Source for Brake Hoses Needed

[scissortech]

Sent: 5/22/2004 5:07 PM

WOW!  Did I just get culture shock!!  I just purchased a 78 Brave on an M40 dodge chassis.  New York requires state inspection every year and at initial registration (really a good thing).  The inspecting garage failed my Winnie for cracked brake hoses at the front calipers (I looked at them and cleaned them--can't see the damage).  Anyway, here is the shock---The hoses are no longer in production according to several large parts distributer warehouses.
I'm stuck!!  Anyone got any suggestions?   Change calipers?

Bob

[denisondc]

Sent: 5/22/2004 5:57 PM

You should try www.alretta.com. They specialize in the brake parts for the Dodge chassis. And it doesn't sound like the places you tried locally wanted your business very much. If I were you I would also get the rear brake hose (or hoses) at the same time.

Furthermore, if your rig has the hydroboost brake system, which uses the power steering pump to provide brake assist pressure instead of engine vacuum, you might want to replace the high pressure p.s. hoses that run from the p.s. pump to the master cylinder and power steering unit. If those hoses split open from old age - you lose your power brakes. Same goes for the p.s. pump belt if it is old.

[scissortech]

Sent: 5/22/2004 9:25 PM

Wow! Sounds like you've been there and done that! I'll try the place you
recommended.

Thanks for your reply.

Bob

[Lefty]

Sent: 5/22/2004 11:51 PM

Although I no longer work for NAPA, They are still one of the better resources for brake parts on these chassis. The biggest problem is that most counter people don't have very much knowledge about chassis bigger than 1 tons. They do have a brake picture book that you can look at though.

Take your old hose in with you. Determine the style and size of each end, and measure the total length. In the book there is a section that has each style numbered, based on the style and size of the ends.

Once you determine which style you have, just look for the lengths that are available for that style number. (usually there will be at least 3-4 different lengths available for each style) As long as you get a hose that has the correct style ends, and is at least as long as yours, it should work fine.

Try not to get one shorter, nor over 2-3" longer for best fit. Hope this helps, Lefty

[drummerboy]

Sent: 5/31/2004 6:57 PM

I agree with Lefty. My experience getting parts for my 72 Indian at NAPA was that I had to do the research myself.  Napa online is fairly easy to navigate through, and I went to the store with the right part numbers in hand.  Good Luck! 

[Jupp318]

From: Jupp318
Sent: 6/20/2004 5:55 PM

Has anyone considered using braided hoses for their brakes, such as aeroquip? I don't know the legalities but if it's good enough for racing I would think it would be good enough for RV's.  Maybe Jeff from Alretta can put us straight on this one?.

Cheers Ian...

[Jlogue88]

Sent: 7/26/2004 9:18 PM

I went to my local machine shop {I go there a lot} [they also fix hydrolics] and had them redo all the lines with hydrolic lines.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

From: DaveVa78Chieftain
Sent: 7/26/2004 9:36 PM

Most parts stores will let you look at the paper book if you ask.  The NAPA book covers a lot of the brake parts.  Best one I have seen so far.  You do need to know clearly what you have though because there are many variations listed.  Bring a Dodge parts book with you.

Dave

[discoverer]

Sent: 7/27/2004 2:23 PM

I have the same thing going with my '73 Discoverer....... PLUS I am going to switch over to front disc brakes. I am looking into having some stainless steel braided lines made up. Cost factor ? .... I am thinking about 80$ for the pair - THEN also consider doing the rear single line. And WHILE you are at it....as a winter project THINK about replacing ALL the steel lines.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Sent: 7/27/2004 10:02 PM

I agree on also checking your steel lines also.  I have a 78 Chieftain and I have had to replace several of my steel brake lines because they rusted through.

Dave

[LonghouseIndian]

Sent: 6/26/2008 5:18 PM

Hey all, decided to replace the hoses while I do all of the metal lines. I took the numbers from the Dodge chassis parts catalog to NAPA and got hoses with the correct ends and lengths but they are smaller (thinner) and stamped with 1/8. The ones I am replacing are 3/16. The guy at NAPA said it shouldn't matter. Does it? Thanks in advance...

'73(on '72 chassis) Indian D22
M400 413

[denisondc]

Sent: 6/26/2008 5:34 PM

I would use the smaller diameter, at least until I could find the original style. If the ends are the same, the hose diameter wont make a significant difference, and may represent newer and stronger technology in ferrule swaging.

[cupcake]

Sent: 6/27/2008 3:49 PM

When I replaced all of the brake parts on my 71 M400 I took all of the brake parts down to a local commercial brake parts house here in town, they do brake parts for just about everything from tractors to big semi trucks. They were able to get all of my brake parts, including the obsolete E brake shoes & master cylinder/booster parts. You might try one of these stores in your area.

[LonghouseIndian]

Sent: 6/28/2008 11:23 AM

Excellent! That's what I wanted to hear! I had a feeling it just might be better technology, as I ordered 2 hoses with the same part numbers;one was 3/16 and had a DOT stamp of 1988(!!!), the other 1/8 stamped 2006. Needless to say, I returned the 20 year old hose. I have been able to get all of my brake parts from NAPA, including the master cylinder for about $50.

[maxximuss]

Glad to here you got what you needed. I just redid the whole front brake set up from the front brake hoses to the rotors on my 1979 M400 chassis. Napa was able to supply the calipers and pads, I had to source my hoses, rotors, and seals on my own from another aftermarket supply. Being a parts man myself I had to do a lot of research, measuring and cross referencing. The rotors alone took 8 weeks on a back order, so I didn't have to pay freight charges. No biggie seeing I ordered these over winter. Anyone with the 8 stud wheels on the M400 chassis with the rotor behind the hub needing info or part #'s can pm or send me mail for a request I'll be glad to give you the info I have.

PS: Some of your searching can be done right from Raybestos Brakes web site look up. SKF also has a look up for your bearings and seals. Rotors I found from Centric Brake, yet had to order them though a supplying dealer of their product.
Most stuff you'll be able to find going right to the manufacturers web site. Brake hoses I had to do some cross referencing finding the right ends and then looking up over all lengths. I know for a fact that a majority of parts people don't even know that they would have the part you need and may even have it in stock, that's not their fault though. With very poor listings from the start and the fact that most places do not keep paper parts supply books anymore most older stuff is getting harder to cross reference and/or find.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

For future reference:
Dodge originally designated the M400 chassis as M350.  They then went to R400 and finally settled on M400.  Then in 75 they said in the 75 supplement that the M400 nomenclature designation applies to all M350 and R/M400 designations (i.e back to 73).  However, because this all started in 73 the aftermarket vendors had already committed to M350.  So, many times you can find parts for a M350 where M400 or R400 is not listed.  An example is the rotor frustration you just went through.  There are several of them on EBAY.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Dodge+m-375+rotor&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=Dodge+m-350+rotor&_sacat=0

Dave