ABS Delete Kit

gmemony2

Active member
Tried a search, didn't find anything.

Anyone know the proper sizes of flex hoses for an ABS delete? I know they can be bought as a kit, but the price is pretty high for us on a budget. If anyone has some info on the female/female hoses and the male/male ends needed that would be appreciated.

Inline Tube are the types of hoses I believe all the kits use.
 

DaveP's Ghost

Well-known member
I don't like flex hoses if they are not needed. In the "ABS delete", the flex hoses just provide convenience for the install. Fabricating and installing hard lines requires tools and patience. Hard lines don't expand with every brake application. (The cheap imported SS line that these kits use, does.) The pedal is firmer and more reactive to input.
 

gmemony2

Active member
I haven't made lines in years so I'm a little wary of doing them on this. I do know Napa has some decent hard lines so I may just pick up a few of those if I can get the proper lengths and fittings and use something like that. We used to have a great parts store near me with knowledgeable staff, but unfortunately they closed after a fire or something and never reopened.
 

DaveP's Ghost

Well-known member
I purchased my double flare kit at least 25 years ago for some project I had to make lines for. I don't use it frequently, but I use it often enough (once or twice a year) to remember the tricks, and I almost never have trouble or have to scrap a part. I keep bulk 3/16 and 1/4 steel tubing on the wall of the shop. I purchase the nuts 10 at a time. My auto parts guy closed shop in 2019, so I get this stuff from rockauto now.

3/16 and 1/4 is easy to double flare. The only gotchas' I've hit are if the little pin in the 3/16 gets stressed, it breaks off and you're done flaring until you get a replacement. And if you don't have very close to the exact amount of protrusion for the first step, the double flare will be crappy. Either over-crimped, or not enough overlap. Because the mandrel that clamps the tubing leaves marks and stress, you have to cut off an 1" to try again. Frequently, this makes the part too short. Copper single flare, I just cut the flare off and re-flare. Usually because I forgot to put the nut on before the flare..... duh.

I've also cutom-fit the pre-made lines from NAPA by re-doing one end to the length I want. This might be your best compromise, if you can find a quality tool at reasonable cost, or borrow one.

The bottom line is that it can't leak. After everything is bled, hold your foot on the pedal for a minute with high foot pressure. Check the nuts. If there's a wet one, tighten it. That's usually all it takes.
 
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