Rear brake line problem
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 126
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From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Rear brake line problem I was driving home today from work and rolling up to a stoplight I noticed when pushing the brake pedal it went almost all the way to the floor. Luckily i was almost home and sure enough after I parked my car in the driveway I saw a little trail of brake fluid trailing up to the car. Took a quick look under the car and it looks like my exhaust pipe (TSP Rumbler X system) rubbed a hole in the brake line that runs parallel to the drive shaft on the drivers side. I figure i will need to replace this whole brake line because it is a hard-line but my question is what will this involve as far as tools, time, and labor. I will be doing it my self and I'd also like to know where would be the best place to buy the brake line (Autozone, Checkers, Napa, Salvage Yard). Tried using search but came up with nothing use in that or the FAQ's. Thanks for any help...
First I would jack up the car and look at what caused the damage, never heard of an exhaust pipe damaging brake lines. To fix the damage: You're going to need to replace the entire hard line, which is sold at autozone. The line comes unbent with the ends already installed (so flaring), however you'll need any bending tool you need. Bending the lines is a PITA if you dont have experience so be patience and buy an extra line. Shouldnt take more than a few beers.
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From: Between Bowling Green/Owensboro
A quick 30 minute, 10 dollar fix that I have done on a LOT of vehicles safely is to cut the damaged line out with a pipe cutter, take it with you to autozone, get some of the same line(as well as some extra length) and 2 boxes of that lines size compression fittings and some brake fluid. Pretty easy and straightforward to install. No need to replace the whole line. Just the damaged area. Ive already done 4 of these for friends/neighbors since 2010 started. Ive never had a compression fitting fail.
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From: Between Bowling Green/Owensboro
Cats, headers, etc, whatever. Brakes, I wouldn't trust a compression fitting. I'd rather spend the time it takes to put in a flare and feel sure that when I do hammer the brakes the fitting won't fail. I'm not even going to bring up the liability if your compression fitting failed and someone died as a result of it.
Do NOT use compression fittings.
They are not rated for line pressures seen under heavy braking.
Under extreme conditions, like braking to avoid an accident or not to run a red light, you can seen pressures approaching 3,000 psi. High Quality compression fittings are rated to something closer 500 psi.
They are not rated for line pressures seen under heavy braking.
Under extreme conditions, like braking to avoid an accident or not to run a red light, you can seen pressures approaching 3,000 psi. High Quality compression fittings are rated to something closer 500 psi.
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12 Second Club
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From: Between Bowling Green/Owensboro
It hasnt and wont under such light duty if done right and using quality parts. Most of the presized lines already have the flare and the compression fitting on them . As for those with the little brass ***** on the end, that is what you speak of and those can fail with high pressure of heavy duty vehicles.Even stock gm has these types of connection on their trucks below the master cylinder on the frame rail. Its still called a compression fitting 
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A compression fitting is where a soft metal ferrel is compressed as the compression nut is tightened.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compression_fitting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flare_fitting
No, it's not ... That's called a 37* seated or flared fitting. There is no compression.
A compression fitting is where a soft metal ferrel is compressed as the compression nut is tightened.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compression_fitting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flare_fitting
A compression fitting is where a soft metal ferrel is compressed as the compression nut is tightened.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compression_fitting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flare_fitting
First link ...
"Compression fittings are used in plumbing and electrical conduit systems to join two tubes or thin-walled pipes together."
This is 3K pressure hydraulic line that provides a way for a 3,000 lb car to stop ... not a water line to an outside water faucet to water your pansies.
"Compression fittings are used in plumbing and electrical conduit systems to join two tubes or thin-walled pipes together."
This is 3K pressure hydraulic line that provides a way for a 3,000 lb car to stop ... not a water line to an outside water faucet to water your pansies.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 126
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From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Thanks everyone for the responses, it's a relief to know that this won't be an adventure like everything else on these PITA cars. Does anyone know the part number or where I could find it? I always seem to get the incompetent employee when I get to the parts store. I do have a flaring tool and a set of rinky dink tubing benders, the spring kind that slide over the tubing, will these be ok to use or do I need something different? Thanks again for the help, didn't mean to start an argument...
I would find out where the breach is and see how much line you'll have to remove. Maybe it's a stright section ...
Go to a local chain parts store and get a pre-made length of line of the appropriate size and length. Get metric because that's what you have on the car.
Get two metric tube nuts to go on the open ends of the existing lines and double flare each.
Use coupling nuts join everything together.
The hardest part of this is flaring the lines without spitting the tube at the flare. Inspect it closely.
Good luck and report back how it works out.
Go to a local chain parts store and get a pre-made length of line of the appropriate size and length. Get metric because that's what you have on the car.
Get two metric tube nuts to go on the open ends of the existing lines and double flare each.
Use coupling nuts join everything together.
The hardest part of this is flaring the lines without spitting the tube at the flare. Inspect it closely.
Good luck and report back how it works out.
