32J's MKIV Build Thread, Project "Serpente"

[32J]

Reservoirs
Took me a while to figure out how I wanted to mount the reservoirs. I've settled on mounting them to the engine bay square tube, just ahead of the footbox. I've read other posts on making sure that the mounting plate does not extend more than 12" past the edge of the footbox, to ensure clearance with the hood gas strut.

I sourced a 3/8 aluminum plate. This thickness, plus the reservoir mounting brackets, will put the reservoir caps about 7/8" out from the square tube. I cut the plate so that the bottom would be level with the chassis (assuming no rake). I drilled and tapped the 1/4-20 holes for the socket head cap screws, and positioned them so that top of reservoirs would be level. I staggered reservoir clamps so they would fit on the mount bracket. I did this to leave more room the wiring harness out of the front of the pedal box. I also chamfered the corners, which will also leave more clearance for the wiring harness. Coated with satin black VHT chassis paint, and bolted to the frame with 1/4-20 Grade 5 SAE bolts. I also used spring washers and some blue locktite.

IMG_9790.jpgIMG_9792.jpgIMG_9793.jpgIMG_9794.jpgIMG_9796.jpg

Brake Lines
Four tips I'll share with other newbies, that I wish I knew before I started:
1) For the rear Wilwood brake instructions, they get into mounting the clips that hold the flexible brake lines to the hard brake lines. But the tip on possibly BENDING the tabs slightly comes further along in the e-version of the manual. Bending the tabs is necessary to plumb-in the hard brake lines. Bending these tabs after they're already riveted will take some creative clamping , in addition to being a waste of time.

2) The coating on the brake lines in the kit scrapes off very easily. Make sure it doesn't get into the lines or into the fittings. Should also place some tape or rubber gasket in the pedal box front panel where the lines run, to keep the lines from scraping.

3) Tube bender is handy. Some various sizes of impact sockets are also useful for bending and creating coils (impact sockets have more grip).

4) The 60" line between the two front brakes is BARELY long enough, so long as you don't follow the geometry of the frame too tightly. When running along the 2x3 vertical channels, take the diagonal. My first try was was too tight, and I went straight up and down the 2x3s, and I ended-up ditching it and starting over because it didn't reach the full distance. But I did eventually straighten and re-use the line for the run to the rear brakes.

IMG_9768.jpgIMG_9767.jpg

IMG_9782.jpg

Don't forget to double-check the tightness of all fittings. Also take care to make sure the lines are either safely away from any metal surface, or, is secure and really tight to the steel. Want to avoid any road vibration from brinnelling the lines. Overall I think I did okay running the lines.

Bleeding
I 'bench' bleeded the 2 3/4" Wilwood Master Cynlinders in-place, i.e. on the pedal box. I had some spare 20" 3/16" brake line and some tubing to route the discharge back to the reservoir. Try to position the clear tubing at the high point so that you can see the accumulation of any air bubbles. Wilwood says cylinders should be level when bleeding, because otherwise some air may get trapped in the bore in certain spots. The default installation is that the MCs angle up towards the driver (discharge). For the bench bleed I jacked-up the front of the frame to make the MCs level, and that seemed to help get the last bits of air out.

I followed the Wilwood 'purge' bleed method (YouTube), because of the dual MC and balance bar set-up. Just made some bleed bottles out of old Gatorade bottles (fully cleaned and dried-out before starting). It took a LONG time to purge the passenger side, both front and back, at the same time. Stayed patient, and gently tapped the calipers with a rubber mallet every once in a while. If you see air bubbles at the top of the clear tubbing, you should release the brake pedal very, very slowly to allow the air bubbles to continue migrating to the top. Otherwise, you'll just suck them back into the line. Once the pedal is back at the top, you can then push the bubbles out.