is off-hand. I doubt the thread used on the RC46 is anything exotic, but before you replace it you've first got to identify the correct thread...

The VFR400R NC24, btw, has its rear brake line through the swing arm from the factory! I was surprised to see that, but then, it was the first Honda production motorcycle to have a single-sided swing arm, so it was full of innovations. Judging from photos, it has relatively large holes in the swing arm for the lines to exit, and uses rubber grommets for sealing. For my NR-wheeled, RC30-swing-armed RC36 I was thinking about using stainless steel flare tubing (similar to the tubes used OEM in many places not requiring flexibility, but in stainless) for a really trick through-the-swing arm set-up that would not compromise the arm's integrity. I'd polish the tubing, if it were exposed, of course, but my preferred method would probably be to use bulkhead fittings, so the tube would not be seen at all (and, of course, wouldn't have to be stainless steel--OEM tubing works fine and weighs the same!)

Ciao,

[SEBSPEED]

I doubt it's an NPT thread, as that is a taper thread. That means it seals using the taper and teflon tape, whereas brake lines are almost always flare fittings that seal via the flare. Flares are straight thread. And probably metric... (NPT means "national pipe thread", and it is a US-spec.)

I have some Goodridge adapters I bought for my NC30 somewhere, but I can't recall what thread it is off-hand. I doubt the thread used on the RC46 is anything exotic, but before you replace it you've first got to identify the correct thread...

The VFR400R NC24, btw, has its rear brake line through the swing arm from the factory! I was surprised to see that, but then, it was the first Honda production motorcycle to have a single-sided swing arm, so it was full of innovations. Judging from photos, it has relatively large holes in the swing arm for the lines to exit, and uses rubber grommets for sealing. For my NR-wheeled, RC30-swing-armed RC36 I was thinking about using stainless steel flare tubing (similar to the tubes used OEM in many places not requiring flexibility, but in stainless) for a really trick through-the-swing arm set-up that would not compromise the arm's integrity. I'd polish the tubing, if it were exposed, of course, but my preferred method would probably be to use bulkhead fittings, so the tube would not be seen at all (and, of course, wouldn't have to be stainless steel--OEM tubing works fine and weighs the same!)

Ciao,

Thanks JZH, Tim is sending me the block in question, and I can check the threads with my tap & die set when it gets here. Hopefully it's a common thread, and I'll be able to just order a fitting off the shelf. :thumbsup:

[Stéphane]

Thanks JZH, Tim is sending me the block in question, and I can check the threads with my tap & die set when it gets here. Hopefully it's a common thread, and I'll be able to just order a fitting off the shelf. :thumbsup:

Hey, when I ship you the bars for the 83, I can send you the 2 proportioning valves and the bracket if you want. I'll never put it back on, so I won't need it.

As for your question, not sure what the problem is. The banjo bolts are the same as any other one on the bike, except for one that is longer (double lines) with a bleeder on top. The block is a standard connection (flared ) that you'd find on any vehicles including cars. I might still have the steel lines.

[SEBSPEED]

Thanks JZH, Tim is sending me the block in question, and I can check the threads with my tap & die set when it gets here. Hopefully it's a common thread, and I'll be able to just order a fitting off the shelf. :thumbsup:

Hey, when I ship you the bars for the 83, I can send you the 2 proportioning valves and the bracket if you want. I'll never put it back on, so I won't need it.

As for your question, not sure what the problem is. The banjo bolts are the same as any other one on the bike, except for one that is longer (double lines) with a bleeder on top. The block is a standard connection (flared ) that you'd find on any vehicles including cars. I might still have the steel lines.

Need to go from whatever it is now to an AN fitting, to attach a custom length braided line to...

[Darth Bling]

Thanks JZH, Tim is sending me the block in question, and I can check the threads with my tap & die set when it gets here. Hopefully it's a common thread, and I'll be able to just order a fitting off the shelf. :thumbsup:

I was so busy yesterday getting my bike fixed up (I broke the shifter while I was at the track a week ago), that I forgot to grab that brake line. :idea3: I'll find it tonight and get that block sent to you tomorrow. :thumbsup:

[Stéphane]

Gotcha,

Check this old thread, post #7 has all the parts you need. You can even make your own SS brakeline, should you wish to go that way. The fittings was the most expensive stuff.

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.p...31&hl=earls

[VF1000RS]

Gotcha,

Check this old thread, post #7 has all the parts you need. You can even make your own SS brakeline, should you wish to go that way. The fittings was the most expensive stuff.

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.p...31&hl=earls

I like the results this guy seemed to get from controlling all front pistons with the front brake lever and the rear from the rear pedal. Not a linked brake fan.

[SEBSPEED]

If my memory serves me correctly, one of the lines has a regular banjo bolt on the end of it. The other line has a block on the end of it which one of the hard lines screws into.

Since I've delinked my brakes, I'm not using that brake line with the block on the end anymore. If you want, I can find it and snip the end off for you and send it to you. That way you can figure out what end you'll need to put on it to make it connect back up with the hard line.

Tim, thanks for getting the line out. I got it the other day, and it looks like this will be very doable. We'll need 3 banjos, line, and a 90 degree fitting adapter to go from the stock hard line to the new hose. A handful of crush washers and a couple grommets for the swingarm should finish this out, thanks!

[2FAST4U]

In case anybody is wondering, we're scheduled to do this in a couple weeks. I'll be taking pics along the way.

[canib]

Looking forward to it. I just replaced the rear shock. There's way too much junk back there. Hiding the brake lines would be nice.

This is a rear end only kit, right? How about steel braided brake lines for the front? Anyone have a link to a SBBL front only kit? Anyone use/like them?

I for one like linked brakes...