Ironhead Brake Line Part Number ?

[jharback]

Both Magnum Shielding and Barnett (www.barnettclutches.com) will make custom cables to fit at reasonable prices. Just tell 'em what you want and they'll quote you a price. Contact them by phone for specialized orders. I've used them both to make custom cables with no problems. I'd call Barnett and if they don't help you try Magnum again. Sounds like you got a dud that answered the phone.

[ferretface]

Originally Posted by jharback

Both Magnum Shielding and Barnett (www.barnettclutches.com) will make custom cables to fit at reasonable prices. Just tell 'em what you want and they'll quote you a price.

Coincidentally enough, the nice lady at Barnett also told me they do not produce a brake line for the 1983 XLX.

But that's OK as I now have a complete front brake line for my bastard Sportster. I thought perhaps I would replace the rear brake hose as well, but it appears that the rear line/hose is a soldered one-piece line just like the front line was. And there is a tee between the line and hose with an additional port for a brake light switch. Also soldered. (Another pic attached).

So, that's another hose & line I'll have to piece together from separate parts.

From my parts catalog, it appears the 1983 Sportster was the only year that had one-piece brake lines. A mistake that HD corrected the next year.

More fun.

[ryder rick]

Unless you find a NOS part you are unlikely to find a one piece rubber hose.

The aftermarket provides the needed parts to assemble a hose that is actually better than OEM. Although not cheap....

There are many suppliers that offer different adapters, if you don't find what you need, cast a wider net.

They don't call me Ironhead Rick just because I'm hard headed

[83XLX]

FYI, the stock front brake line for the 1983 XLX is part # 45122-83.

[ferretface]

I wasn't able to find a NOS front brake line assembly, which on the 1983 models is one-piece (the steel lines are soldered to the ends and the hoses are hydraulically crimped to the lines). So, as suggested, I went the modular option, using parts from several suppliers such as JP Cycle, Summit Racing, and a few obscure aftermarket cycle suppliers. The front system uses a 35 degree 10mm/AN3 banjo fitting, a 3-way AN3 splitter block, three AN3 stainless braided DOT approved hoses, and two AN3 to 3/8"-24 IF adapters.

The rear line was a bit more complicated. It uses a 20" stainless 3/16" brake line hand-bent to go from the rear master cylinder to a 3-way AN3-1/8" NPT-AN3 tee, which connects to a brake lamp switch and an 8" 3/16" stainless line bent into a pigtail. That connects to a 8" AN3 stainless braided hose with another AN3 to 3/8"-24 IF adapter.

I would have preferred an 11" rear hose instead of the pigtail and 8" hose but I could only find 10" and 12" braided hoses. There needs to be some slack in the rear hose to allow for chain adjustment. The 10" was perfect but wouldn't allow for any adjustment (the axle is all the way forward). The 12" hose wouldn't 'form' correctly to provide an esthetically pleasing profile.

Both front and rear lines bled out nice and hard. I'm not really thrilled with how the skinny lines look (I like the fat line look) but I can live with this.

Sorry about the pics; it's difficult to get everything to focus...