Having a Line-Loc will make...
Having a Line-Loc will make driving your strip steed much more enjoyable. To get the front wheels locked on your Mustang, you'll need a Roll Control kit, like this one from Hurst. Hurst also makes the necessary brake line and fitting kits for a clean installation. Really cool, old school "Hurst Equipped" emblem is sold separately.
Chris Winter of Crazy Horse...
Chris Winter of Crazy Horse Racing (Clark, N.J.) drilled out the holes in the solenoid to allow the unit to be mounted in a levelposition.
Next, he marked the position...
Next, he marked the position of the holes on the bracket so they could be drilled accurately.
The first order of business...
The first order of business is finding a home for the Line-Loc solenoid. We chose to mount it under the car on the bracket that holds the ABS actuator in place. Hurst recommends finding a location that is devoid of heat, such as right next to the headers. The tube at right is the anti-roll bar, to the left is a radiator. Hurst also recommends mounting the solenoid close to the ABS unit in order to keep the additional brake lines short.
From this angle you can see...
From this angle you can see the marked holes.
When you think of the quintessential drag car, there are products that are "must have" items. One such item is a good tach; others include a quality shifter, front skinnies, slicks at the rear, and of course, some headers and sweet-sounding mufflers. Another obligatory item is a Roll Control, or Line-Loc, as it's commonly called.
Quite simply, a Line-Loc is a device designed to prevent the car from rolling. Having this feature allows the driver to lock the front wheels in order to do a burnout. However, a Line-Loc can also serve a few other functions. For instance, it can be used to assist the driver in staging, or it can hold your car on a hill (momentarily), allowing you to operate the clutch and gas to prevent the car from rolling backwards.
Installation is not too difficult, but it involves working with the brake system, so caution must be taken. Hurst Corporation's Line-Loc kit includes a solenoid, wiring, activation button and indicator light. To properly install the kit in a late-model Mustang, it is necessary to use special fittings. Fortunately, Hurst's parent company, Mr. Gasket, sells a separate fitting and brake line kit, a necessity because additional brake lines must be fabricated.
The Line-Loc kit ties into the front brakes of the vehicle and by depressing the brake, and then activating the solenoid, line pressure is maintained and the front brakes remain locked. Hurst recommends using the Line-Loc for momentary use, and not for more than 60 seconds. This is more than enough time to do a burnout and get your slicks hot.
As we mentioned earlier, a Line-Loc also makes staging a stick car easy, because you can apply just a slight amount of brake pressure to prevent the car from rolling in too deep or even out of the beam, causing a red light. By creating drag on the braking system you can operate the clutch with your left foot and the gas with your right, and you never have to touch the brake during the staging process.
The procedure goes something like this: First, pre-stage the car and come to a stop. Lightly touch the brake pedal and then hold the Line-Loc switch/button. (Most racers use a brake pressure gauge to apply the brakes consistently during staging.) Next, bring the rpm up and drag the car forward by slowly inching out the clutch pedal. When the "stage" bulb comes on, get the clutch back in and get the revs up.
Since it is possible to wire a Two-Step and the Line-Loc into the same switch, you'll never have to let go of the button while staging. Finally, when it's time to go, snap your foot off the clutch and release the button. This will become a natural action and part of your routine.
Most will agree the Line-Loc is an integral part of any drag car. It's a tool that is used during every run. However, it is a wearable part; the Hurst unit is rebuildable with Hurst's rebuild kit (part No. 567-1500). To best explain the installation and operation, we installed a Hurst Line-Loc in our 2001 project GT. The total install time was about three hours--after making the necessary connections we had to test the system. (Important note: Before attempting a burnout you must disable the traction control, if your vehicle is so equipped.) So, we hopped in, locked the front tires, revved the engine and dropped the clutch. As expected, the rear tires spun and began to smoke. This was great fun, especially considering they were the company's tires.
Winter then cut a small piece...
Winter then cut a small piece of hose and placed it over the drill bit. This prevented the drill from going too far and damaging the aluminum ABS actuator.
The solenoid was bolted to...
The solenoid was bolted to the bracket using 1/4-inch bolts. It is important to mount the solenoid solidly to prevent flexing of the brake lines. If the lines flex they can become damaged and may fail.
Winter fabricated this line...
Winter fabricated this line that will connect the original MC1 brake line to the solenoid. This must be done with a tubing bender and a tool that can make a double-flare end.
In order for the Line-Loc...
In order for the Line-Loc to work, the solenoid must be tied into the front brakes of the vehicle. The Line-Loc solenoid is fed by the MC1 brake line, which, as you can see in the photo, has been removed.
The line was connected between...
The line was connected between the factory brake line and the solenoid. However, it was not tightened at this time.
Following installation of...
Following installation of the first line, a second line to go from the lower port on the solenoid to the open port in the ABS actuator.
Once all the lines were fitted,...
Once all the lines were fitted, we removed the fittings and applied a small amount of liquid Teflon sealer.
Then the fittings and lines...
Then the fittings and lines were put back into place and tightened.
With the solenoid and line...
With the solenoid and line installed, we still had to do the wiring, install the switch and activation light and bleed the brakes.
While it is commonplace to...
While it is commonplace to install the activation button on the shifter, we could not find a comfortable or clean-lookinglocation. We tried placing the button under the boot and over the boot, but none of these spots were to our liking. We finally decided to leave it loose so we could tuck it out of the way during normal driving. (Note: if you choose to leave the button loose, be certain it can't accidentally be pressed.) As for the light, we chose to mount it to the console in front of the shifter, next to the power point.
The shifter knob was unscrewed...
The shifter knob was unscrewed and the boot was lifted out so we could drill a hole for the light in the plastic.
We then drilled a hole and...
We then drilled a hole and inserted the light.
When mounted to a metal bracket...
When mounted to a metal bracket the light is self-grounding. However, we mounted it in plastic so it was necessary to solder a ground wire to the light and connect it to the chassis ground.
Mike Rozman completed the...
Mike Rozman completed the wiring, attaching the solenoid negative to the chassis ground under the car. The positive from the solenoid goes to the switch, and the switch gets power from a key-on source. The light is also fed from the switch so it lights up when the key is on and the button is pressed.
Boss man Campy will be on...
Boss man Campy will be on the sneak with his remote Line-Loc switch. Activating the Line-Loc is as easy as pressing the brake, then pressing the button. Once the light comes on, you can let your foot off the brake and the front brakes will remain locked. In addition to the activation light you can hear the solenoid click into action.
Line-Loc on, light on.
Line-Loc off, light out.