Hey guys, been a while. So I'm working on the 92 and getting ready to rehaul my front brake lines and Im wondering if anyone has ever relocated their combo valve? As it is, it's in a pretty PITA spot to access so I'm thinking about making up some bracketry to mount it much closer to the master cylinder- this would, in theory, give better access to if and when I need to redo brake lines. What I'm unsure of is if this is here for a reason or if it was placed on the underside of the cab to keep the eyesore of line shooting out everywhere from the common eye. I don't have access to pavement or a lift and this isn't my DD, so part of my reasoning is so I don't have to crawl around in the dirt (or mud, in my case in Maine) and get this project one step closer to being completed. My new front lines are going to be here within the week so I'd like to get this part finalized.

 

I don't see any reason why you shouldn't put it someplace more convenient. Makes perfect sense to me.

 

My thoughts exactly HY, I'm not seeing any particular reason it couldn't be closer to the master. I've got it pulled off for right now anyway, but you never know! That's why these communities exist because someone, somewhere, usually has some tidbit of arcane knowledge on mysterious engineering ways! Lol

 

I sincerely HOPE it can work up there; I've got the brackets and am planning to swap the booster, master cylinder, and proportioning valve; I'm mounting the new valve up under the master cylinder.

RwP

 

Ralph, would you mind sharing a picture of the brackets you have? I've got a couple ideas for mine but I'd be curious to see what you have come up with... Unfortunately today I got laid off, and it's rainy with high winds here so I'm stuck inside watching Cory Carson with the kiddo!

All things considered, I'm not really seeing ANY reason it can't be moved. I'm thinking I'll run my passenger side line up along the firewall instead of along the crossmember. I bet that line will outlast the entire truck.

Also just got a pair of new bezels in this morning. It was a lot cheaper to go the primed route so unfortunately I'll be saying goodbye to the chromed grille and going a gloss or semi-gloss black route.

 

I cheated; for a new combo valve, I bought one of these:

GM Proportioning Valve

There are others available, both here and on Amazon, with the brackets.

I picked that because the C10 / C1500 trucks that the valve there was designed for are about the same weight range as the Dakota, and about the same front/rear weight ratio, so I figure out that it'll be close enough to use.

I'm also mounting it with the rear to the FRONT of the truck, to keep with my olde skool teaching from the 70's that discs go nearer the booster, drums further away ... YMMV on that, though.

I will have to make a new set of interconnect lines, though, since the Dodge MC uses a different thread than the GM MC. I could probably find a GM master that would fit and work without; but the OUTPUTS are also different, so eh.
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I'm using 3/16" Cupro-Nickle for my lines - I bought a 50' spool here . Edit: My memory said 25', the order says 50'. Eh. If that's the WORST thing I misremember, I'm in darn good shape!

DO remember, if you run the line up on the firewall, then be sure to run it BELOW the master cylinder. Air travels to the highest point; you want it in the reservoir, not your brake line! That's where I'll be running mine, too; since it makes more sense to me.

I'll add a coil at the proportioning valve, and two full coils where it transitions down to the frame on all three runs in order to give it some "spring" in case the cab shifts any.

Which reminds me - might as well do the cab bushings while doing that! Those lines will be off and easier.

If in doubt, add some protector to the line as you run it ... I've bought some of this here . Use Adel clamps ( that's a brand name for these , doesn't have to be THAT brand!) for three reasons. 1) Won't pinch the line if you size it right (say 3/16" for bare, 1/4" if you have the protector); 2) Keeps the lines from shifting; 3) Won't rub a hole in the line if it DOES shift!

DO buy about 3 quarts and 3 smaller bottles of brake fluid in quarts; I've also got a vacuum operated bleeder I bought here IIRC. Doesn't matter; Harbor Freight has one also, and it's quite often available cheaper. But you'll need the fitting to connect to your air compressor with the HF one; this one included it, so I went "Eh." Use the big ones to start refilling the system and to purge out any old fluid; use the little ones at the end so you won't toss so much (I don't keep brake fluid; we run 80-90% humidity here, and an opened bottle is useless after a few weeks if that long.)

EDIT 2: Uhh ... Be sure to extend the wire for the warning light, too, when you move it. I forgot to mention that. It'll be somewhat required.

I'm currently planning on unlooming that run, pulling it up, and rerunning it so I don't have to splice it any.

RwP

 

Holy knowledge Ralphman! BAM! POW!

So, yes my thought it the combo is going to be a little lower than the master, and everything else will run uphill to that, and again back up to the MC. If I ABSOLUTELY have to run it along the crossmember because of design constraints, I will, but I THINK I'll be in the clear. Famous last words. Thats why I say- don't know till ya know and now ya know so there ya go! With that said, I now understand why coils are standard in the lines right under the reservoir. Engineering design, noted.

I'm quite positive I have absolutely 0 quarts in my entire system atm. When I d/c'd the combo valve from the rear main line, I got a few drips and that was it. I didn't even have fluid when I pulled the flex lines from the front calipers. So I definitely appreciate that, I'm going to be a couple quarts shy of getting the system bled.

I can (or rather should) say, I have a 2nd gen parts truck and I plan to swap out that rear axle, manual tranny swap, etc. I'm going to have a TON of work into this truck, but this 92 was originally someone elses baby before it got turned into a work truck, then sold to me. I've had it for almost ten years now and I just can't get rid of it because I love everything about it. Now I have my daughter who's going to be four this year, and she's already decided this is HER truck!

I'm going to stop dreaming about the final product and post now, otherwise I'll just be turning this into a build thread with no materialization!