Replacing Brake Lines...

[firemedicmonkey]

When I bought the black beater it has a blown out brake line some where... as welll the Bio-Express blew out a line from sitting around.... So I am getting ready to replace all the lines all the way around on both trucks...

I am wondering what size line are they so I can order a spool of it and make the lines myself...

Anyone have a good source for good brake line (spools) or preformed lines...

Suggestions on taking on this task?

 

[sassyrel]

buy the bulk line--get the proper brake flare tool,and go for it--preformed--youll be lucky to get them to you not bent--and you can get new ends where you buy the line from--

 

[firemedicmonkey]

any idea on size of line... i was hoping to look around for the best deal on bulk... I like bending it myself anyways... its an OCD thing...

 

[87crewdually]

IIRC 3/16" line

 

[Danoflapper]

It is 3/16" Had to do a bunch of this not too long ago. Fun stuff when it lets go 100 miles from home.

 

[swampdigger]

This is one job you want high quality tools for!!

Cheapo flaring kits are just a pain in the ass that make you regret every moment of a brake line project.

 

[Danoflapper]

I completely agree with you Ranger. I broke the crappy flare tool we had with only two more flares to go! I had to ask the neighbor to do it for me haha Other than that all went well.

 

[jhnlennon]

I bought on of those cheapie flaring tools too from autozone, BIG MISTAKE. Although it works, the flare always turns out lop sided and they are hard to get to seal. The stupid flare adapter for the 3/16 size broke twice on me too, autozone did stand behind it though. Buy a quality one and you wont be swearing everytime you use it.

 

[typ4]

Dorman used to have bulk steel line

jegs has 25 feet for 29 bucks.

 

[jperecko]

like others have said do not go cheap with the tools- I wasted $25 on a crappy flaring tool and it was useless- what needs to be looked for is a flaring tool that does not use any kind of ridges to grip the tubing.

 

[franklin2]

I bend my own, but I always use the universal line you can get at the parts store. You have to use a coupler or two on the long run to the rear, but I like that because the shorter pieces make it easier to fish through the crossmembers and behind the wiring. If you still have the RABS valve, and use the universal line, you will not need to use a flaring tool at all. If you have bypassed the RABS valve, you will need to save the odd size nut on the master cylinder line, cut the end of the line off and re-flare the line after you install the master cylinder nut.

I had to redo all the lines on my truck. They love to rust in two right behind the frame bracket on the front lines, and in the middle in the rear line. I notice the parts store's universal lines now have a green coating on them. Maybe that will hold up better than the silver coating that had on them before, which didn't last very long. On this latest truck, I smeared the lines with grease after I installed them.

 

[Agnem]

... what needs to be looked for is a flaring tool that does not use any kind of ridges to grip the tubing.

That's interesting cause mine is like that, and I've never had a problem with it. It probably is a cheapy too. Could it be that I'm just that good at using it?

 

[firemedicmonkey]

Any recomendations on where to get a "quality" flaring tool? Who makes it? Where to order...

 

[87crewdually]

I bought mine 16 years ago from Napa with all the flare adapters and a handsome carrying case. Never had a problem with it.

 

[swampdigger]

what needs to be looked for is a flaring tool that does not use any kind of ridges to grip the tubing.

That's where I always run into issues. No matter how hard you clamp down, the line gets pushed through. And you unclamp it, push the line back up again, REALLY reef down this time, try it again, same result.