Brkae Lines- Where to disconnect

[dakotajeep]

Guys,

I am dropping the rear axle on my F250. Going to trade for an axle with 3.55's.

I am trying to remove the brake lines from the rear axle of my truck and need some guidance. I found the line that goes to the rear axle but I am not sure if there is a better way to do this.

Any and all suggestions are welcome. I never liked working with brakes.

I am learning that there might be special tools?

Thad

 

[Matrix37495]

I wont tell you what to do, but if it was me doing it.....

I would take a pair of vise-grips or a clamp and clamp the rubber line shut (the one that goes from frame to the axle) and then take it loose at the axle. This would stop all the brake fluid from draining out.

 

[bike-maker]

I disconnected mine where the single rubber line connects to the hard line above the rear axle.
Your brake fluid is probably due to be changed anyway.
One of the Mity-Vac vacuum bleeders is just about the best $40 I ever spent on a tool. Allows you to bleed brakes easily and by yourself.

 

[dakotajeep]

I disconnected mine where the single rubber line connects to the hard line above the rear axle.

Thats where I was looking at but apparently I need a special tool? The wrenches wouldn't hold. Its also super rusty.

Thad

 

[Matrix37495]

Should be a special "banjo" bolt, but you should be able to use a regular wrench on it... Must be rusted away some and not getting a good bite with the wrench....

 

[Dieselcrawler]

no, i belive he was saying the line nuts are rusted, are the lines on the new axle good? if so use them, and replace the rubber hose.

 

[opusd2]

I disconnected mine where the single rubber line connects to the hard line above the rear axle.
Your brake fluid is probably due to be changed anyway.
One of the Mity-Vac vacuum bleeders is just about the best $40 I ever spent on a tool. Allows you to bleed brakes easily and by yourself.

That's where I would disconnect as well. And that Mity-Vac? Oh, absolutely a pain solver! I say pain because I've always had to rely on others to pump the brakes when I was working on them. And this way YOU can monitor if the fluid level in the master cylinder is high enough, YOU don't have to try to communicate with the person pumping the pedals and YELL because they turned the radio on because they were BORED! And of course my favorite, YOU don't have to deal with someone getting TIRED just pumping the pedal.

It's saved me a lot of antacid and it really does a bang up job.

 

[Diesel_brad]

To answer your question where to disconnect your brake lines. Right on the axle. The will be a bolt holding the rubber line/brass block to the axle tube. There "should" be a vent hose on the head of the bolt. Remove the vent. Then the 2 steel lines going into the brass block. Then the bolt holding the brass block to the axle.

Now would be a good time to go over all your brake lines in the truck, while you have the system open anyway. Replace any questionable lines, that way there will be "OOOO SSHITT!! I just lost my brakes!!!". And if the fitting on the end of the line is rusty enough that a wrench slips, the lines are just as bad.

I would at least put new wheel cylinders, new steel lines on the axle and possibly a new rubber hose if it is dry rotted and cracked.

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

To each his own on the vacumm bleeder.

I used one in school when i was doing my the brakes on my truck and i think it pumped in more air than it pumped out. I hated that thing. i will take the two person method everytime i do brakes if i have a choice. so what if the pedal pumper whines, i like good brakes. on the plus side... the abilty to bleed brakes by yourself is wonderfu.

 

[dakotajeep]

To answer your question where to disconnect your brake lines. Right on the axle. The will be a bolt holding the rubber line/brass block to the axle tube. There "should" be a vent hose on the head of the bolt. Remove the vent. Then the 2 steel lines going into the brass block. Then the bolt holding the brass block to the axle.

I wasn't sure what the preferred method was. Thanks. I hate something as simple as brakes being a show stopper but with as rusty as everything is I get to the point that I just want to make sure I am loosening something thats supposed to turn....

Thad

 

[dakotajeep]

I am having issues removing the parking brake. I got the line removed from the lever but I can not remove it from the outside of the drum. Should it just slide off? Mine isnt moving at all.

Thad

 

[Diesel_brad]

When it goes thru the backing plate there are little "fingers" that need to get squeezed together so they will slide thru the hole

 

[riotwarrior]

I am having issues removing the parking brake. I got the line removed from the lever but I can not remove it from the outside of the drum. Should it just slide off? Mine isnt moving at all.

Thad

What Brad said

When it goes thru the backing plate there are little "fingers" that need to get squeezed together so they will slide thru the hole

Also once you disconnect the park brake cable in the drum area I have used a box end wrench and slipped it over the cable and slid down to the clips Brad mentioned, I use metric or SAE which ever works best and wiggle the wrench down over the tabs while whirling the cable from the backside of the backing plate and usually 85%+ I get it out with little to no problems. The wrench helps to press the 3 tabs down and you can turn it slightly too to make it work better....

JM2CW

 

[dakotajeep]

Thanks guys I got it. Now I am off to get the "new" axle.

I was not able to ge the brake line loose from the frame of the pickup so I just removed the three way connection on on the axle itself. Its a pain when stuff is more rust than metal!

Thad