Desertkarts.com
All of these work, none work perfectly
  • All of these will work except
    for the "T" fitting but
    they are not the correct fittings
    for this Master Cylinder.

    The correct fitting for this unit has
    a European Metric thread.    Universal Master Cyinders

  • The master cylinders once came
    with a fitting in the port.
    The vendor stopped sending them
    so I changed the picture.    AN Male Adaptor
  • This is an AN #3 to 1/8" NPT adapter.
    Even though the threads are not a
    perfect match this adapter works.

    Why does it work?
    Because the threads are similar enough
    to the European metric threads that
    they follow into the master cylinder. NPT (National Pipe Threads)
    seal on the threads so if you use
    Teflon tape and properly tighten the
    fitting you can get a good seal.
    The pipe threads are cut with a
    taper, so they are smaller
    at the end and become larger in diameter.

  • These pipe threads don't match
    the port on the master cylinder
    but with Teflon tape will make
    a seal and allow you to
    adapt to the 3/16" standard
    US brake line.
  • This fitting has the same threads as an
    AN fitting but the flare
    at the end is different
    from the 37.5 degree flare
    on AN fittings.
    As I thread this unit into the master
    cylinder I can tell that the threads
    are only similar to the
    European metric but not the same.

    The threads start lose and then bind before the sealing
    surface at the end of the adapter
    bottoms in the master cylinder.
    A seal can be achieved
    but it is not the natural fit that
    one would expect.

    		•
    The port on the Desertkarts Master Cylinder is threaded for European metric threads.
    When using the Desert Karts Master Cylinders you will need to find the right fitting for your application. It's very easy to do if your complete brake system is going to be comprised of VW parts. The buggy industry has been driven by the conversion of VW's Bugs into buggies so the fittings are European metric.

    If you are going to combine Buggy master cylinders with quad calipers you will need to adapt the lines and fittings.
    There are at least four kinds of Brake lines stocked at most automotive parts stores. I don't stock them because shipping can be very expensive due to their size. The stock brake lines come with fittings can be purchased in your neighborhood auto parts store.

    The brake lines for specific use have color coded fittings. They are coeded in the following manor:

    European Metric are Pink.

    Japanese Metric are Blue.

    US 3/16" and larger are gold.

    The best idea is to use AN fittings. These lines are used in the performance car industry and in aviation. The best part about this type of brake line is you can adapt from the many metric fittings that are available. A good example is:
    Converting from our master cylinders (European Metric) to Banshee calipers (Japanese Metric)

    In the above picture you can see how the VW flex line connects to the master cylinder on my four seat car. I changed the 5/8" bore Neal Master Cylinder for a 3/4" bore Desertkarts Master cylinder. Once in a while I found myself needing to double pump the clutch to shift gears. I thought that the extra volume form the larger master cylinder would disengage the clutch better and it did. The draw back was that the extra volume might overwhelm the seals in the slave cylinder and ruin it, but it works great.

    The 1/8" NPT fitting works great with this same master cylinder allowing the car builder to use Earl's or any AN fittings to complete the braking system on the car.

    AN is the designator for fittings designed for the Army and Navy. (AN) After World War II they changed the 45 degree design that you might find on old Pan Head and Knuckle Head Harleys. They changed the lines to a 37.5 degree angle ant the seal was better. Many new Military Aircraft have left the AN fittings and moved on to the newest Swage Lok system. I'm not sure if they are available to the public.

    There are many retailers out there selling AN brake lines for use on your project. The above Master Cylinder is advertised as a clutch master cylinder but will work on buggy brakes. It is threaded for 1/8" NPT fittings.