Some members over here like SURFOR Chop, ackman1968, AFMM3 and U-234 run Softail floorboards on their Dynas.

Did some research on how they connected the rear brake line and noticed different ways to solve this problem (hard lines, braided lines, copper connectors etc.)





Here's what I had in mind to tackle this problem:

Take a bolt, drill & thread it and put it where the rear master cylinder is.

Bolt the stock rear brake line (with brake light switch) to the tapped tunnel.

Make a custom brake line using Goodridge parts to the new master cylinder up front.




Any thoughts this might work?

Your feedback is much appreciated!

 

That looks good. Will the rear banjo bolt actually be your brake light switch or are you moving that up front?

 

I'm not any help. I went with the early Softail boards and brake line. I just had to drill and trim a piece of angle iron and I think I had to extend the wires a little (it's been awhile). But it looks like your idea should work.
You sure do a great job with pics and diagrams.

 

That's similar to what I did except I hacked up my original master cylinder and turned it into a bulkhead union. I think it would work great as long as the ends of the bolts are machined flat so the sealing washers will seat properly.

 

Basically, you just need to get the hydraulic fluid pressure from the master cylinder to the brake ....

Being as I wanted to take the easy way out and use off-the-shelf, commercially-available parts (and to re-use my stock brake light pressure switch) ... I got a three-way fitting to go where the original, stock Dyna master cylinder went ... onto which to reattach the stock brake light pressure switch ....

The fitting had a bracket affixed to it, but the bracket was unobstrusive enough for me to move out of the way ....

Also, my attachment method is rather lame ... as I routed the brake line through the hole where the original master cylinder is mounted on the frame, I figured nothing was going anywhere ... so, I just 'zip-tied' the fitting to the frame ....





My only question with your proposed solution is where your brake light switch will be mounted ...?

Good luck Rene ... hope this info helps ....

Todd

 

Thanks responding so fast, gentlemen. Your feedback and input is much appreciated!

@ AFMM3:
Initially I was thinking to re-use the rear brake line which holds the switch just behind the banjo fitting, close to the master cylinder (see image).

Your input made me realize there are banjo bolts with a build in brake light switch. This would be a good solution and opens another option: using a one piece line from master cylinder up front to the rear brake caliper. This option leaves me to decide where to put the banjo bolt/brake light switch...




@ Harvey:
Doesn't matter Harvey! I like to visualize my ideas and www + MSPaint are great enablers in doing so....one picture tells a 1.000 words story!

@Rick:
It was your set-up that made me trying to find a solution without having to cut the rear master cylinder. I do agree on machining the bolt's head and end to avoid a leak. Thanks to your feedback I learned the meaning of the word "bulkhead union"

@Todd:
As written above, the initial plan was to re-use the rear brake line + brake light switch. Reading all your feedback, I tend towards the "COTS" one line option with a banjo bolt/brake light switch: less work and less connection points (= minimal risk for a leak).

Now I have to search & find a Goodridge dealer at this side of the pond.....

 

Hey Rene - what did you decide to do? Got any in-progress photos?

I guess when I did my brakes, I wanted to match my brake line with the rest of my stainless steel braid and did not want to leave any of the residual stock stuff ... I had forgotten the original fitting coming off the rear of the master cylinder was where the brake light switch was attached ...

Your photo shows the underside vice the side shot from Rick (?) ...





* * *

The title of your thread and the question you pose seems to lead the reader to believe you are installing Softail floorboards ... but, you've been using the FXDP Police Defender floorboards (I thought with good results) for some time now ....

What's up ... are you converting over to Softail boards ...? I don't believe there would be a way to convert just the brake system as the Softail bracket is where the master cylinder mounts at the front of the bike ....

R/
'Chop

 

Decision not yet made so no "in progress images", Todd.

I posted this thread to get some feedback on the brake line option I was thinking of.

You're right on the FXDP floorboards on my Dyna for some years now. On the longer trips I tend to put the heels of my feet on the outer front edges of the boards to get my legs stretched a little and feel comfy.

In the past 1-1/2 year I have been collecting all the necessary Softail floorboard parts to make the switch to this set-up.
Using appropriate adapter plates (like you guys did), I hope to be able to put the boards about 3-3.5 inches further up front compared to the FXDP boards and get myself the riding position that suits me best.