rounded flare nut - GAH!

[yARIC008]

I've been fixing some misc. things on the van lately and one of things I wanted to replace was the flexible brake lines from the body to the calipers. They were starting to look a little old... On the drivers side there is two brake lines that come together at the flexible line fitting. I get out my flare nut wrenches and get one of nuts loose and off with no problem (this is the easy to get to one) and then I go to get the other one off and not luck... I try and try and somehow end up totally F'in rounding the ******* off even with the flare nut wrench. The wrench just spun on the thing so now I can't get it loose for anything. After it was completely rounded by the wrench I tried some needle nose and some normal vise grips to no avail. They just continued to round it off more and now it's just totally shafted.

Any ideas? Does anyone know if you can buy a new brake line that attaches to here, it'd be the one that runs from the master cylinder down to here. If that is available somewhere I could just cut off the line and pull the old line out and run a new one down. I guess also another idea would be to just buy some new brake line and bend if all back the same like this one and put some new flare nuts on.

Any ideas are appreciated!

 

[riotwarrior]

NEW line!

 

[gonecrazyi]

Heat it with a torch and cool it off with water. Then force a smaller wrench on it. I've had to do this many times.

 

[Exekiel69]

When this happened to Me I used a small channel lock plier, grab it well and turn it, it should come loose as mine where really bad when I did the lines on the plow truck. If it was Me I would install new lines and put some anti seize on the threads and on the lines itself where it contacts the nut.

 

[Blind Driver2]

I just use vise grips...carefully

 

[John Deere]

I would use straight jaw vise-grips and lock down as close to the inner part of the jaws as possible, more clamping power. It's getting to where all I find curved jawed VG good for is grabbing hot iron.

 

[jlwoods99]

I've had the best luck with things like this using a little pipe wrench its either a 6" or 8" not sure which size but seems to grab when nothing else will. I'd use the heat at the same time if its as bad as you describe.

Good Luck!

Jim

 

[bab029]

I've had the best luck with things like this using a little pipe wrench its either a 6" or 8" not sure which size but seems to grab when nothing else will.

Jim

My standard tool kit is two screwdrivers, an adjustable, a 2lb mini sledge, and a 6" pipe wrench. Fixed a lot of stuff with nothing more...

 

[yARIC008]

I have straight jaw vise grips, they didnt seem to help... I'm heasitant to use a torch here as it looks like there is probably alot of flammable stuff down here such as insulation and now alot of wd-40 and pb blaster. I really like the pipe wrench idea, the question is will one fit here. Like i said this is the harder to get to line. I'll try to get a pic so you can see.

 

[jlwoods99]

Its the cutest little thing but it works for me.

 

[zebrabeefj40]

I'd buy a piece of preflared line from the parts store with fittings to go from the master to the hose end (or flare my own lines from a coil of brake line). Sounds like you were replacing the rubber hoses too so why bother with the stuck fitting? Cut the line just above the fitting with some diagonal cutters. Cut the rubber line clip up enough to remove the line (IIRC Ford used a really nice clip that the rubber line fits through). Install new parts, blead and done.

Nick

 

[yARIC008]

Well I got the situation kinda sorted out. I ended up cutting the thing out and buying a new brake line that was pre-flared with fittings on it from autozone. I haven't gone out and put it in yet as it hasn't stopped raining in like 3 days now. But I took some pictures of it all but can't get the attachments to work. The fitting was just beyond booggered and when I finally got it on a bench it took some pretty heafty torque to get it out. I had my big pipe wrench on it and a big 3/4" wrench holding the hose part and still about busted up my knuckles getting it loose. Once it was off it almost looked like someone had put red lock tite on it. The threads were red. Have no idea who would have done that, as far as I know that is still all factory. No one other than me and my brother have ever worked on these brakes as far as I know.

Anyways, hopefully the new line will work out. I just have to get it all bent properly.

 

[kc0stp]

Hmm red threads... Im thinking rust?

 

[yARIC008]

Hmm red threads... Im thinking rust?

well if my pictures would upload I'd show you, but don't look like rust, infact the threads look really clean, except have a red color. It's not an orange red rust color but looks just red to me. I suppose anything is possible though.

 

[Knuckledragger]

That is loctite. I have heard of people doing this but not the factory. Sorry it took so much effort to get it loose. use a little oil or anti seize on the new threads and you will be good to go. Just don't tighten the nut with a cheater bar.