Brake Line Differences: MN12 & FN10

Thomas A

Registered User
I'm working with a company to have SS lines made for our cars, and was wondering if there were any differences in line length or fitting sizes between the difference models? I am trying to find out how many different OE sets I will need to send in to have them reproduced. I broke down the models into:

FRONTS:
1989-1991 Thunderbird SC & LX
1989-1991 Cougar XR7 & LS
1992-1997 Thunderbird SC LX
1992-1997 Cougar XR7 & LS
1993-1998 Mark VIII

REARS:
1989-1997 Thunderbird SC & LX Disc
1989-1997 Cougar XR7 & LS Disc
1989-1997 Thunderbird SC & LX Drum
1989-1997 Cougar XR7 & LS Drum
1989-1997 Mark VIII Disc

Notes & Known Facts:
1. All front Calipers are interchangeable line wise with 92+ T-Bird, Cougar, & 93+ Mark VIII. The lines will all attach to the caliper. However, we don't know if the fitting to hard line is the same size on all of them.

2. All rear Calipers will interchange with all year MN12's and FN10's on the line side, assuming the proper disc spindle is used. However, we don't know if the fitting to hard line is the same size on all of them.

3. There would be little to no demand for a rear disc SS line, as people who upgrade to SS lines would also upgrade to rear discs.

4. It needs to be determined wether or not having ABS affects the line on the front or rear discs, fitting wise. ABS does not affect length or shape of lines.

5. It needs to be determined wether the early spindles have a different length line then the late model spindles.

6. It needs to be determined wether there are fitting differences in the line to dist. block inbetween '93-'98 Mark VIII vs. early spindle cars vs. late spindle cars vs. ABS vs. Non-ABS cars.


I hope this post makes sense. I'm just trying to figure out how many setups will be needed to accomadate all MN12 & FN10 cars, sans rear drum setups. I am hoping that they will all be the same, atleast all late model and all early model spindles, but I do not know. Any help and info on this subject would be much appreciated!

Thomas
 
Here is the info that I have. Hopefully it will at least be a start for the info that you need.

A while back Kodiak Kid over at tccoa had me measure a bunch of the brake hoses on the parts cars that I have here. I found that there wasn't a noticeable difference in lengths of the hoses between years. I measured the hoses on MN12s from 89 all the way through 97, SC's, LX's, XR7's and LS's. This makes sense, since the hard lines end up in the same location through the years, so the distance from the hard line to the caliper is the same through the years.

I know that the rear hard line fittings on a 90 MN12 is different than those on a 94 Lincoln, and that the 94 Lincoln uses the same fittings as a 97 MN12.

-Rod
 
Also, you may want to contact Kodiak Kid at tccoa. He was working with a company to get stainless hoses made, so he probably has more info on the hoses.

-Rod
 
The fitting on the 92 is different than the 93 fitting. When I upgraded to late-model spindles and 13" rotors, KVR would also suppply stainless steel brake hoses. The ones I originally received didn't fit. It turns out KVR assumed my car was a '93 (& up possibly) and sent hoses for the '93. After a couple of weeks, I received new hoses with the correct fitting for the '92.

So there is a fitting thread size change after '92. Maybe it changes again also, I don't know.
 
Very good info, thanks!

So we have established that length is going to be close enough. It is just the fitting sizes that are going to be different. It is possible....

That '89-'92 are the same, and '93-'97 are the same, but we have not proven that yet. That would tend to make sense though, as it was in 1993 when they changed from the TEVES Mark II system to the TEVES Mark IV system.

Thomas
 
Sounds good. I have a set of 93+ lines, and a friend has a set of '92- lines, so we should have something put together shortly.

Thomas
 
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