I havent posted on here in ages! So i was driving the other night and blew my brake line right where the coolant line mounts. Figured id throw on a compression fitting, but nothing fits! My line measures up to the 6mm line size at the parts store, but i cant find 6 mm compression fittings. Besides making and bending a new line, anybody found a compression line to fit?
A compression fitting is not the way to go. Brake line should be double flared. There's too much line pressure for most compression fittings. It's worth taking the time to do it right so you are safe. Also, when one part of the brake line starts to develop a leak, it's a good bet that the rest of the line is not in such good condition either
Well, i measured it at autozone without the wire coating on it and thats what It measured up to for some reason. I figured 3/16 but its smalller. Wondered if anyone else ran into this
Well, i measured it at autozone without the wire coating on it and thats what It measured up to for some reason. I figured 3/16 but its smalller. Wondered if anyone else ran into this
Originally posted by TONY_C: A compression fitting is not the way to go. Brake line should be double flared.
No... The Right compression fittings are good. Steel or Brass made for brake work. Standard plumbing fittings at HD Lowes and most others is a huge No No.
Worse. Any flaring on old brake lines often CAUSE failures. Never flare old line because old brake lines have weak spots from rusting (inside and out) and the metal have "work hardening" by doing their job. When they blow, they often fail at the worse time.
Cleaning off rust won't help. Rust area will make stress risers when you flare the lines. Brake line pressure range is 0 - 1500+ PSI and Steel lines does expand at high pressure causing work/strain hardening.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
I planned on using brake grade compression fittings. But the the issue for me is, i need my car til i get paid to get a new brake line kit...and that the line doesnt seem to be 3/16, and 1/4 are too big. Doesnt make sense to me...
And hey, fierosound, i saw the kit on fierostore, but noticed it said 84 only. Is there no kit for 85+?
Unless the kit changed I used it to replace my long line. I didn't do it myself, but the mechanic didn't mention any problems. The issue may be the bends. They don't seem to match the 85+ chassis exactly, but they're all folded up in a box anyway.
There are a couple threads that give the exact parts you need from Autozone. One is in my thread you'll find if you search for caliper piston stuck or something like that.
Note: the rear brake line coming from the proportion valve is 6mm like you measured. It is 3/16" from the proportion valve to the master cylinder only (weird) and both of these sections use different types of flares!
[This message has been edited by KaijuSenso (edited 10-26-2014).]
What I hate about the brake lines is that it's that annoying metric bubble flare garbage. When I redid my lines, I just used a double flairing tool (if you don't have one or don't want to use one just waste money buying the different length line at the store), and bought up the bubble flared ends for the hoses, but I couldnt find a new T for the rear lines at a store, so I just used the standard threaded on the other side. Also, if you need it done, just buy the standard line and buy the bubble flare adaptors for it. Also, be prepared to do much more line than you want to or needed to at first. More times than I have wanted, I've had to redo line from front to back because of how rusted it was, or I fixed one line and BAM another broke right away. You don't need a kit though. Just think about what needs to be replaced, the length, if the other lines around it are solid or are showing signs of age and should be replaced too. Brakes are kind of an important feature to have on a car, and a very important thing to make sure they are fixed and not fixed patched together. Also, I've never had any luck with the compression fittings on brake lines.
edit, I meant I couldn't find a metric bubble flare T, so I had to use a standard threaded T, it was cheaper, plus needed the car on the road right away.
[This message has been edited by imabaddude (edited 10-27-2014).]
No... The Right compression fittings are good. Steel or Brass made for brake work. Standard plumbing fittings at HD Lowes and most others is a huge No No.
Interesting, that's the first I herd of those, just where do you get them because I don't think my NAPA carries them. And I don't think my state allows compression fittings as a repair for brake lines, at least they don't come inspection time.
I have in the past in an emergency used regular compression fittings on brake lines when I am in a pinch on the road but also don't recommend them as a permanent fix, at least the regular ones, I am going to have to take a look around for those you talked about. Got a link to those?
quote
Originally posted by imabaddude:
What I hate about the brake lines is that it's that annoying metric bubble flare garbage. When I redid my lines, I just used a double flairing tool (if you don't have one or don't want to use one just waste money buying the different length line at the store), and bought up the bubble flared ends for the hoses, but I couldnt find a new T for the rear lines at a store, so I just used the standard threaded on the other side. Also, if you need it done, just buy the standard line and buy the bubble flare adaptors for it. Also, be prepared to do much more line than you want to or needed to at first. More times than I have wanted, I've had to redo line from front to back because of how rusted it was, or I fixed one line and BAM another broke right away. You don't need a kit though. Just think about what needs to be replaced, the length, if the other lines around it are solid or are showing signs of age and should be replaced too. Brakes are kind of an important feature to have on a car, and a very important thing to make sure they are fixed and not fixed patched together. Also, I've never had any luck with the compression fittings on brake lines.
edit, I meant I couldn't find a metric bubble flare T, so I had to use a standard threaded T, it was cheaper, plus needed the car on the road right away.
I second that one, if you can afford it replace them all at the same time, if they are all of the same age, chances are there is another one waiting to go as soon as you replace that one, it has happened to me on an old ford van I had decades ago. I replace one and next thing you know a week later another went, when I had the van fully loaded with shavings, about 900 lbs. of them. luckily the e brake worked because I had just replace all those cables the same time I fixed the one brake line. Remember these cars are over 20 years old and just about everything in them is at least close to that old and in the case of brakes, well better safe than sorry !
Steve
------------------ Technology is great when it works, and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 10-27-2014).]
