Blew a brake line

[Steverino]

My wife was helping me bleed the brakes on my old F100, pumping when I said "ok" pump, pump, pump, pshshshshhhshhhhh...... brake fluid all over rear end housing. Upon closer inspection it's a rusted steel line. No one makes this off the shelf that I know of, so I get to fabricate my own line. Since that's going to happen, I've decided to redo both sides (rear). Now that its so easy to take pics and post them, maybe I'll get some action shots :D

[Help!I'maRock!]

parody thread in 3...2...1...

[baimun]

parody thread in 3...2...1...

http://img3.harmony-central.com/acapella/ubb/snacks.gif

[Prages]

I'm gonna have to do the same thing with our van. Same thing. Steel brake line rusted through. Luckily, it didn't happen when I was driving.

I'll either do it in the spring once the weather gets better, or I'll just try to sell the van for parts. :o

[Steverino]

I'm gonna have to do the same thing with our van. Same thing. Steel brake line rusted through. Luckily, it didn't happen when I was driving.

I'll either do it in the spring once the weather gets better, or I'll just try to sell the van for parts. :o

Went digging around the shop last night. I found 5 feet of 3/16 brake line, the tools for cutting, bending and flaring, fittings, 3 new wheel cylinders and a wheel cylinder rebuild kit. All I need is the DOT 3 and the rubber flex line.

[Steverino]

parody thread in 3...2...1...

Brake fluid doesn't taste good at all.

[Mark Wein]

Went digging around the shop last night. I found 5 feet of 3/16 brake line, the tools for cutting, bending and flaring, fittings, 3 new wheel cylinders and a wheel cylinder rebuild kit. All I need is the DOT 3 and the rubber flex line.

fun. My father-in-law made my fual line that way.


Brake fluid doesn't taste good at all.

lol

[Steverino]

fun. My father-in-law made my fual line that way.



Here's something I've learned of late... When it comes to car parts, and the local parts store doesn't carry it (which happens more often than not these days, since most chains have a regional warehouse), you wind up waiting for the part to come in, then you have to drive back to the store to pick it up.

Amazon of all places, carries lots of stuff including auto parts, AND they deliver lightning fast, like 1-2 days. I just looked online for this hydraulic rubber brake hose I need for my Ford. Looked at all the local stores, Autozone, Adavance, O'Reillys, none had the part in stock but could order it, then I'd have to make a second trip to pick it up. I found and ordered the hose from Amazon. I'm hoping to have it in the mailbox either tomorrow or Saturday.

[Help!I'maRock!]

Brake fluid doesn't taste good at all.

tell the car to drink more water.

[Prages]

Went digging around the shop last night. I found 5 feet of 3/16 brake line, the tools for cutting, bending and flaring, fittings, 3 new wheel cylinders and a wheel cylinder rebuild kit. All I need is the DOT 3 and the rubber flex line.

The cost of repairing the brake line isn't really an issue. While I don't have the flaring tools, I have a friend that does. The line and fittings wouldn't cost more than about $40 or so.

The problem is that the van has a broken front coil spring, a broken sway bar, and a transmission that is about to go. Plus, the rockers are rusting out.

I think it may just be a lost cause at this point.

[Steverino]

The cost of repairing the brake line isn't really an issue. While I don't have the flaring tools, I have a friend that does. The line and fittings wouldn't cost more than about $40 or so.

The problem is that the van has a broken front coil spring, a broken sway bar, and a transmission that is about to go. Plus, the rockers are rusting out.

I think it may just be a lost cause at this point.

You could repair the brake like even cheaper with pressure fittings, but it's just not safe.

You must live where they salt the roads. I've never seen a broken coil spring or a a broken sway bar!

[Prages]

You could repair the brake like even cheaper with pressure fittings, but it's just not safe.

You must live where they salt the roads. I've never seen a broken coil spring or a a broken sway bar!

Yeah, me neither. The sway bar has been broken for years...probably since we bought the van. They even sell replacement sway bar kits that "replaces the OE sway bar that is prone to rust and breakage."

http://www.netautoparts.net/sway-montana-pontiac-montana-19992005-sway-assembly-927100-p-6982.html

As for the spring, I don't know when it broke. All I know is that the van was sitting for a while due to a dead battery. The first time I drove it after putting a battery in it, I heard some clanging coming from the front driver's side. I figured it was either the sway bar or a worn out control arm or something. Popped the wheel off and the top 2 coils or so of the spring were hanging loose around the strut.

Overall, the van is just falling apart.

[Steverino]

Yeah, me neither. The sway bar has been broken for years...probably since we bought the van. They even sell replacement sway bar kits that "replaces the OE sway bar that is prone to rust and breakage."

http://www.netautoparts.net/sway-montana-pontiac-montana-19992005-sway-assembly-927100-p-6982.html

As for the spring, I don't know when it broke. All I know is that the van was sitting for a while due to a dead battery. The first time I drove it after putting a battery in it, I heard some clanging coming from the front driver's side. I figured it was either the sway bar or a worn out control arm or something. Popped the wheel off and the top 2 coils or so of the spring were hanging loose around the strut.

Overall, the van is just falling apart.

Holey crap, the factory swaybar is hollow. The coil spring probably is too. :mad:

"upgraded and improved design is made of solid metal not hollow like the original factory sway bar."

[Prages]

Holey crap, the factory swaybar is hollow. The coil spring probably is too. :mad:

"upgraded and improved design is made of solid metal not hollow like the original factory sway bar."


Even I didn't realize it was hollow. The way it's made, it looks like the ends flatten out about 6" before the mounts, and then the mounts are spot welded on. I just assumed a spot weld had broken.

[Steverino]

some pics of the work... I'm sitting there on my creeper with my Blackberry and thought, wtf, I'll take some pics. Aint technology wonderful!
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/Steverino_2006/IMG00301-20110226-1445.jpg
Here's the rubber brake hose coming down from the frame to the differential housing, where it splits, going to both left and right sides via very rusted, steel brake lines.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/Steverino_2006/IMG00302-20110226-1445.jpg
A closer look at the damage, the "blowout" is about an inch to the right of the junction. During dis-assembly the lines broke in two additional places due to rust.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/Steverino_2006/IMG00303-20110226-1612.jpg
Here I'm starting with 5' of straight steel 3/16" brake line. I needed two pieces, one for the right drum and one for the left. I removed and measured the length of the old left line, and eyeballed the best spot to cut the new piece in two. Amazingly enough, the two new pieces, after being bent to fit, both fit perfectly. This almost never happens!
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/Steverino_2006/IMG00304-20110226-1708.jpg
Here's the longer, right side line being bent. I'm using the old line as a template. If you look real hard, you can see the spring I'm using to bend the lines on the left side of the new line.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/Steverino_2006/IMG00306-20110226-1725.jpg
Finished, with fittings and both ends flared.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/Steverino_2006/IMG00307-20110226-1737.jpg
Tada! Now I'm waiting for the rubber hose (should be in today). After that, onto rebuilding the brakes themselves.

[Steverino]

Maybe I'll start a new thread when the brake work comes along :)